Anthony "Shake" Shakir

Like Omar S before him, Anthony "Shake" Shakir is a long-time producer of Detroit techno who has been toiling in obscurity for the better part of two decades. Dubbed "the invisible man of techno," Shakir has released relatively few singles over the last 15 years and as a result, his output has never drawn much attention, mainly because techno tastes had left American shores for Europe by the time he got to work. Shakir has turned in a slim catalogue, yet when his recorded output is strung together over three discs, as on the excellent new Rushhour set, Frictionalism 1994 ― 2009, a portrait emerges of a deeply soulful and frequently brilliant producer. At 35 tracks, Frictionalism reintroduces Shakir as a missing gem in the Detroit techno timeline, picking up the housier, sexier side of Carl Craig and honing its melodic tendencies with sharper elements of funk and R&B.