Shogun Unleashes Final Trance LP, New World
After nearly three years, Andrew Chen – best known as Shogun – returns with the release of his highly-anticipated sophomore studio album, New World. Last year, Shogun continued teasing the arrival of his next LP with the hard-hitting “Cielo” and majestic “Nezuko,” both of which amassed nearly a million streams on Spotify. New World features these two tracks, 8 additional previously released cuts, including “Dreamland” and “Interstellar,” and two new exclusive never-before-heard records: “New World” and “Concentration.” His long-awaited sophomore LP will double as the final long-form trance project for the San Francisco native, who will spend the coming year experimenting with new genres and developing his recently launched aliases Neo Tokyo and NXNJAS. New World is out now via Serendipity Muzik.
An LP 3 years in the making, Shogun has been keeping his fans locked in with a continuous string of diverse singles since the release of his debut double-sided album, Black & Gold, in 2019. The opening track, “Nezuko,” serves a palpable raw tension build-up into a pulse-raising dance hit full of twinkling synth manipulation. “Cielo” is fundamentally steeped in pleasure, crafted for peak-time dancefloors, at-home workouts, and everything in between. Originally released in 2019, “Under My Skin ft. Jennifer Rene,” offers a stunning taste of classic melodic trance; the track received the remix treatment from fellow trance kingpin Andy Moor in early 2022. “Dreamland” elevates the mood of the album, audibly boasting a punchier bassline and bright synth work that leads listeners into a dreamland of their own. Initially released as a 2-tracker, “Time For Us” boasts a punchy bassline carried forward by a vocal cut from Natalia Gioia, while the B-side, “Cyberpunk,” commands attention with snappy percussive elements and a dystopian radio broadcast sample.
The second half of New World kicks off with “Versace,” another melodic trance cut with deep house-influenced vocal bits and gleeful synth drops. Next up, a bold heavy bassline and trickles of hi-hats take the lead on “Interstellar,” perfectly paired with a soft vocal cut. The sonic production builds, leading to a blissful drop. “Legend” has a very wide soundscape and takes you through a rollercoaster of sounds, while “Beijing” stays very true to Shogun’s classic trance titan sound while using traditional flutes that add a raw feel to his typical electric sound. The previously unreleased “New World” and “Concentration” tie the LP together in a cohesive way, the latter highlighting Shogun’s trademark thunderous trance touch with a Future Rave twist, while the latter is packed with euphoric drops and vocal chants.
