Reviews (page 4 of 14)
Wow! So inspired! Total art! Wow!!! I mean this so genuinely. This is just such inspired art I'm kind of speechless
Absolutely masterful production and sample work
god tier.
masterful work. the perfect display of what sampling can do, an artform under constant attack by outdated copyright laws and record labels…
Only 2 tracks in, but I'm finding myself enjoying this far more than expected. The cover inspired little confidence, but it's something completely different. Hope the rest of the album continues to impress. The rest of the album was good. I think this is a surprising 4, I could see myself putting this on on occasion.
Felt more like a technical demo at times. I'm sure it was all very difficult but not all worth hearing
At times this album felt like an acquired taste. Second listen improved things and learning the backstory of the vinyl sampling and limited equipment made the generation all the more impressive. Feels like DJ Shadow was a precursor to current artists like Fred Again… who are proving very popular currently. Not perfect but enjoyable enough of the time.
Love love love. Fun, vibrant. Will happily let this soundtrack bits of the day.
An alright listen for the Background while working. I'm sure it is even better after multiple listens with full focus.
One of my favourites from way back. Seen him live.
One of the best albums on the 1001 list. Shame it took so long to get here.
best foot 4ward - cool intro bswagos - pretty good, abit repetitive so far but still good. oo very cool drum remix thingy at uh abt 2:50, i like it alot. the drums keep being cool dude i fucking luv drums the number song - already LUV the intro omg ts is so cool. ooo brass ok. very cool song changeling - oo... like the start... it got better when the drums came in, then it got better, n then.. BASS. fucking luv the bassline, i luv bass, omfg. w8 is this in 7/4?? holy shit thats so cool i luv peculiar time signatures. it js got better n better transmission1 - tf r they sayin wdysllp4 - already luv the bassline untitled - water they talkin abt s/ls-m - cool.. harp? oo klinky sounds.. sounds mysteriously mystical.. WOA ok now were gettin sum percussion.. n it got fast now woa thats cool i like that mutual slump - well thats 1 way 2 start a song. like it tho organ donor - ooo cool melody OH nownthey switched it up thats cool.. bit quiet w out any other instruments tho.. sounds like sum shit from undertale (aka good) i had 2 much pie crust in my mouth n didnt chew thuroly b4 swallowin so it scratched the top of my throat n now it hurts n im bloody pissed off n the music doesnt sound as good bc of that wdysllp1bsr - oo sax luv 2 hear it very nice album! didnt know id enjoy hiphoppy sampling stuff this much but alas
No sabia que el dj shadow empezó haciendo ambient, ta bueno
oh sick i actually have this one on cd. the sleeve is completely yellow now tho... i remember ripping it so i could load it onto my phone in the late 00s and listening the fuck outta it thru the most dogshit headphones imaginable. the quality was abysmal by that point but i didnt even care. its that fuckin good. honestly this is another easy 5. my only gripe is that it only has the 2 minute version of "organ donor" instead of the almost 5 minute extended cut that's on the second disc of the deluxe edition. i guess it's not too surprising given the album is already over an hour long as is, although there's so much variety even within each track that it never felt it. still, it was my favourite track on my first listen and it's my favourite now, 2 decades later. which is saying something for an album as packed with bangers as this is. thinking about it this album probably is what got me into hip hop/trip hop in the first place, as well as (along with a few coldcut tracks and like, early ytpmvs) being my introduction to plunderphonics as a concept. there's a good chance i wouldn't be making the kind of sounds i make now without this album. and i picked it up entirely on a whim. crazy....
It’s a great sampling album but is only one half of what hip-hop is. Which half? I’ll let you decide.
OK.
Didn't need to listen to this to rate it, but listened to it twice anyway.
I don’t like instrumental music much. But it had some good melodies
Kind of had some old school hip hop vibes, so I'll place it above the last album, but still not really my thing.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from the album but that wasn't it. It was weird, but I mean that as a compliment here.
I might've been slightly harsh on first pass, but not by much. It's better than a 2, but I'd keep it as a low 3.
Standing on the shoulders of giants, quite literally. Created only by sampling others art, and yet builds something totally new. What's amazing is he was able to keep producing new things that were just as engaging, he wasn't a one trick pony.
I really wanted to like this album. I'm a sucker for a hip-hop sample, so I was eagerly awaiting catchy hooks and head-nodding beats with this. Unfortunately, I was waiting for over an hour, with no resolution in the end. I can see how this could have been influential, an experiment in how far sampling can go as an art, but at the end of the day it just didn't do enough to keep me hooked, especially in a genre that I already feel is over-represented on this list.
Tykkään kyllä tällaisesta Sample pohjainen musiikki, mutta tämän rumpu ja rummut oli usein erityisen huonosti hoidettu
Not my vibe
I just can’t really bring myself to care about this album. It’s okay. But all of the really fast tremolo effect just makes it sound like it was buffering. Or maybe it actually was, but I’m not gonna relisten to find out.
Building Steam With a Grain of Salt Stem/Long Stem Mutual Slump
Building Steam with a Grain of Salt Stem/Long Stem Transmission 2 Mutual Slump Organ Donor
There is a universe where this album got the recognition and success of Fatboy Slim.....I'd prefer to live in that universe. 2.5 stars
Review - has always felt like the sort of album I should be into but not really for me. He's talented but I've never been big into turntablism+plunderphonics Rating - 6/10 Need to hear? YES
It's amazing how someone can come out with such a brilliant piece of art and never come close to that again. To be fair, Endtroducing... does feel like catching lightning in a bottle, especially when you listen to the hilariously inferior re-imagined version that came out 20 years later. Anyhow, this is a wonderful album that truly deserves all the praise it gets. It's just perfectly constructed and its atmosphere is unmatched. Favourite track: Building Steam With a Grain of Salt
I appreciate the skill involved, and I like the cover, but I don’t like the content.
Вроде прикольно а вроде нет
Probably redefined the use of sampling in music. Really enjoyed it. There's lots of interesting unconventional sounds. Stem / Long Stem and Midnight in a Perfect World were my favorites.
my expectations were pretty low for an instrumental album. it was enjoyable though, i was never too bored. favorite song is Organ Donor, or maybe Mutual Slump. soft 3
Rating: 10/10 I love the top review of this album. It perfectly and succinctly describes the breadth of Entroducing..... as art and the questions and ideas it poses. One of the finest and most unique pieces of musical experimentation and a display of the limitless possibilities of the medium. In terms of quality and enjoyment, to me it's an otherworldly sound collage that hypnotizes through its run, like something out of a dream. The density and technicality in these songs through its meticulous sampling is incredible. There's so much personality expressed purely through instrumentals that still manage to maintain a sonic cohesion, while remaining distinct from each other and never staying in once place for too long, even within the same track, like in the long medleys. Enveloped with a trippy and dark atmosphere further driven by a cool vocal sample or the sound of a scratch or crackle in the production. All in all, this album has so much that keeps me intrigued listen after listen, and probably always will. A classic
On the lowks I kinda loved it. Weird and cool sounding, a sprinkle of pretentious, overall just a bunch of pretty cool, enjoyable songs with some thought behind them. What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1 (Blue Sky Revisit) best song 7.2/10
This is one of those albums that I can appreciate for its historic and cultural significance (and having spent a little bit of time with an Akai MPC, I have a lot of respect for the virtuoso production skills that went into making it). But it's not one of those albums I'll just casually throw on or crave to hear.
I took this album piecemeal. Unable to consume it all in one sitting, I found myself tuning in to it over the course of a few days. I understand it’s not the best way or really the intention of an album’s purpose. I’d like to think of this one as an exception, it’s hard to digest all these long DJ tracks in one sitting. Much more enjoyable in small doses throughout different environments.
Kinda cool but also kinda boring
Historical landmark
Amazing album.
Didnt like it
J’ai écouté cet album en lisant Vogue et avec une bière à la main. J’ai bien aimé, surtout un titre le reste un peu moins mais je pense que ça reste un super album d’ambiance. J’adore la pochette.
I came to this a bit after it was released, probably around the 2000s when i was exploring more left-field hip-hop and whilst it's rooted in that genre it also transcends it, moving into a more ambient and even trip-hop territory. Made entirely from samples, it's an incredible feat and incredibly cohesive. I remember watching a documentary on hip hop that focussed on this and that DJ Shadow used to spend hours in the basement of this record shop pulling out random records, and sometimes the owner would forget he was there! I probably don't listen to this as much as I should, it's a real mood and vibe and I always love it when I do.
Cool beats
a classic. forgot how much I liked this.
Excelente! Muy buenos tracks
absolutely
probably a 3.5 but i did think that the fact nearly this entire album is just record samples is extremely cool so i've bumped it up
One of my favorite albums of all time. It is basically a work of architecture. Another Green World is like 14 different pastoral / rural environments and this album is like 1 giant slab of urban architecture.
Never heard of album or dj. Production right off the bat is really cool. I like that type of intro. What a piano on building steam. This beat as a whole is so sick. I wish there was rapping over this. I have a similar feeling about the number song. It’s a really cool beat just missing the rapping over the top. Don’t like the changeling beat as much. Just ok. Transmission 1 is much cooler. This one doesn’t need lyrics at all it’s just a cool song. Sweet bass line on what does your soul look like. I also like the subtle piano. Untitled is a cool bridge song. Steam/long stem is another banger of a beat. Nice piano on transmission 2. I like when albums have call backs like this. Mutual slump is very 90s. Pretty cool song tho. Organ donor is sweet too. Why hip hop sucks was meh. Midnight in a perfect world is fine. Really good guitar. Very 90s again. Napalm brain is a little too choppy for me. I like what does your soul look like a lot more. Good horns. Better beat. Very relaxing. And I like how it closes out with another transmission. Full circle. I enjoyed this album, just can’t stop thinking abt how good it could’ve been with even a mediocre rapper rapping over it. Good not great album nonetheless. 3.4 stars.
Me gustó mucho la atmósfera que crea y la experiencia en general del album. Lo volvería a escuchar
Estuvo bien,no soy del estilo, me gustaron muchos los sonidos increíbles.
Muy buen ambiente. Te genera como una sensación de explotación. Muy zarpado que este hecho casi en totalidad de samples. Guardado.
3.5⭐️/5 [04.07.2026] 05.19.2026
I'm sure this was very fresh in its time, but it reminded me of a random A24 movie soundtrack unfortunately.
277/1001 DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ One of those albums where I can respect and appreciate what it's doing, but I don't really enjoy the listening experience. To make an album made up entirely of samples into a cohesive album is impressive, but yeah not for me...
Nije album kojem bih mogla posvetiti punu pažnju ali za pozadinu dok se nešto radi fantastičan. Vrlo prijatan a nikad previše statičan da dosadi.
the fuck is this. Not for me. Se escucha como adentro de una caja, no me gustó eso.
I found my album <3
This wasn’t bad but my god it dragged on for so long. If most of the songs were about a minute shorter, this album would be basically brilliant. Sometimes good things need to be restrained. I understand why this is on the list, and the tracks are pretty good, but this was a struggle to finish. Wish I could rate this a 2.5, but I’m rounding up because 2 feels too low for this, but I probably won’t listen to this again.
Yisus
Very interesting from a craft perspective, though I can’t say the music itself does a ton for me. Still, I understand its accolades and would be willing to listen again.
Highlights: Building Steam With A Grain of Salt, What Does Your Soul Look Like pt 4. In a nutshell: the end is only the beginning. People who say that this album is repetitive and boring didn't give this a fair go. Try one more time. Pick one of my highlight tracks and pay attention. See how the samples are introduced. How they build and change the direction of the track. How it starts, how it ends. It takes skill to find the right sample and fit it in the best spot to keep the flow going, just like when a drummer picks up the pace or a lead guitarist starts a solo. You need to time it right. It's less commercial than Fatboy Slim's work on Better Living Through Chemistry (released a week after Endtroducing.....), probably above par with The Dust Brothers (Beastie Boys Paul's Boutique, Beck's Odelay and Midnite Vultures) in complexity. Even if this isn't your kind of music, you gotta give credit where it's due. Overall: 8/10
I didn’t quite like it
5/10
Just listened to this a couple months ago and found it cool, but just okay. Goes on a bit too long.
@wizkid - I love this game, you only missed mine by 1! Love the album for all the reasons you mentioned, also see everything I said for Moss Side Story applies here, he's just not sticking one movie genre. Spoiler: If you're liking this approach to worldbuilding soundscapes out of samples, Since I Left You by The Avalanches is coming up sometime in the next 3 years on this list, same idea, often with more humour, also brilliant.
Fun! First time hearing about DJ Shadow. Impressive to see some more original roots for DJing using vinyl samples. Apparently the early days of mixing music with vinyl was a pain to haul all the physical media around. Hauling milk crates full of records and all your gear to play at a dingy bar instead of just bringing in your laptop these days.
This was sick! What a gem. The album title, art, and sound all fit together perfectly, and I cant put my finger on why exactly, but it just does... and its extra cool that it does... Anyways, this is right up my alley and had me wondering... IF you guys were to guess what I would rate this album before knowing my score whether or not you would guess correctly... Which had me trying to guess what ratings this was gonna get from all of the regular raters! So... here are my guesses, I think I will get atleast 1 guess right... Kori - 5 Ksigz - 4 Brahm - 4 Here4thesnax - 3 Classically trained musician - 5 GnarlyOwl - 4 (Im not confident in this guess hahaha) Christian - Did not listen We will see how many ratings this does actually get from the group. Its not the most eye catching of albums, however the music itself begs to differ. 9/10
02/04/2026 1. best foot forward - like the scratching! the samples are fantastic!! 2. building steam with a grain of salt - not massive on the piano at the start... drums have started, liking it a lot more. not enjoying it as much... maybe a bit too slow at times and too long? *3. the number song - more upbeat and fast! love the drums and the droning noise in the back! ooo saxaphones!!! niiicee!! fantastic!!!! 4. changeling - looove the bass! drums are great aswell! goes on a bit too long for me again. *5. transmission 1 - like how the last track faded into this one.... very atmospheric. reminds me of the ambient sound in eraserhead... *6. what does your soul look like pt.4 - very groovy immediately! lovely!! 7. untitled - literally twenty-five seconds. 8. stem/long stem - not massive on this one... the twinkling sound and the loud drums with the droning sound reminds me a bit of the suspiria soundtrack? bit too long for me again! 9. transmission 2 - same as the prev transmission :) 10. mutual slump - like the start!! nice :) 11. organ donor - like the sample at the start... again nice, but doesn't jump out at me! 12. why hip-hop sucks in '96 - like the bass.. short and sweet! 13. midnight in a perfect world - just a bit long and slow for me again! like the ticking sound at the end. 14. napalm brain / scatter brain - ten minutes... like the string-y synths, especially near the end but far too long *15. what does your soul look like pt.1 - very surreal opening... love the sax... drums are great! love the scratching towards the end. *16. transmission 3 - loooove the atmosphere in the transmissions!! very surreal and sinister!!!! twin peaks!!!!! the songs i liked were absolutely fantastic, but most of the songs just dragged a bit for me... maybe if i listened to them by themselves and not as an album it would drag a bit less? liked the faster songs more generally and wouldn't complain if any of these played in the background. the sampling was really phenomenal throughout and i really liked the little interludes though!!
not my cup of tea for a hip hop piece
Kinda cool, but mostly noise
Some of them would be perfect to just chill, others get boring real quick
Interesting! (Or should I say endteresting?) I was hooked with the first few tracks, and then it kinda...all blended together. Which made for a seamless listening experience, but...a little too mellow. The length of the album probably didn't help either. If this was just a smidge shorter, I think it would've been great. But I'm sad to say I got sleepy in the back half. A fair album.
1. Best Foot Forward: Okey es una introduccion al album, bien. Sin puntaje 2. Building Steam With a Grain of Salt: Instrumental, lo sentí como un bit, pero con muchisimo flow. 7/10 3. The Number Song: Sigue siendo mas instrumental, esta no tuvo tanto flow, me parecio mas ruido que otra cosa. 2/10 4. Changeling: vuelve un poco más de flow, siguen siendo momentos q parece más ruido, pero mejora. 5/10 5. Transmission 1: interludio, sin mucho q decir 6. What does your soul look like Pt4: vuelve a tener un poco más the flow. 6/10 7. Untitled: otro interludio 8. Stem/Long Stem: Arranca como si fuera escena epica de un jueguito, despues ruido, mucho ruido insoportable. 2/10 9. Transmission 2: más interludio? 10. Mutual Slump: Más ruido. 3/10 11. Organ Donor: ?? 12. Why Hip-Hop Sucks: ?? 13. Midnight in a perfect world: creo que mejora un poquito, vuelve a ser un bit tranquilon. 6/10 14. Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain: Ruido, no tanto como antes, pero es ruido. 4/10 15. What does your soul look like Pt 1: bastante mas tranka, no me disgusta, pero no me gusta. 5/10 16. Transmission 3: Cierre Nota general: No me gustó un carajo, algunas canciones especificas me cierran apenitas, pero el album en si me pareció malisimo, mucho ruido, dolor de cabeza. Horrible escuchar esto. 2/10
FAntastic, makes me wanna look up all the samples he used
Que locura, el sampleo es de lo más grande que hay. 9/10
forgot to type while listening but i liked this. it was nice.
I hated this album. Couldn’t even finish it. I’m sure it is groundbreaking and deserves to be on this list for some reason but it’s not for me.
peak
What a fun time! This is very fancy cocktail bar trying to be cool vibes, except really really good with total bangers.
I was curious to see how this one would hold up. I got really into it as a young'un without that much prior knowledge or experience with instrumental hip hop and thought it was ace, but was wondering whether with hindsight I might realise that this was quite entry level. Luckily I found it if anything to be even better than first time around. I have a theory cooking that maybe it's because in an age of AI generating anything you want, when an artist has gone to the amount of care and craft with assembling music entirely from vinyl samples you can feel that attention really deeply. But then again this isn't a pitch meeting. FIVE STARS! BEATS GO BRRRR!
it was ok but i'd never choose to listen to it
I bought this on vinyl in high school mostly to be cool (it has one of the great album covers of all time). In 2026, it's a really good listen but hard to see what all the hype was about.
An enjoyable listen with mostly decent tracks. As is always the case with some hip hop albums, some of the soundbite tracks and interludes don't add much so for me it's a 3 star not a 4 star offering
Чел годами сидел в подвале музыкального магазина, слушая тонны винила. Нарезал кучу сэмплов и соединил это всё в своём альбоме. Альбом интересен тем, что это первый коммерчески успешный, сделанный только из сэмплов.
good if you want some background music but I'm not really into this stuff
Honestly, I liked this a lot more than I thought, and liked it better on a second listening. All the sampling is sort of weird and annoying to me personally but the downbeat change in organ donor made my jaw drop and immediately start the song over like 4 separate times
Very good album sounds like MTV downtown movie ngl
Derek James Shadow was merely a talentless young lad with a dream until he met Len Houmous. The rest as they say is history. 4.4 10/16 Mutual Slump
HipHop alternativo¿? Base de lo que se empezo a escuchar en los 00 (maybe), medio pelo para escuchar si no es de fondo.
This was a fun album. Lots of great samples and the mixing was on point
You really get the sense of someone at play on this album. There's something life affirming about that.
The quintessential instrumental hip hop album from a master.
Creative not 100% a fan but I liked it
Really liked this one, very chill vibes n good to listen to
Just one of my favorite albums ever. The vibe this gives from the very beginning is incredible. The way it shuffles samples and voices is so ahead of its time and so so fun. My favorite off the album is Midnight in a Perfect World
It just feels like getting edged
One of those that probably hit better at the time. It was great background stuff but didn’t make me want to revisit again or blow me away at any point.
Incredibly impactful, fantastic beats, but not my favorite to put on
Fun album but it was a bit long
Favorite Track: Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt
sim
Mindestens 3
Oui
Feels like it's supposed to be a backing track for people to rap over?
This album is so impressive when you consider that DJ Shadow composed each track with nothing but turntables and a sampler. His compositions are textured with samples from multiple genres and art forms, including film and interviews. The result is an album that’s completely unique, organic, and ambient with heavy vibes and artistry. This was a great listen and obviously hugely influential.
Why they would need to sample 'Orion' by Metallica?
Some lovely elements but limited consistency. Looking up after showed completely why.
wasn't the biggest fan of this. Need to give it another listen to be honest.
Its not bad, I prefer the sampling approach to electronic music over the more "electronic" approach (you'll have to forgive my lack of music criticism vocabulary, I am new to this). In my opinion this album is a little too slow, resulting in it really dragging by the end. 2.5/5
8/10 - What a cool concept and what a piece of art. I think the run is a little long but it’s a super unique concept.
One of the best albums to study or work alongside. A masterpiece in the art of sampling. Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt is one of my favorite songs of all time. 8/10
I really liked it! I would listen to it again. Good study album.
Franchement, plutôt sympa, je trouve le concept de fabriquer un album presque uniquement à la base de sample très original mais le soucis c'est que... Honnêtement, l'album est une soundtrack. Franchement, certains morceaux sont excellents niveau prod mais mis à part ça, on a toujours l'impression d'attendre une voix qui va vraiment commencer le son. C'est plutôt dommage
Not bad but not my style
real neat but needs rapping
I liked a lot of this, a lot, and at 47-48 minutes could have considered a fourth star.
Had more sampling than Baskin Robbins.
Never listened to this before, always been a bit put off, but I was pleasantly surprised.a lot more mellow than I was expecting, a good Sunday night listen
The concept, along with the album cover, is really interesting, but I did not expect the music to sound so good! Some songs can get a little repetitive, but it's definitely a record to vibe to, more than anything.
YES! Not listened to this for ages and very glad to have a reason to. Don’t think I quite realised its significance and skill in being pretty much solely samples when I first heard it, but glad to be informed before this listen. Man, that second track feels so nostalgic and legendary! Brought me right back to first listening 20+ years ago. Some amazing tracks, some kinda okay enough, and some filler but generally a very good package and a significant album for many reasons too. 4*
Super chill. Vibing at work. Nice new find.
Fantastisch. Noch nie was davon gehört. Kannte nichts davon, und ich hab hunderte Stunden lang Sample Mixes gehört.
One Night at the Ibis Budget Hotel Lounge in Berlin.
Nicht meins, zweite Hälfte war besser
Dig it. I'd listen to that again.
yeahhhhh!!! fuuuuck it's so good
Holy shit this is fucking excellent. 9/10
Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Great music to have on while doing stuff and always felt myself saying "wow I'm really digging this vibe". Very fun album, did not think something like this existed in 1996.
Not my usual genre, but very interesting, have been relistening a good bit
What a surprising album, what a mix of sounds and samples, what a vibe, what a record. Loved it all throughout, the chill songs made you dream, and it all flows very well. Very recommended!
Banger
Impressive from a technical standpoint. Underwhelming as music to enjoy.
Gave me Silent Hill vibes.
You can really hear how the influence this album had on future music but the album itself didn’t rock my world tbh
8/10
Non
This sounds like what a 12 year old would do with their first keyboard. Random loops and clips from movies and other songs with generic drum tracks. Boring and random.
I have liked this album since it came out, and it was one of the "awakening" albums for me with EDM. I still believe it stands up as a timeless album, as there really has not been much else that really does the same thing as "Endtroducing..." It has some trip-hop, a lot of the same feel that was going into other electronic acts at that time, which remains a unique period with Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, Moby, Massive Attack, Prodigy, and so many others getting radio play, big budgets, and record sales that led to an influx of that music in a way that still feels special. But, anyway, I think "Endtroducing..." stands out even amongst those and still sounds brilliant to me.
Fuck it, its a 5. I've heard this album so many times, and everytime I absolutly love it. "Midnight in a Perfect world" maybe the best song ever???
This was cool. It seems genre-ranging too. Cool breaks and beats.
Funny! Spooky! Groovy! Vibey!
Low 3? Didn't dislike but nothing really stuck out to me
Väldigt intressant skiva med många härliga ljudlandskap. Instrumental hiphop blir ju väldigt speciellt. Inte alls dåligt men inte jättebra heller. Några bra låtar med skön stämning.
I did not need to hear this
Meh
A very meaningful listen for me, as I never quite recognised the art of sampling until today. Very much liked this, and it showed me the strengths of this medium when indulged properly. Final transmission shook me. Favourite tracks: "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt", "Changeling", "What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1"
Like the view of this - good background music.
This has aged really well to my ears. I think it is hugely influential. To be able to craft so many different samples into something coherent is quite an achievement.
One of those albums that knowing more about its creation just enhances the overall experience. Knowing that so many individual samples were pulled together in such a coherent way, drawing from so many influences but itself then influencing so much to follow just boggles my mind. It’s still an album I really enjoy and one that really benefits from listening to in an album format as, even though some tracks stand out here more than others (‘building steam with a grain of salt’, ‘midnight in a perfect world’) how it flows really does take you on a journey, both through the archives of tracks from bygone days, but also through the creative intent of DJ Shadow himself.
Cool idea, but interminable as a full album.
Album 1076 of 1089 Endtroducing..... - DJ Shadow (1996) Rating : 2.5 / 5 This was an interesting listen. The album leans heavily into the electronic and sample-based side of music, and it feels more like a sound collage than a traditional album built around songs and melodies. It moves along through different textures and beats rather than focusing on what I’d call strong musicality in the traditional sense. There are moments where a groove settles in nicely, and those parts worked best for me. At other times the album feels more like it’s exploring sounds and atmosphere than trying to create something you’d hum along with later. That approach clearly has its place, and you can hear the creativity behind how everything is put together. For me, it was one of those albums that I found interesting enough to keep playing, even if it never really pulled me all the way in. Nothing here made me want to turn it off, but at the same time there weren’t many moments that made me sit up and think, “Wow.”
Brilliant sampling, okay album.
Listened to the whole thing once 10+ years ago (downloaded to my PC 29/04/2015, yeah I'm an OG) Really good, like the older brother of Since I Left You that plays the drums too loud through the wall when it's trying to get to sleep. Love hearing Twin Peaks getting sampled in one of the latter tracks too. But hard to give 5* as it's not something I'd love to put on anytime and doesn't give you much to latch onto melodically, which by contrast I feel like SILY has in spades while doing a similar sort of thing
Real good vibe to vibe to whilst vibe coding. Apart from maybe when he starts freaking on the drums or synths which did kinda throw me out of the zone a bit when they happened 4
Really enjoyed that chilled music :)?)
Really liked this, just not sure when I'd listen to it, it's so moody!
Killing demons in DOOM 64 to this was unique
Never knew I'd be so mesmerized by "background music"... some fantastic beats.
this album is SO GOOD. Makes me feel like the coolest person. Will listen to it in my autumn walks.
I had not heard of DJ Shadow. According to Wikipedia this was revolutionary for it's time. It may well have been, but I can't see it now. I certainly don't remember it from when it was released. 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify apparently, but it's lost on me.
I dont know whats so groundbreaking in album, that contains one hour of repetetive instrumentals.
Not digging it 100%, Got some grooves on there, I've heard a lot worse though.
1996, bordel quelle année de dingue quand j'y repense. Je rentrais en plein dans mes années de disquaire indépendant, le genre de job où tu passes plus de temps à sniffer la poussière des vieux imports qu'à réellement compter ta caisse à la fin de la journée. C’était aussi l’époque bénie où Mo' Wax, le label de James Lavelle, débarquait dans nos rayons comme une traînée de poudre. À l’époque, on recevait ces maxis avec une excitation quasi religieuse, on se sentait investis d'une mission divine. On était les passeurs d'un son que personne ne comprenait encore vraiment, coincés entre le hip-hop qui commençait à se mordre la queue à force de bling-bling et une scène électro qui devenait parfois un peu trop propre pour nos oreilles. C’est dans ce contexte que Josh Davis, alias DJ Shadow, a lâché cette bombe nommée Endtroducing...... La pochette elle-même était un miroir de ma vie : deux mecs en train de fouiller dans des caisses de vinyles. C’était nous, c’était moi, c’était cette quête obsessionnelle du Graal caché entre un disque de variétoche flingué et un album de prog-rock polonais. Ce qui rend ce disque absolument colossal, c’est qu'il est entièrement composé de samples. Pas un instrument "réel", pas un musicien de studio payé à la pige, juste Davis, sa MPC et des milliers d'heures passées dans les sous-sols moisis des magasins de disques de Sacramento. Le mec a réussi l'impossible : créer de l'émotion pure, organique et presque charnelle à partir de cadavres sonores. On a collé l'étiquette "trip hop" sur ce disque pour rassurer les journalistes branchés, mais c’était bien plus vaste que ça. C’était de la musique de chambre pour les gamins du béton. Par moments, le travail de Shadow me rappelait celui de Beck sur Odelay, sorti la même année, cette capacité de "pie-voleuse" à piquer tout ce qui brille pour en faire un bijou déglingué. Mais là où Beck était solaire et foutraque, Shadow restait nocturne, urbain, presque solitaire. Des titres comme "The Number Song" ou le mythique "Organ Donor" montraient que le type avait un sens du groove terrifiant, mais c’est dans les méandres de ses interludes bizarres, de ces voix sorties de nulle part, qu'il créait sa propre mythologie. Alors oui, je lui mets un 4 sur 5. Pourquoi pas le maximum ? Peut-être parce que, comme toutes les révolutions, elle a fini par être copiée jusqu'à la nausée. Avec le temps, certains samples ont pris un petit coup de vieux, et on sent parfois un peu trop le côté "geek du sample" qui veut absolument te montrer qu'il a déniché le disque le plus obscur de la planète. Mais je chipote, car sans ce disque, la face de la musique électronique n'aurait pas été la même. Shadow a ouvert des autoroutes en prouvant que l'on pouvait faire du narratif, du grandiose et du sombre sans avoir besoin d'un orchestre philharmonique derrière soi. Il suffisait d'avoir du goût, de la patience et beaucoup de poussière sur les doigts. En réécoutant l'album aujourd'hui, je revois les clients du magasin qui venaient me demander la liste des samples originaux, comme s'ils cherchaient les ingrédients d'une recette magique. C’était l’époque où on croyait encore que la musique pouvait sauver le monde, ou au moins nos soirées de déprime. Mo' Wax, Warp, Ninja Tune... ces labels nous ont offert nos plus belles lettres de noblesse. Ils nous rendaient intelligents, ou on aimait le croire. Aujourd'hui, tout est lissé par les algorithmes de merde qui nous servent de la soupe tiède. Shadow, lui, c’était de l’artisanat de luxe, du sang, de la sueur et du diamant qui craque. C’est un disque qui se mérite, qui s'écoute d'une traite, comme on lit un bouquin de Faulkner ou qu'on regarde un film de Lynch. C'est une pièce d'histoire, et je dois bien admettre que ce petit gars de Californie a touché à quelque chose d'universel.
Turntablism. Good-ish. Add DJ Shadow to my list of people whom I know are good at this shit: him, RZA, MF Doom.
I didn’t hate it. But I’m not sure what makes this album great. It’s great music to work by, but in saying that I have no recollection of anything on this album after several listens. It doesn’t even go in one ear and out the other. It just permeates the air and doesn't dare challenge you or please you in any way.
Only knew of DJ Shadow from his Run the Jewels collab before this. I love the arrangements on this album and can absolutely see myself becoming more of a trip hop guy after this.
Some great drum and bass samples on this. Found myself nodding along to a lot of the beats. A good example of something I wouldn't find otherwise, enjoyed listening to one time through, but probably wouldn't think to seek it out again.
I can see how this is the prequel to a lot of music that I like better. I don't hate it but I wouldn't choose to put it on
It's basically impossible for instrumentals to be great songs, but a lot of these are actually good (Building Steam, Stem/Long Stem, Mutual Slump, Midnight in a Perfect World) and none are terrible
DJ Shadow? More like Rachel Maddow. Which means I sort of liked it. Heads were nodded. But not really my thing.
I have fond memories of picking up a random CD version of this from the Air Force base barracks in Albuquerque. Good stuff. Always loved this record, though seldom revisited.
Have listened to this album many times, and it gets better each one
Awful 1
goated study album
Parts of this are interesting enough to keep you listening. I did not hear this when it came out so I cant attest to how groundbreaking it was. By the time I listened to this the first time I had heard other albums by Madlib and J Dilla(and others) that are in my opinion much more deserving of being on this list.
Sampling can change the world
Amazing. The reason I'm doing this list.
My rating 2.2. Unremarkable.
Pensé que se trataba de un álbum orientado estrictamente al hip-hop, un género musical al que prácticamente no le presto atención. Sin embargo, me sorprendió gratamente. El hip-hop está presente, pero convive con elementos de electrónica, trip-hop y ambient. Sus numerosos pasajes instrumentales te transportan a otro mundo, como si se tratara de un viaje sonoro interestelar.
The name DJ Shadow probably suggests this is going to be much more hip-hop than it ends up being; in fact, I'd put this closer to the jazz category than anything else. I enjoyed this, and I love so much music that this definitely influenced - groups like Dirty Art Club or The Jazzual Suspects are a few of my regular listens. That said, I don't have any specific nostalgia for this record that would compel a 5 star rating here. I'd buy a vinyl copy if I came across it in a dusty bin, but wouldn't go out of my way.
3.5 rounded down, good sound
Chill/lofi beats to study to
I've only heard a couple tracks in my years, and I'm mad I haven't heard this before! Amazing stuff!
A sampling masterclass. Without this I'm not sure we have Donuts or even the foundations of vaporwave (i.e. Eccojams). While it's not one of my all-time favorite hip-hop records, I'd definitely call it an essential and I'm glad to see it here in the book.
DNL
First impression was that it was just more ambient electronica garbage, but quickly realized what it actually was: a masterpiece of sample mixing. Really cool and interesting. It's nice to find an album that's the opposite of most, where it doesn't really work as background, but definitely rewards closer attention.
Really cool and the best one generated so far.
Para escuchar de fondo está bueno
bello come sottofondo
This album, other than highlighting the insane levels that sampling can take you to, really showcases the flexibility of the hip-hop genre. I think most would hear that name and immediately assume rapping of some kind, but DJ Shadow proves that even lacking that, if the instrumentals are good enough, it's well worth listening to.
This was an interesting concept album and it was well done. I enjoyed listening to it but don’t think I’d go back to it again.
I wasn’t feeling this selection today. There was nothing wrong with the music, but i just couldn’t get into jamming with a DJ today. The music was no different to me than if I chose a “DJ Mix” on Spotify so I’ll just call this the middle of the road.
Like a certificate of perfect attendance or a trophy for winning a pickleball tournament, this album signifies that a great deal of work, commitment and time was invested in achieving a goal, but was it really worth it? This is such a niche, specific sound that I don’t know what to do with this album other than throw the shittiest rave imaginable.
Rap music with no rap? Sounded crazy, but it works. DJ Shadow combines different styles and textures to create a sound of controlled chaos with smooth flow. Very cool and very enjoyable album.
pretty good OG instrumental hip hop with sampling
Meh
The DJ albums are always kind of tricky for me. I either deal with them or hate. This one was actually enjoyable. It was easy to get into a meditative flow with it. There were definitely some cool elements that drew me in, while I worked out this morning. I think my issue with this music is that its usually best enjoyed with something. Its like the chaser that goes with a drink. Its not the heavy stuff, its the stuff in the background. Unrelated to this album, I love DJ Shadow collabs with Run The Jewels.
Something I would listen to again.
4/5
A classic and really impressive on a technical level.
God this one just sucks Lazy, boring, sounds like shit, too long, repetitive: there’s so many things I dislike about this one. When listening to hip hop I usually derive most of my enjoyment from lyrics, and the beat is a bonus if it sounds good, and somehow this one has neither. I might be able to stomach instrumental hip hop if the beats sounded even decent. It’s so frustrating because you’ll get like a quick sample that actually sounds good and then they completely undo it with a godawful 10 second segment. I don’t care if it’s artsy or whatever but I just think the whole concept of an album solely made up of samples is an awful idea. I think the worst part about this one for me is that it’s not even bad in a funny way like Rock Bottom or Faust, it’s just boring and uninspired. Only the second album I’ve given a 1 to, so pretty uniquely bad. Thank god I never have to listen to this garbage ever again
Can't go wrong with a good mix like this. Great, ambient, unique sounds and groovy samples
Ya know, not what I was expecting. Light on the hip-hop, more focus on jazz and electronica. Not a lot of song structure, but not unpleasant and maybe even worth another listen. The backstory to some of these tracks would definitely be interesting to me. Better than three, better than 3 1/2, so I'm going to go 4 for the pleasant surprise.
This is a really boring album, it’s kind of weird and I don’t really like that. None of the songs stood out and I kind of just wished it was over while listening to it. It’s just not my kind of music.
So, I guess this album was picked for being a technical breakthrough, the first album made entirely from samples, according to Guinness, though I’m sure there were many albums that were 90%+ created from samples. The reliance on samples leaves the drum machine as the only instrument available to do solos, which is a bit annoying at times. I don't know if I just didn't understand the concept for this album, but it honestly just sounded like noise to me. There are a few too many prominent sounds playing repetitively in this album amongst music that actually doesn't sound too bad. In fact, the music was really pleasant and interesting at times. That makes these sounds so jarring, and it really ruins the vibe that I just find myself getting into. The good news about this album, is it did get better as it went along and wasn't bad background music for my tasks. Would I listen to it just because? No. Did I need to hear this before I die? No, but the story behind it is neat
Beautiful production.
This album is a perfect example of why I'm doing this and making myself listen to albums I normally wouldn't listen to. When this came up, I had never heard of it and didn't think I'd ever heard of any of the songs. And with a description that said it was an "instrumental hip hop work composed almost entirely of samples from vinyl records", I went in thinking it was going to be good background music for me at work this afternoon, but I wasn't going to like it. Then the second song came on. I listened to "Building Steam With a Grain of Salt" hundreds of times. It was a constant staple on my iPod and my car stereo. I can't figure out how I came across it, but I love this song and probably haven't heard it in 30 years. Needless to say, this album will now be back in my regular playlist. It's an absolutely genius album!
Came into this album expecting to love it, and I was still blown away. Easily the best album I've listened to so far in this project. Absurdly ahead of its time. Heavily reminds me of peak Aphex Twin with a hip-hop bent. I've already spun this 2-3 times since I first listened, and it'll be in my regular rotation for a while. Favorite Songs: "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt", "Changeling", "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)", "Stem / Long Stem (Medley)", "Transmission 2", "Organ Donor", "Why Hip Hop Sucks in '96", "Midnight in a Perfect World" Least Favorite Songs: N/A High 5.
This is really good. Feels very ambient and is on a different side of hip-hop from anything I’ve ever heard. Long songs with very few words is quite unique. Biggest complaints, the album cover while not bad definitely isn’t pushing any boundaries and it’s a really long album that feels like I can’t really add any of the songs to my rotation. Good in the album outside it doesn’t work but I think that’s just because I don’t really have like a playlist this would fit in to be honest.
Favorite track(s): What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4), Stem/Long Stem, Midnight in a Perfect World, What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 - Blue Sky Revisit)
I went in completely blind and it was incredible as a first listen. Very chill and kind of chaotic at the same time in the best way.
4/5 I love how playful and downright artistic this was. It's the perfect mix of sounds to keep you interested and not bored. I loved this album, it was a great listen.
Better EDM than some of the rest.
A little dated, but excellent
Basically a podcast
Bare larm
Really fun album, love the forwardness of the drum mixing. Dynamic sonically and rhythmically. Hard to have a perfect instrumental hip hop album in my opinion, but this sure comes close. Favorite track: What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)
Enjoyable ambient/techno hip-hop stuff. Great mood setter for a long drive. Really enjoyed this.
Really loved it--hypnotic breakbeats that inspired dreams of my own Las Vegas Heist movie.
This album surprised me, an inauspicious start and the name of the artist had me expecting a difficult hour. But the creativity quickly became apparent and kept this fresh while having a strong beat that keeps you locked in. Showcases what you can do when not just relying on repetition and drops, this will definitely get some repeat listens when the time calls for it.
Fully sampling and digitising the experience usually for me means something is lost or ruined. I can't claim to be re-born musically as I still have a problem with this genre, but I did enjoy this album contrary to my expectations. The usual conveyer belt of repetitive sounds didn't materialise. The artist played with the music consistently meaning the music has layers and built on those inevitable hooks that get your toe tapping but otherwise would destroy the very soul they are trying to conjure. It was a little exhausting to listen to in the end and yes you might get annoyed by some of the silly sounds buts it's a compelling version of an otherwise niche in my world. I guess it's cool to let your mind wander with what strange sonic blasts it gets rather than the typical hand holding it normally gets with "traditional" music listening. Interesting and that's saying something from me.
When I saw a nineties album by someone called DJ Shadow, I was skeptical. It turns out my prejudice was unfounded and I really enjoyed it. I like the repetitive, rhythmic nature of sampled music like this, as long as it contains enough variety and builds into something interesting. This whole album felt considered to the point of obsessive. What I love about this type of thing is when you can hear how much time an artist has invested in finding the best sounding samples and munging them together into something completely new. It was the sort of album where soaking up the general vibe was as important as any individual track. I found myself transported into a zen-like state.
This is like hip hop jazz and it works pretty well. Nice and chill but enough novelty to keep it interesting. Added a few tracks to my chill playlist.
Suena muuy bien
This was cool, and scratched an itch I didn't know I had.
I liked organ donor and why hip-hop sucks in 96 was funny. This album was proof that this experience will include albums that are important for reasons other than pure enjoyability. It did not suffer from lack of sounds.
Inoffensive but not particularly enjoyable. I liked the use of samples and I would guess there were elements of the production that were boundary-pushing at the time.
Very strange
Really just wasn’t for me unfortunately
Mhm
I have this on Vinyl and also already rated at 4.5/5.0 on RYM, but I reckon here leaning more towards 4 stars, still not sure. Today is quite busy so not enough time to properly re-listen again
Instrumental hip hop, trip hop, plunderphonics, sampledelia.
Interesting genre. Mostly instrumental hiphop made up by samples. For me it’s a background type of music I can enjoy while working or focusing on something else primarily. The song «Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt» has already been on such a playlist for a long time. That’s also easily the best song on the album.
Fun. Loved "Organ Donor."
Liked: The Number Song, Mutual Slump, Midnight In A Perfect World Disliked: Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain - Medley
The biggest thing I’ve learned from this endeavor so far is that I dig trip hop something fierce!
2/18/26. Really really enjoyed the beats. 8.5/10
Maybe my favourite album of all time. Subsequent work by Shadow has revealed he’s not as great as the material he sampled and the gimmick only goes so far. But when it worked, there’s complexity here both meta and in the text that far outstrips whatever daydreaming I do when listening to a group of guys in a room playing the usual setup.
Really nice chill vibes to this one. Really enjoyed it.
At first it was interesting but with no vocals I soon lost interest.
Yeah this really didn't hit the spot, especially for how highly it's often rated
Pretty good stuff that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. The second song was terrible though.
If you give a 100 monkeys 2 turntables and a microphone…
Listening to this album reminded me of being on hold with the IRS or some other government agency for 60 minutes. I know this came out in the '90s but this is elevator music for the 21st century. If I wanted to hear something that droned on and on endlessly without saying anything of substance, I would invite one of my ex-girlfriends over for dinner.
As i didn't know that this album is full made of samples, it was not that good. But this detail gives more interest to it. Rate 6/10
Des rythmes un peu planants, d'autres plus dynamiques, assez variés, pas une mauvaise écoute
Oui ! Certains sons me parlent ! Vraiment pas mal en ambiance et franchement ça change tellement de tout ce qu’on a pu entendre jusqu’à présent
J'ai vraiment kiffé !
I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. It was alright. I didn't hate it, but I can't really see myself listening to it again. Although I thought it was fine I was also starting to get bored towards the end.
i fear this will be another record where I am too young to appreciate what it did for music. I have no idea what instrumental DJ music sounded like before this record, nor the impact this album would have had on the genre.
Yeah it wasn't a bad listening experience, but it was just lacking lyrics imo. And I am not particularly a lyrics guy, but this album didn't really get a message across while the message is one of the most important things in hip-hop to me. 2/5
I liked some of this recording. I suppose it was innovative at the time.
Impeccable vibes.
Way too short album, love it
One of my favorite instrumental albums of all time
Очень многослойный и интересный альбом. Это совершенно точно один из тех альбомов который должен послушать каждый хоть раз, потому что подобных ему нет.
Wonderful collection of beats. Varied, challenging, bright, and beautiful. Favorite track: Building Steam With a Grain of Salt
Very enjoyable sample based hip-hop/trip-hop. Big fan of all the keyboard and string sounds used throughout, like "Organ Donor" building off a really cool Farfisa organ taken from one of Giorgio Moroder's albums. 8.5/10
Nice ambient instrumentals, but I'm not in love with any of the tracks
8.5/10 An album made entirely from samples that still sounds this consistent is seriously impressive. I just wish it was a bit shorter.
Olvidable
It’s a cool record. I wish there was a bit more spoken word, because the instrumentals can drag a touch. I’m not sure if I can name a more impactful sample-based album intro, though - Building Steam is awesome.
OK nice lounge hip hop jazz everything , but not something extraorinary
DJ Shadow shows off his cool-ass record collection: the album. 5/5
Sounds of my youth. Still such an incredible turntablist and record
This must’ve blown minds in the 90s
Listened to this a dozen times over the years but maybe I was listening wrong bc this time it made sense. Sudden tempo changes. Time signature variations. The unexpected arrival of new cool sounds.
Noises were certainly made. Can't say I thought much of them.
Non il mio genere ma piacevole
Cant decide if I love or hate the album so let’s split the difference
Now approaching midnight
Knowing this entire album is nothing but sampled vinyl makes it extremely impressive. Just thinking that the artist had to listen to all these albums to find which parts to sample then to compile them in a way that's palpable is a feat within itself. This is like looking at a collage and realizing that every single piece of fabric, magazine, photo, and newspaper piece was placed there intentionally by hand. Incredible technical skill showcased in this album - and it bumps. Great D&B sections, fantastic old-school hip-hop sections, and just incredible vibes all around. What a gem. 8/10
3/5
As a kid born in the 90s and raised in a household filled with a variety of genres of music, this album sounds super nostalgic. My brain feels scattered and tickled in just the right, most relaxing way.
Felt like background music
Wow. Had heard of this but never listened to it. Easy to hear the influence this had, not just on hip hop, but also trip hop bands like Portishead. Really enjoyed it and will definitely hunt a copy down
Really cool. Love instrumental hip hop generally and this seems a fine example. Slightly disappointing that even on an instrumental hip hop record from the 90s you still get stupid skits.
9/10
Non fa per me... voterò 1
Obviously a huge instrumental hip hop classic, very atmospheric and very rewarding.
Good stuff!
Wonderful music, varied, moody and groooooovy. Despite being one hour, it played in the blink of an eye.
This is exactly what I imagined a white dj from the 90s would make
One of my all time favourites. One of the greatest TripHop albums.
LOVED. The perfect WFH album
Good album. This was a nice mix of beats and had an interesting flow. Would recommend.
It was cool to hear the first album comprised by only samples. I found it to be really boring.
It’s fine, but not my thing
Cool drummies but one of the ones that doesn’t really hold up for a 2026 listener IMO
Great Songs: The Number Song, Organ Donor, Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain (Medley) Good Songs: Best Foot Forward, Building Steam With a Grain of Salt, Changeling, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4, Untitled, Stem / Long Stem (Medley), Mutual Slump, Why Hip-Hop Sucks in '96, Midnight in a Perfect World, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1 (Blue Sky Revisit), Transmission 3 Mid Songs: Transmission 1, Transmission 2 Bad Songs:
fresh
Nothing too crazy in my opinion. Solid production. 3/5
Already got
Sick ass beats! Great for background music. 4/5
Taking little pieces of others creations from vinyl and reworking it into something ambient/dreamy over 2 years? This is the perfect example of the type of albums that should be on this list. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant. It demands a spot. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
One of a kind incredible album. Made me want to become an organ donor