Review Summary: Josh Davis whets our appetite for his next LP by showing us he is still on top of his game
DJ Shadow is best known as the architect of the innovative and critically acclaimed 1996 LP
Endtroducing, the first album composed entirely of samples, yet those who claim that Shadow is nothing but a one album wonder have not truly investigated what the man has done. Despite the fact that trip hop would take off in the early ‘90s in Bristol, England, the term was actually coined by music journalist Andy Pemberton in reference to Shadow’s 1993 hip hop instrumental “In/Flux.” Additionally, by crafting
Preemptive Strike,
The Private Press and
Psyence Fiction (released with
Unkle), DJ Shadow has managed to build a diverse and loyal fan base for himself as well as secure the respect of virtually everyone in the industry, in spite of the fiasco of his latest LP,
The Outsider.
In this EP, we hear Shadow go back to his roots with the incredibly likable “I’ve been Trying” while still experimenting with the strange yet contagious title track “I Gotta Rokk.” The standout, however, is most definitely the powerful “Def Surrounds Us.” Using a play on words to mean both death and deaf, Shadow twists and turns us to his whims and sends us on a wild tailspin through the insanity of our overstimulated existence.
Though the remixes are weaker points of the album, with the racing Rockwell Remix to “Def Surrounds Us” adding little value to the original, all manage to take the essence of the original tracks while still contributing something new. The “I’ve been Trying” remix adds a more somber tone to the simpler original, while the beat behind the Irn Mnky Swagger Mix to “I Gotta Rokk” adds a more easy going feel to counter the strange and intoxicating essence of the original. The biggest problem with this album, however, is that it feels more like an extended preview of the upcoming album than a standalone EP.
DJ Shadow’s critics would like to point out that
The Outsider, was marred not only by negative reviews but also wound up dividing his fan base. Yet, by showing us all what he is still capable of,
The Less You Know, the Better seems poised to be one of the best albums of 2011.
