It was music to my ears when I heard New Zealand soulful drum ‘n bass band Shapeshifter were to return with a follow-up to 2006’s Soulstice. The new album has finally dropped in Australia, and if you haven’t been caning it for the last few months, you might be in for a surprise. This is a much darker, brooding sound, although still with all of the genre-smashing breadth of the last long player.

The title is at first glance less about cashing in on the current (and dare I say it, bewildering) Twilight hysteria than a statement about the music industry or some other politicking. But that’s not what this record is about. In fact, for the most part it’s a collection of songs that are at times intensely personal and introspective, but eminently human and relatable.

“I remember the day/still remember the time/I remember the place and the weather/when I heard the news about you,” begins Twin Galaxies, before a soul-infused DnB beat kicks in, perfectly complementing the heartfelt lyrics, before the song twists and builds into a euphoric fury. What is vocalist PDigsss on about? That’s for you to decide, but you’ll have a damn good time doing it.

While the album is more emotionally-charged, there are still a lot of lighter moments. Lifetime is a love song – all liquid bliss and syrupy bass. And whether it’s dark or light, this sound has all the soul, jazz, hip hop, dub and ragga influences that when combined equals only Shapeshifter (accept no imitations).

Underpinning all this is the earnest live energy with which Shapeshifter has long been redefining our perceptions of drum ‘n bass. The album kicks off with Dutchies, which sounds just like the intro to a Shapeshifter set. Thick cords, drums a-building, and then the self-affirming lyrics announce “All aboard…we’re here to take it up another level, welcome to the ride!”

From the cheesy DnB MC rhymes, the album quickly gets a lot more serious. Will you like everything you hear on this album the first time you listen to it? Probably not. But this evolution in sound, style and storytelling definitely gets better with repeat plays. Far from sucking the life out of you, Shapeshifter’s latest metamorphosis continues to surprise.

The System Is A Vampire is out now. Shapeshifter album tour dates:

Thursday 3 June – The Bay Hotel, Hobart
Friday 4 June – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane
Saturday 5 June – Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast
Thursday 10 June – HQ, Adelaide
Friday 11 June – The Palace Theatre, Melbourne
Saturday 12 June – Villa Nightclub, Perth
Sunday 13 June – The Metro Theatre, Sydney (Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend)