Shogun Audio began in Friction’s lounge in 2004, with Dave Kennett of SpectraSoul helping run the label and SP:MC designing its Japanese-inspired logo. The first release revisited Jo’s R-Type with a Friction remix. Keir Tyrer, known as K-Tee, later became Friction’s partner, bringing marketing and business experience as the label began taking on larger projects.
Artist albums became an important part of Shogun’s catalogue. Alix Perez’s 1984 was its first, followed by Icicle’s Under the Ice in 2011 and SpectraSoul’s Delay No More in 2012. The music took in melodic songwriting alongside deeper, technical drum and bass, while nights at The End and Cable brought its artists together outside the studio.
Pola & Bryson, Monrroe, and GLXY became part of a later roster. Monrroe, Pola & Bryson, and Emily Makis’ Complete follows the liquid strand, while Monrroe’s Tsubaki explores jungle. The wider Shogun group includes SGN:LTD, Elevate Records, and Temple Publishing. SGN:LTD had already provided an early home for producers such as Alix Perez and Icicle as they developed their music.
During lockdown, Shogun Sessions began as streams from the label’s Brighton office. They developed into nights with a crowd in the room, while retaining the recorded sets that let listeners join in from elsewhere.
