Shanks drop ‘Skull & Bones’ EP on ProgRAM

Shanks was a project announced on ProgRAM last year and it was one of the imprint’s most defining parts for 2021. Wanting to remain anonymous to let the music do the talking, their first EP together did exactly that, with ‘The Outer Limits’ setting a pace for the duo. One which they’re now about to match with another landmark release. With very little social presence, despite having a historic stake within the U.S. Bass scene, Shanks continue their involvement within the genre through another brand-new EP – their forthcoming ‘Skull & Bones’ package.

For this next output, Shanks and AFK join forces for the jagged bass riffs of ‘Lose Me’, followed by the thumping segments laid out across ‘Born Ready’ alongside famed vocalist Armanni Reign, a frequent face on ProgRAM’s sister label RAM Records. Meanwhile, the title track ‘Skull & Bones’ slams into third place with its urgent rave stabs and the EP is wrapped up by ‘’95 Dub’, reminiscing on the pair’s old-school roots. So once again, it’s time to get with the ProgRAM. A label constantly reshaping itself through the worldwide talent they have at its fingertips.

The reasons why brand-new Drum & Bass duo Shanks want to remain anonymous are entirely based around their music. They’re not here to create mystery, but they’re here instead to build a path led entirely by the quality of the tracks they produce. Despite both their historic backgrounds which stretch through a particular scene’s pivotal involvement within electronic music, they’ve decided to embark on a journey which focuses more on expanding a catalogue which is as diverse as it is expertly created. And their current ethos is to stand behind these sounds instead of in front of them, ensuring the core of what they build is what turns heads, rather than a superficial image they’ve engineered for themselves.

This also will enable Shanks not to be reliant on their social media persona to reach fans, something they believe will remove the authenticity that comes from their experience and music. They’ve instead decided to invest more into the art, building a concept that has a 360 vision, which will become apparent as they begin releasing on the underground stalwart and Ram Records sister-label ProgRAM. It demonstrates the commitment to the music over anything else and how they plan to build their platform into something bigger than just releasing records. It’s what has led to them garnering attention from tastemakers even within their infancy.

Already packing an arsenal of sonic artillery, Shanks have been preparing their launch for some time now. With a deep love for Drum & Bass, their approach will enable them to explore all types of Drum & Bass subgenres, whilst never being pigeonholed. Considering the music they already have at their disposal, this method is proving to be a successful one. There’s not one avenue which won’t be covered by their project and with the support of the nearly three-decade old Ram Records, as well as its sub imprint, it’s an exciting time for the burgeoning outfit.

Today we premiere ‘Skull & Bones’ which you can check out below. The EP dropped today (Wednesday 1st June 2022) and is available for you to get your hands on from here!