Albums by this artist

The Private Press (2002)

Endtroducing...DJ Shadow (Recommended) (1996)

DJ Shadow

Endtroducing...DJ Shadow

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» BEN FRENCH | CO-DIRECTOR

NATN Recommended DJ Shadow Endtroducing...DJ Shadow Mo' Wax, 1996 RiYL: DJ Spooky, Aphex Twin, DJ Cam, David Axelrod

DJ Shadow writes in the liner notes of Endtroducing, "This album reflects a lifetime of vinyl culture." The album's front and back covers are covered with photos of a record shop. On the inside sleeve there's a picture of DJ junk: scraps of paper with notes and time signatures on them as well as a Polaroid of a man, presumably Shadow himself, crouched in a room, cornered by box after box of 45s and full-lengths. So even if you haven't listened to any of DJ Shadow's music, you can tell this guy considers himself a well-educated fan of vinyl recordings.

But once you listen to his first official full-length release, you realize he is something far more important.

DJ Shadow (aka Josh Davis) is a loyal disciple of music history and a pioneer for its future. Nothing could be more obvious when listening to the hour-long beat-collage masterpiece that is Endtroducing. The artist leg-sweeps the listener with his first track, "Best, Foot, Forward," where this sample master introduces himself quickly, before absconding with his captive audience to a new-age soundscape.

His world has the futuristic glow of a Vangelis soundtrack and the smooth soul of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. You feel like you are treading familiar ground because the album is made of 100 percent samples. But the original arrangement of these common materials -- the sonic layering and beat building -- make this collection a work unlike any before it.

He divides the album into three sections, using static-filled "Transmissions," which sound like the most primitive forms of electronic communication. In each section, he drops at least one perfect song. Whether it's the Windham Hill backdrop of "Building Steam with A Grain Of Salt" or the random, tense dialogue of "Stem/Long Stem," Shadow is able to create music that is uniquely cinematic and dreamy.

The songs individually connect with the listener on a subconscious level. Without a lick of his own voice in the mix, not even a short rap, DJ Shadow still manages to reach the listener's animal core. The innate sexuality of a song like "Midnight In A Perfect World" strikes an inner chord in a way a song by Enigma never could. Likewise, the funky beat of "The Number Song" gets your head nodding in way most hip-hop DJs only dream of doing.

The album stands as a liberation of DJs from rap music. It doesn't really matter how many sample masters have created albums like this before Shadow because he manages to do it so much better. He creates a cohesive, seamless work of art instead of a bombastic, unbearable jumble of samples. He keeps it rich without bringing in rappers or vocalists, who would undoubtedly take away from the music's effect. As a result, Endtroducing is a timeless classic, which will hopefully inspire a future generation of artists to take a similar path.

BEN FRENCH | Ben founded NATN in the winter of 1998-1999 with fellow IU alums Troy Carpenter and Jonathan Cohen. During the day time, he's working for Nielsen Business Media, publisher of Billboard. Ben's favorite acts include Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Sonic Youth, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys.