Simon Shackleton is a British composer, producer, and DJ whose work defies easy categorisation. With a career spanning more than three decades, his music traverses a wide emotional and stylistic range, drawing from electronic, cinematic, alternative, and underground influences. From euphoric dancefloor moments to deeply personal compositions for film, television, and immersive live shows, Simon's work is united by a spirit of exploration and emotional depth.
Having built a global reputation under various aliases, including Elite Force, Lunatic Calm, and Zodiac Cartel, Simon has performed at some of the world's most iconic clubs and festivals, from Burning Man to Fabric, while simultaneously building an impressive catalogue of music for the screen, with credits on blockbuster films, hit video games, and television campaigns.
Rejecting the confines of genre, his creative output is fuelled by a passion for storytelling through sound, whether crafting epic DJ sets, introspective albums, or evocative cinematic scores. Simon's work resonates across scenes and styles, offering listeners a distinctive voice that is as versatile as it is emotionally authentic.
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With over three decades in the music industry, Simon Shackleton is a boundary-pushing composer, producer, and DJ whose work spans cinematic electronica, immersive live shows, and genre-defying DJ sets. Known for his emotive and richly textured soundscapes, Simon’s music blends elements of organic house, breakbeat, electronica, and alternative influences, always balancing emotional depth with sonic innovation.
Simon has released music on renowned labels including Anjunadeep and Soundgarden, as well as through his own Stereophoenix imprint. His ability to create immersive, brooding atmospheres has drawn comparisons to artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Massive Attack, UNKLE, and Thom Yorke. A true auteur, Simon engineers, produces, records, performs, mixes, and masters all of his own material, ensuring complete creative control over every project.
His most recent body of work, The Shadowmaker, marked his most personal and cinematic album to date. Released in 2025, the album weaves intimate songwriting with evocative vocals and atmospheric production, exploring themes of resilience, vulnerability, and transformation. The accompanying Shadowmaker Show blended live music, visuals, and storytelling, offering audiences a powerful multimedia experience that left a lasting impact.
In September 2025, Simon will release The Shadowmaker: Reconstructed—an album that reimagines and reworks many of the original tracks into bold new forms, bridging the worlds of the dancefloor and cinematic electronica. This collection showcases his ability to reinterpret his own work with fresh perspective, offering deeper grooves, uplifting moments, and hypnotic new soundscapes.
From early classical training to worldwide tours with Lunatic Calm, and from iconic DJ residencies to extended One Series marathon sets, Simon’s musical journey has always been fuelled by exploration and evolution. His music has featured in major films like The Matrix and Spider-Man, as well as in hit video games including Motorstorm and FIFA, cementing his reputation as a go-to composer for high-impact, emotionally charged soundtracks.
Looking ahead, Simon’s focus is on deepening his exploration of emotive, cinematic electronic music while continuing to create transformative DJ sets under the CHPTR series. He remains committed to pushing boundaries across multiple creative spheres, mentoring emerging artists, and developing new projects that blur the lines between performance, composition, and visual storytelling. -
Elite Force, the groundbreaking alias of Simon Shackleton, has been at the forefront of the electronic music scene since 1996. Widely regarded as a key figure in the evolution of the breakbeat and nu-skool breaks movements, Elite Force’s signature sound is rooted in his pioneering "tech-funk" style - an eclectic fusion of house, techno, electro, and breaks that has defined his career.
Elite Force’s debut releases on his own Fused & Bruised label in the late 1990s were a visceral blend of breakbeat and experimental electronica. His fearless exploration of diverse genres helped carve out a distinct niche in electronic music. By the 2000s, Elite Force was recognized globally for his heavy, groove-laden dancefloor anthems, earning acclaim from the likes of Fatboy Slim, Laurent Garnier, and James Zabiela.
In 2010, the release of his Revamped album solidified Elite Force’s place as a dominant force in the electronic music world. The album introduced the concept of "revamps"—innovative mash-ups that combined elements from multiple tracks to create entirely new works. The project was a huge success, dominating music charts globally and earning Simon a Beatport Award for the best-selling breaks track of the year. That same year, Elite Force swept the Breakspoll Awards, winning Best Producer and Best Label for U&A Recordings.
Beyond the studio, Elite Force has been a driving force on the international DJ circuit. His performances have taken him across the globe with shows in Australia, China, the USA, Russia, and beyond. His legendary DJ sets, including marathon six-hour performances at festivals like Glastonbury, Burning Man, and Coachella, are celebrated for their seamless transitions, genre-spanning selections, and euphoric energy.
Elite Force’s music has also made significant inroads into film, television, and video games, with placements in The Matrix, MotorStorm: Apocalypse, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Driveclub. In 2025, his track Cross The Line was licensed to the Paramount+ series Mobland, underscoring his growing presence in the sync and licensing world. His catalogue of high-impact, adrenaline-fueled tracks continues to be a go-to source for action, sports, and cinematic projects in need of bold and electrifying sound.
His remixes for artists such as Grandmaster Flash, The Crystal Method, and UNKLE have cemented his reputation as one of the most innovative and sought-after remixers in the industry. As a lynchpin in the tech-funk movement, Simon Shackleton’s Elite Force project continues to push the boundaries of electronic music, blending genres, creating standout sync-ready tracks, and leaving a lasting legacy in the global dance music scene. -
Lunatic Calm, the seminal electronic-rock project founded by Simon Shackleton and Howie Saunders, gained worldwide recognition in the late 1990s and early 2000s for its high-octane sound and explosive live performances. Best known for the iconic track Leave You Far Behind - immortalized in films like The Matrix and Charlie's Angels - Lunatic Calm fused breakbeats, industrial grit, and cinematic intensity into a sound that was uniquely their own.
In 2025, Simon is breathing new life into the Lunatic Calm catalogue with a series of fresh releases, including a powerful 2025 remake of Leave You Far Behind and the forthcoming compilation More Lunatic Than Calm Vol. 1 set for release in August 2025. These new editions honour the band's legacy while introducing the music to a new generation of listeners and sync opportunities.
With anthemic energy, festival-tested grooves, and a legacy that continues to resonate, Lunatic Calm remains a vital part of Simon Shackleton’s musical DNA, bridging the past and future of high-impact electronic music.