“After decades of separate paths, Mitch Michelle and Rob Shinno have finally realised their youthful dream. The Detroit duo, who had been making musical plans back in the eighties before life took them in different directions, presents “The Dark Energy Arcade,” a debut album that feels like a warm embrace of the past while simultaneously making a fresh statement for the present... With “The Dark Energy Arcade”, Mitch Michelle and Rob Shinno have accomplished something extraordinary. They’ve breathed new life into a decades-old dream and delivered a record that feels both timeless and timely. The album pulses with heart, lights up with energy, and reminds us that great music and great friendships can defy time. For lovers of synthpop and retro-futuristic sounds, this is a debut that shouldn’t be missed. (8/10) (AFR Records)” - Norman van den Wildenberg
San Diego Union Tribune
By George Varga
San Diego guitarist, singer and songwriter Rob Shinno won’t be pulling any punches Saturday when he and his band, Hemisphere, celebrate the release of their latest album, “Unity,” at Humphreys Backstage Live. Shinno and his four-man group will be joined by no fewer than six guests artists, including Fatburger/Luis Miguel percussionist Tommy Aros, trumpeter Paul Seaforth, saxophonist Chris Klich, and singers Leonard Patton, Janice Edwards and Janet Hammer. Together, they will perform two sets and essay all 11 songs from “Unity,” which was lovingly produced by Shinno and engineered by leading San Diego guitarist Peter Sprague (who also did the carefully honed musical arrangements). The fourth album by Shinno and Hemisphere, “Unity” is the second part of a trilogy due for completion in 2024. The band’s most accomplished album to date, it smoothly fuses a variety of influences, from Joe Jackson, Chicago and Steely Dan to Michael Franks, James Taylor and Earth, Wind & Fire. Intriguingly, “Unity’s” most accomplished songs — including the gently inviting “Mr. Moonbeam,” the yearning “Shadowland” and the graceful “Laura in the Moonlight” — sound like perfect fits for a future musical theater production.
“It’s been a while since Hemisphere passed through the airwaves of the office, I’d almost forgotten how gloriously joyous, upbeat, and generally life-affirming their music was. Almost. It was American Dreams that first introduced me to a sound that I described variously as wide-ranging, eclectic, funky and timeless. And Unity is still all of those things…and perhaps more. It is an album which seems to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Steely Dan, a band who similarly favoured virtuosity over all things, who ranged through everything from jazz to rock to folk to funk to…well, anything that took their fancy, to make musical magic.” - David Franklin
“A post-modern take on pop gives Hemisphere a timeless, almost Stereolab-like quality in terms of execution. ...Their commanding presence feels absolutely incredible to behold. Letting things expand up into the infinite further adds to the captivating quality. Impeccable storytelling with a poetic flair ensures that the listener is drawn further and further into their carefully crafted world.” - Tim Mcbride
— Beachsloth
“Rob delivers and unprecedented effort on his debut album 'River of Life'... with constant purity, expertise and charisma, Shinn (AKA Rob Shinno) opens a new light in the field of jazz.” - Tom Herald
— Nightlife Magazine
“...Hemisphere takes a global approach, combining Contemporary, New Age and Latin elements flawlessly...” - Bobby Speed
— Vision Magazine
“While reclining on the warm sand, feasting your eyes on the ocean view, fill your ears with the enchanting orchestrations of openly gay guitarist Rob Shinn and his band Hemisphere. The quintet's 10 song release Blue Planet Dreams is as emotionally soothing as a week's stay at Club Med... with a smoother newer sound combined with crisp percussion... this album just begs to be played in it's entirety...” - Greg Wear / Nigel Mayer
— San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times