Shifts was a Frans de Waard’s solo project, started in 1995 to explore the depths of ‘guitar ambient’ music. In the mid-nineties De Waard was frequently communicating with Richo Johnson of Fourth Dimension Records, who specialized in noise and loud guitar music, and eventually decided to make some music in the similar manner. He recorded a short improvisation on electric guitar with some effects, and then slowed it down via tape manipulations on 4-track recorder to create a longer piece. (This debut work was released only five years later, on limited edition Equal / Unequal 10″). A few shorter pieces were soon recorded and released by Frans through his own Korm Plastics label.
In the late nineties and early 2000s, Shifts released three CD albums, several CD-Rs and limited vinyl editions through acclaimed European, American and Japanese independent labels, such as Meme, (K-RAA-K)³, BOXmedia, ERS, etc. The initial phase of the project was concluded with an epic 2xCD remix project, which contained Shifts source records recycled by Vidna Obmana and Asmus Tietchens.
Eight Line was released in a limited edition of 200 copies.