Shackleton – Euphoria Bound

Released at the start of 2026, Euphoria Bound by Shackleton is an album we've been restocking over and over again here at Pattern Records. In our opinion, it's already a serious contender for album of the year. 

That's a statement that always comes with caveats. There are simply too many great records across too many genres to make a definitive call. But when an album is this f**king good, and reveals something new with every listen, it deserves a specific mention.

Do you want the short story or the long story?

The short story is that this is a breathtaking piece of music. Pretty much whatever styles of music float your boat, you absolutely need to give this album a listen. It will improve your life.

The long story is that electronic music has been evolving for over fifty years, and this album somehow absorbs influences from across that entire journey. At the same time, the production, arrangement and creativity on display here make it sound like nothing but the future. There are shades of Can in their prime. Echoes of early-'90s psychedelic electronic acts like Transglobal Underground, Banco de Gaia and Autechre. World music influences drift in and out, taking us through Morocco, the Middle East and imagined Aztec temples, with the occasional stop to refuel on Pluto. Spiritual jazz appears. Ethereal dub dissolves into something else entirely.

The more we try to describe it, the messier it sounds. Too many influences often leave music feeling clever rather than soulful. Somehow Shackleton walks that line effortlessly, creating something that feels both deeply rooted and completely original.

Does this all sound like we're gushing a bit too much? Damn right we are. When an album makes us feel like this, it's our job to tell you about it.

View Euphoria Bound by Shackleton here