Shifty Records Best of the 80s

Pre-order

Pre-orders are open for the vinyl release (currently in production) of Shifty Records Best of the 80s... order it online over at https://www.permanentrecord.co.za/collections/shifty-records

The decision on which songs to include in this Shifty compilation was not easy. Do we showcase one genre from our eclectic catalogue, perhaps the most accessible? Or do we highlight the diversity of artists who have, at some stage, called Shifty their home?

The latter seemed more appropriate, but this just led to another question: should there be a theme to the compositions, or should it be a “best of”? Seeing as Shifty was the only music label on the entire planet to specialise in recording South African artists with something to say at a time and a place where there was plenty to be said, but few musicians were doing so, the choice of theme became simple.

Through these fourteen songs, a unique story can be told. Or should we say “stories”, because as much as the message carried by the song is important, the perspective from which the artist is singing tells us so much more about the diverse cultures from which they came and the realities of their experience of those dark days.

What comes through here is that apartheid touched everyone in southern Africa, irrespective of colour, class, or creed. Ghoema, mbaqanga & township jive, malo music, people’s poet, worker choir, cabaret, theatrical, punk, Swahili swing, rock, pop, ballad & jazz.

What makes the story of the work that Shifty did so compelling is that it was able to provide a home to such divergent voices. With Shifty, there were no pigeon holes that the artist had to shape shift to fit into for us to become interested in making a recording. Our only prerequisites were that the music came from the heart, had something to say, was fuelled by the energy of originality, and sounded like it came from our part of Africa...