Having met at music school with a range of musical influence behind the members, Shapeshifter formed in 1999, quickly becoming innovators in New Zealand live drum n bass. Shortly after forming the debt EP D.N.A was released to a strong reception in the local scene. The first full length album Realtime was released in 2001 and was nominated for a New Zealand Music Award.

The next album, Riddim Wise, didn’t arrive until 2004, when the group had relocated to Melbourne and toured extensively. Riddim Wise became the group’s most successful album, and featured artists such as Ladi6 and Joe Dukie from Fat Freddy’s Drop.

The album became the number one album on the Independent NZ charts and the number one dance album in local history. It was with 2006’s Solstice that saw Shapeshifter gained gold status and the single ‘Bring Change’ gained strong airplay. The group’s fourth album The System is a Vampire was released in 2009 and once again gained strong airplay with the single ‘Dutchies’. Since then Shapeshifter have been touring extensively, further proving their status at the top of the New Zealand drum n bass world.