Any historian who takes it upon themselves to pen the tale of Canadian electronic in the years to come will most certainly find the name Mike Shannon figures early and often in it’s telling. From his humble beginnings in the sleepy suburban town of Kitchener Ontario, the last 15 years have seen him become an internationally lauded producer with albums on 3 of the industry’s most respected labels (Plus 8, Force Inc, ~Scape), as well as a steady stream of consistently charted singles and remixes.
A true “DJ’s DJ”, he has won legions of fans and the respect of his peers alike for his deep crates and lightning fast mixing skills. And while some may suggest he has gravitated towards smoother, deeper selections as the years go by, those in the know will tell you he has few equals when it comes to whipping dance floors into a relentless techno frenzy should you catch him on a night with that mischievous twinkle in his eye. Those fortunate enough to catch one of Mike’s rare live performances are encouraged to do so with an open mind, as it is in this context that the breadth of his creativity truly shines. From the shuffling house and techno of his solo performances to the narcotic jazz of his new Blue Fields project alongside singer Fadila and guitarist Takeshi Nishimoto, his is a musical vision which easily wriggles free of the usual genre signifiers and pays grand dividends to those with the good sense to get nice and close to the speakers; the devil is most certainly in the details as the old saying goes.
Yet beyond all of this, perhaps his greatest achievement has been his unfailing support of the music and people he loves. As head A&R and damn near everything else of Cynosure and formerly Revolver Canada Recordings (alongside Jeff Milligan) for over 10 years, Mike has shown an uncanny ability to select and release tracks which have become go-to fixtures in the sets of the industry’s best DJs, as well as introducing the world to the work of some of his nearest and dearest before anyone knew their names (Akufen, Deadbeat, Ernesto Ferrerya). Far from pursuing the next one hit wonder or sound of the season, his steadfast curatorial vision and passion for the music have earned him the trust of discerning music connoisseurs the world over.
