A few months ago, I reported that long-running UK soul mag Straight No Chaser had folded after over a decade of publishing. Well, it appears that several of its editors have filled the void left by its demise by launching a new magazine called Shook.
Online pundits and music fans have already begun comparing Shook to Wax Poetics, the highly revered American crate-digging magazine. However, that’s slightly inaccurate — Wax Poetics is almost completely dedicated to deep funk, soul, rock and hip-hop from the 70s and 80s, though it has slowly expanded to newer artists in recent years. Meanwhile, Shook covers much of the same territory as Straight No Chaser. Some of the features include a brief history of Bhangra music; profiles of Belize musician Andy Palacio (which oddly cuts off at the end of the piece), French street artist Invader and Japanese hip-hop producer DJ Muro; and a story on Detroit rap stars Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Denaun Porter and Invincible. Very eclectic stuff.
In a manifesto on their MySpace page, the Shook editors write:
a brand new publication inspired by the five elements, the four noble truths, three – the magic number, forever two stepping (never half) but still always on the 1.
yes indeed, as we proceed. welcome to shook, uk-based but with an international outlook, representing not just the vibrations of the melodic underground, but preaching peace and overstanding in this world
of madness.
You can purchase a copy of Shook‘s inaugural issue on its website.
www.shook.fm
www.myspace.com/shookup
