Shaun Escoffery is a good example for the state of the music scene these days and that talent and good songs are no longer a guarantee to make it. Although he has made himself a name years ago with successful 12″ releases like Space Rider or Days Like This and has even released two albums on the independent label Oyster Music, his self named debut and a remix album named Soulonica, somehow Shaun’s music lacked the exposure it would have deserved and that would’ve made him a household name. He has a great voice [for me he’s one of the voices of Brit Soul (together with Ola Onabule and Noel McKoy)] and his music has a style of its own. Maybe that’s just what makes it difficult for most people? While Shaun’s music is soul music it isn’t soul in the formatted classic or nu/neo soul kind. And at the same time major record companies just burn money on mediocre, at most semi-talented casted acts to get them into the media and charts.

The good news is that Shaun is still around and every now and then he can be heard on a record. You only have to dig a little deeper to get hold of his releses. Shaun’s new single release is a collaboration with the Dime A Dozen production team (Miles Bould, Scott Firth and Mike Westergaard), which is also a part of the Groove4Dayz team. You hopefully remember the MamaYo/Yolanda Charles album The Game that I’ve reviewed recently. On this album Shaun was also featured as vocalist and if you haven’t heard this album yet, you’ve really missed something.
Long Way Home isn’t miles away from Shaun Escoffery’s previous work. It’s a very good midtempo modern soul song that appears in the original version and a fantastic remix, that beefs the song up with a bubbling bass and a slightly faster groove. Taking the long way home and using any available detour? Yeah, definitely anytime I have such a fine song on my digital audio player to listen to.

Tracklisting of Long Way Home: 1. original/ 2. remix | released 2005 by groove4dayz.com

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