title: Shannen SP Has Better Taste Than I Do
author: First Floor
content_type: newsletter
publication: substack.com
published: 2026-02-11T12:02:38+00:00
source_url: gmail://19c4c9721d4ec045
word_count: 986
A guest recommendation from the London-based DJ, an enthusiastic champion of global club sounds.
͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
Hello there. I ’m Shawn Reynaldo, and welcome to First Floor, an electronic music digest that includes news, interviews, new release recommendations and examinations of the issues affecting the larger scene / industry that surrounds the music. This is a free edition of the newsletter; access to all First Floor content (including the complete archive) requires a paid subscription, which you can sign up for by clicking the button below. (Alternately, you can also support the newsletter by making a one-time donation here.)
Upgrade to paid
Shannen SP Has Better Taste Than I Do
Shawn Reynaldo
Feb 11
READ IN APP
First Floor is in many ways a one-person operation, but every Wednesday, the newsletter fully cedes the spotlight to an artist, writer or other figure from the music world, inviting them to recommend a piece of music.
Photo by Tom Tudor
Today ’s recommendation comes from Shannen SP, a London-based artist and DJ with a decidedly global vision. Specializing in Afro-diasporic rhythms and bass-heavy club sounds, she connects the dots between gqom, kuduro, house, bubbling and more, stitching together borderless sets that mirror her own cross-cultural upbringing. Though she moved to England at the age of nine, her parents always filled their home with the sounds of kwaito and South African house music, and since she has family in Johannesburg, South Africa continues to be a significant part of Shannen’s life. Yet the UK is her home base—and the place where she first honed her craft and forged her reputation.
Early on, she was affiliated with the Hyperdub label, co-curating its now-legendary Ø club night alongside Kode9, but she’s since forged her own path. Over the last few years, she’s held down radio residencies at Rinse FM and NTS, lent her A&R talents to a variety of projects, contributed vocals to songs by Angolan artist Nazar and, of course, DJed at clubs and festivals all around the globe.
With her selection here, Shannen has shared something that ’s not only been a staple of her recent DJ sets, but is also a prime example of the cutting-edge, low-end-heavy sounds that have become her calling card.
State OFFF – Hard Currency (Relentless Label Services, 2025)
It’s been a while since I’ve played a set without dropping something from State OFFF. As someone who also spends time in Johannesburg, I feel like his debut album _Hard Currency_ captures the synergy between the entrancing and spiritual energy of South African electronic music and the more maximalist chaos of bass / diasporic rave sounds, which makes for a really exciting combination.
One of my standouts is “Jozi Club.” A collab with Miss Jay, Omagoqa, Unticipated Soundz and Senarh, it’s an intoxicating tune that really connects the dots between gqom and UK bass, but to be honest, it’s hard to throw labels on everything that’s gone into the track. It also nods to the queer gqom scene in Johannesburg, which is where you’ll hear some of the best DJs. “Pistola” is another favorite. Featuring Ziggy Twiss, Lamsi and Clementaum, it feels like a mash-up of dubstep, ballroom and Brazilian funk. Although I played a lot of the tracks off _Hard Currency_ on my recent India tour, these two I’ve mentioned never failed to turn the club out.
The whole project has an international underground hybridity that has always been a driving force in my own sets as well. It’s exciting to see a producer tie all of this together successfully, and do it with really interesting features that highlight the continuity within the global bass continuum.
First Floor is published and overseen by Shawn Reynaldo, a freelance writer, editor, presenter and project manager. Find him onLinkedIn and Instagram—and make sure to follow First Floor on Instagram as well—or you can just drop Shawn an email to get in touch about projects, collaborations or other potential opportunities.
You ’re currently a free subscriber to First Floor. For the full experience, please upgrade to a paid subscription by clicking the button below.
Share
Like
Comment
Restack
© 2026 Shawn Reynaldo
548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104