DJ Shadow: For Old Time's Sake

According to DJ Shadow's site, he is going to be releasing a NEW album of OLD material from the early 1990's. Entitled Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996, I will undoubtedly check for it, as I have been a fan since the first time I took a chance on Endtroducing... back in 1997.

Allow me to reminisce for a minute...

DJ shadow introduced me (no pun intended) to a world of instrumental, experimental, hip hop music that I never knew existed before picking up this album. I had never heard of DJ Shadow at the time or Mo' Wax records, but something about the cover of Endtroducing with its blurry, inner-record store photo made me want to hear what was inside. It was the first time as a music buyer that I bought something "sight unseen" having never heard of it or read anything about it. I was hooked on the Invisibl Skratch Piklz at the time and all things turntablism, so the simple fact that it said DJ on it was enough for me.

This album lead to me to other artists like DJ Krush, DJ Honda, DJ Spooky, and other artists on Mo Wax at the time. I gained a newfound respect for what was possible with music and started crafting my own sounds and future artwork as a reaction to this type of music. I have since "Fallen down the rabbit hole" with other forms of instrumental music, but I will always remember buying this album and Warren G "take a look over your shoulder" on the same day. I think I listened to the Warren G album twice before I sat down and digested a lifetime of DJ Shadow.

His subsequent albums kept me interested in new directions of music at Quannum, Stones Throw, and more west coast vibes for years. I have not been as blown away with the follow-up projects of DJ Shadow, but I will always check for new music from him, and especially since this new batch is a nod to pre-Endtroducingwork. I don't think anything will ever hit me like this album did the first time, but it keeps me digging for other work by similar artists, so I have that to thank DJ Shadow for.

Check his old and upcoming work out if you like and let me know your thoughts.