Skinshape & The Horus All Stars

Biography

William Dorey, born June 20, 1991, in Swanage, Dorset, England, is a British musician, producer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and DJ best known for his project Skinshape. Growing up with a deep appreciation for vintage sounds, Dorey initially experimented with sampling drum breaks to create instrumental hip-hop and trip-hop tracks before transitioning to tape machines to generate his own organic 'samples.' This innovative process birthed Skinshape with its self-titled debut album in 2014, recorded solo by the then-23-year-old in bedrooms, lounges, and North London's 'The Arch' studio. The album blended psychedelia, rock, indie, and dub, establishing his signature style rooted in 1960s-70s funk, soul, reggae, psychedelic rock, Afrobeat, and folk.[1][2][5][7]

Dorey's career evolved rapidly post-debut, with subsequent releases including Oracolo (2015) and Life & Love (2017). During 2014-2017, he served as bassist for the band Palace while launching Horus Records, a reggae label he co-founded with Ben Bell in 2013 and runs from North London. Skinshape has performed at prestigious venues like Glastonbury, BBC Maida Vale, and Shepherd's Bush Empire, and tracks like 'I Didn't Know' have amassed over 50 million streams. Later works, such as the 2022 album Nostalgia, reflect a global yet nostalgic feel, involving live collaborations and arrangements by long-time friend Jon Moody, marking a shift from solitary production to more communal efforts.[1][2][4][6]

'Skinshape & The Horus All Stars' refers to collaborative projects under Skinshape and Horus Records, including releases like Skinshape x Horus, which fuse Dorey's production with the label's vintage Jamaican reggae influences. Now based in London, UK, Dorey's music continues to explore trip-hop-informed soul with worldwide sonic inspirations, earning a dedicated following.[1][6][8]

Fun Facts

• Skinshape's debut album at age 23 was entirely self-recorded using tape machines in unconventional spaces like bedrooms and lounges in North London, capturing its raw, emerging sound.
• 'I Didn't Know' has streamed over 50 million times, highlighting Skinshape's breakout success.
• The 2022 Nostalgia album took a year and a half to complete, inspired by a desire to channel 'nostalgia' from Dorey's roots rather than global influences, featuring on-location recording in Dorset.
• Dorey co-founded Horus Records in 2013 out of passion for vintage Jamaican music, later releasing collaborative projects like Skinshape x Horus.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Ben Bell - Co-founder of Horus Records (Horus Records label, Skinshape x Horus releases) [2013-present]
• Jon Moody (Franc Moody) - Long-time friend and arranger for horns and orchestration (Nostalgia album (horn parts), school friends collaboration) [Childhood-present, notably 2022]
• Thomas Blunt - Live band member playing onto tape (Skinshape live performances) [Recent years]
• Palace (band) - Former bassist (Band performances and recordings) [2014-2017]

External Links

• Spotify