Highlife

Highlife is a name used by more than one act. One is the moniker of Sleepy Doug Shaw, a London-born musician who moves to New York in 2003 at the age of 19 and begins playing shows around the city. In 2003 he forms Among Natives with Hisham Haroocha of Black Dice and Soft Circle, and Abby Portner of Rings, before joining White Magic in 2005.

Shaw adopts the Highlife name in late 2007, linking it both to a feeling of celebration and heightened awareness and to the African musical genre highlife, which strongly influences his guitar style. In 2008 he relocates to Gaspar Grande, a small island off Trinidad, with Mira Billotte of White Magic and starts recording the first songs under the Highlife name using a portable setup. Later that year he returns to London and works at Southern Studios with Harvey Birrell, whose credits include Crass, Sir Richard Bishop and Buzzcocks. He also brings in Tim Koh of Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffitti and Jesse Lee of Gang Gang Dance on bass and drums.

In early 2009 he self-releases F Kenya RIP online. The track receives attention from Pitchfork, Gorilla vs Bear, Spin, NME, the BBC and Hipster Runoff, and appears on several best-of-2009 lists. Highlife begins playing live in the UK and later tours the UK and Europe with Animal Collective, Hac and a Hacksaw, and Ariel Pink. In summer 2009 Shaw returns to New York and works with the indie label The Social Registry, while also appearing at multiple shows during the 2009 CMJ Music Festival, including an event organised by Pitchfork Media.

Shaw completes his first record for the project, a five-song mini-album titled Best Bless, in late 2009. In 2010 Highlife opens the year with an East Coast tour with Gang Gang Dance, and The Social Registry prepares Best Bless for release. Shaw remains active in New York as a member of White Magic and as a frequent bass player with Gang Gang Dance.

A second Highlife is a punk hardcore band from Texas. It releases a demo tape in 2008 and a 7-inch on Cowabunga! Records in 2009, with an LP planned for spring 2010.