Shit Robot to release From The Cradle To The Rave

Shit Robot, referred to as “The Godfather of DFA” by James Murphy (who also produced the record), is releasing his debut full-length From The Cradle To The Rave via DFA Records on September 21st, but today we’re thrilled to give away the first official track off the album, “I Found Love.”

Shit Robot, aka Marcus Lambkin, is no stranger to the DFA family- in fact, if anything, he’s one of the label’s elder statesmen, having met James after moving to New York City from Dublin. Shit Robot cut his teeth in the gritty New York club scene pf the early 90’s, learning how to mix and DJ properly at now-defunct clubs like Brownie’s and Save The Robots. By 1994, Marcus had made a name for himself, becoming a mainstay of the NYC club circuit.

Now he is ready to unveil his debut album. Two 12-inch singles laid the groundwork for what would eventually become From The Cradle To The Rave, but the final product was much more evolved - Murphy co-wrote the album’s opening track, “Tuff Enuff” and from there, the album moves on to “I Found Love,” which recalls the vocal style of Barry White. “Losing My Patience” features vocals from Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor while LCD Soundsystem’s Nancy Whang adds her sultry voice to “Take ‘Em Up.”

Even with its multiple guest appearances from DFA royalty, From The Cradle To The Rave is an album that may have taken over 20 years to come to fruition, but we can promise you this: it was worth the wait.

Shit Robot biography
Twenty-one years. It may sound like a long time, or maybe it’s just right. For Shit Robot, it is the number of years that it took put all of the pieces together and live all of the experiences and hear all of the sounds that would ultimately lead to From The Cradle To The Rave, due out September 21st via DFA Records. It is the first proper album from this Irish born DJ and veteran of the New York club scene, and it is worth the wait.

To understand Shit Robot, one must understand the man behind the name: Marcus Lambkin. Growing up in a “dodgy neighborhood” on the outskirts of Dublin, Marcus was a teenage punk looking for a way out a rain-soaked country. It was around that time when friends brought back from London a new sound called Acid House, and it felt like a revolution. Indeed it was. Suddenly things seemed possible. Adventure was on the horizon and in 1992, with Dublin’s club scene on its way out, Marcus left Ireland behind for New York.

What’s an up-and-coming DJ/cabinet maker to do when in New York? As it turns out, the answer is both. But one came before the other. Marcus secured a gig playing at Brownies in New York - it was these early gigs, playing to mostly empty dancefloors, where Marcus learned how to mix and DJ properly. By 1994, Marcus was making a name for himself, bringing Euro anthems and trip-hop to New York. After playing a gig at Nation, Marcus secured a residency at the iconic club night Save The Robots, and his status was secured as a mainstay on the New York club circuit. But at its peak during the Club Kids era, the club scene became something unrecognizable to Marcus. By 2000, he had had enough and made the decision to quit DJing. But that decision came to be a rebirth of sorts.

A few years before that, Marcus founded Plant Music with fellow Irishman Dominique Keegan. Plant shared a building with a small upstart label known as DFA Records, helmed by James Murphy. The two were introduced through a mutual friend; around that same time, Murphy was building a studio below Plant’s offices in New York’s Lower East Side. This is where Marcus’ cabinet making skills came into play. He offered to help Murphy build the studio, and they began to share the music they loved with each other and became fast friends.

Shortly thereafter, Marcus and Keegan opened Plant Bar, which quickly became DFA’s unofficial headquarters on Friday nights. Marcus and James would DJ everything from early punk rock to vintage synth-pop. It was all done under the name Shit Robot. Marcus explains that while he took his DJing very seriously, “James was always like, ‘look retard, chill out, you’re just playing other peoples’ records.” Those nights at Plant Bar influenced the sound that DFA has ultimately become known for. Murphy brought that sound to the masses as LCD Soundsystem. Much of today’s modern electronic music owes a debt of gratitude to the dance music/post-punk hybrid that Marcus and James developed together.

After a brief move to Germany after his marriage to a countess, Marcus began to focus on making music. Two 12-inch singles laid the groundwork for what would eventually become From The Cradle To The Rave, but the final product was much more evolved - Murphy co-wrote the album opening track, “Tuff Enuff.” It was Murphy’s challenge to Marcus about the upcoming birth of his daughter. From there, the album moves on to “I Found Love,” which recalls the vocal style of Barry White. “Losing My Patience” features vocals from Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor while LCD Soundsystem’s Nancy Whang adds her sultry voice to ‘Take ‘Em Up.’

Even with its multiple guest appearances, From The Cradle… is decidedly Marcus Lambkin, decidedly Shit Robot. One listen and it’s clear that this album was worth waiting for. Like a fine cocktail, some of the ingredients are aged. Some are shaken, some are stirred. Most people wait twenty-one years for their first drink. Dance music fans are about to have theirs served up by Shit Robot. Cheers.



"From The Cradle To The Rave" by Shit Robot - release date: 09/21/10..