Endtroducing.....

According to Wikipedia, he has been described as “Jimi Hendrix with a sampler instead of a guitar.” I suppose that means he was revolutionary within hip-hop. Since I’m not very familiar with hip-hop to begin with, I don’t think I fully grasp the shock it caused at the time. That said, it’s clearly very different from the kind of hip-hop I usually struggle with. Tracks like Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain were surprisingly easy for me to listen to, without the resistance I often feel with the genre. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that my own musical experience isn’t quite enough to understand this sound properly.

It was absolutely awful and I am not sure how this album could make any list.

Geile Neuentdeckung

Nicht catchy, aber sehr entspannt

Kannte ich nicht - hat mich musikalisch wirklich bereichert

Someone described this as an album that you feel. It’s absolutely the case; since it’s more made up of samples and sounds it kinda lends itself to being that. It’s all crafted to feeling highs and lows throughout. Nothing here to sing out loud to, but more an album to be in the moment with; to observe your world through the lenses of these songs.

4.5

Dont know this album. Rap, hip hop, edm? Either way, first for any of those so far in this album generator. Exciting! Samples, scratching, good start. Interesting beat from in 2nd track, cut together well to achieve a bit of swing. Was this an influence on groups like Unkle? Can hear an Unkle feel to this second track. Can feel a beasties influence in this. Travk 3 and its all samples so far. No rapping over or anything, all lyrical content sampled, drums sampled, all sampled. Im guessing the whole alb at this stage. Track 6 and tht tracks. Laid back, great grooves, cleaver cut up of beats and breaks. I like it. Some choice samples from jazz, r&b and fuck knows where, effects put on to make something completly different, like the bassy vocal samples on track 6, a few shputs over the top, laid back groove and its almost Martin Denny like exotica. Track 11 and you get Inagadadavida (or however its spelled) and if its not its trying to be.

Not bad but not my tea

This hit

*Me wearing my "I'd Rather Be Listening to Girl Talk" t-shirt* Wow this is good and very revolutionary but... *points to shirt* S ampling John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness in Transmission 3, though. That’s peak.

Classic 5/5

The bass, the drums, the atmosphere... You need to be in the right mood but it's a great listen.

there was a couple songs on here that i enjoyed like for example organ donor. but overall this type of music, without lyrics, just makes me really restless very quickly.

This is nice. It's pretty chill, the grooves are good. There are some nice synth sounds. I don't know that would choose to put it on ever, but I have enjoyed having it on.

3 out of 5. This album sets an atmosphere.

Chill, and good vibe for working on stuff. Not sure if I’d come back to it, but I’d like to read in to the production more. Definitely a slow burner but it didn’t blow me away

Very different to what I expected, but in a good way, not your mainstream rapper, good listen, but not something I’d buy. 4/10

Atmospheric and good background music, but ultimately not super interesting. Clearly, he’s a talented DJ, but a full album of just DJ is tough the sell.

Kind of had to switch off mid commute, which is rare, only midway through the album. Just unimpressed and uninspired, with thoughts of better things to listen to and couldn't get into the groove.

This album was by entry into the world of sampling by the likes if of UNKLE, Burial, RJD2 etc. I can understand why it might not be to everyone’s taste, but I think it’s great. Just loads of samples spliced together in a simply sublime way.

This was a tough slog. Drum beats gave it some life but still went DOA.

I didn't know this album and I was surprisingly delighted by it! Love the cover art, and the album's title. I don't know a ton about hip-hop, but it's clear to me that this must have been pretty important to a lot of musicians who listened to it. And it was just cool and nice to have on!

2 - like every electronics album there’s one or two bright spots but the rest of the album is full of songs that are way too long, and at best background music

At first groan this seemed to tick all the wrong boxes for me, not much in the way of vocals and lots of sampling. In fact, and this made me laugh hollowly, it is composed almost entirely from samples”. But I didn’t actually hate it. Some of it sounded ok when it was melancholic but even then I was thinking this sounds like Bach or at least Mike Oldfield doing the Exorcist. I feel 3 stars perfectly incapsulates my mixed feelings about this one.

10/10

Enjoyable

Great

Enjoyed that

Iconic

Fuckin great, an album that deserves to be listened to from start to finish. MIDNIGHT!

Super Dope

Wow, nice to hear this for the first time!

the number song

Good album but didn’t really stick with me. Needs another listen. Favs: What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4 Midnight in a Perfect World Least Favs: Stem / Long Stem

Great beats and sampling. Loved the themeing. Not sure I would call this rap, but, I guess it's as close as you could get.

One of the best study/work albums. 8/10

It was okay

great instrumental, background chill music.

Smooth and groovy hip-hop beats. Nothing to not like

Remarkable that the album is fully made of samples, and it's really good, maybe not something you'd listen to often, but definitely good for chill background music.

Sampling is obviously a large part of hip-hop, but rarely is it the MAIN focus these days. This album in particular might be one of the best examples of sampling used purely as an art form. In fact, I think this was the first of its kind in that regard and certainly a novelty given the state of hip-hop in 1996. Everything just flows nicely due to how wonderfully mixed each track is. Heck, the "tracks" can really be considered compositions if you wanna go there.

Best ever

Decent 3,5

Classic album that has unique atmosphere

Although I'd heard the name, I'd not heard anything by DJ Shadow before this album. I feel like I have been missing out. Endtroducing is an original and intriguing album. I gave it several listens and, although it didn't do enough to get a full five from me, I enjoyed it quite a bit. A strong four.

okej, al malo predugo, postane zamorno, ne znam

Cool early techno, some avalanches vibes on some tracks. Gets a bit grating after a long listen

This album has me remembering just how much of my music I got from World of Warcraft pvp montages. I bet you World Of Roguecraft still goes hard to this day.

Actually quite liked this one. Don’t think I would listen again but as background music while I was working I enjoyed it. Fav song: Stem/Long Stem Medley Least fav: Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain Medley

Some parts of this are alright but a bit samey and some bits were quite annoying to listen to. Just not my thing. Would love if I hopped into a lift and this was playing though. Specific rating - 2.3 Fav song- changeling Least fav - organ donor

I understand why it's on the list, so that's something. Might be the only thing. I didn't hate any of the songs but I didn't particularly enjoy them either, I was mostly just waiting for it to be over. Favourite song: Mutual Slump Least: Napalm Brain/ Scatter Brain

A collection of samples coming together as something new and unique.

okay

Another that I'm glad to have listened to, but not disappointed when it eventually finished. I got Odelay the other day, and occasionally this is like that but without the songs. I didn't hate it, but I didn't much enjoy it. Listened to the Bjork song it sampled afterwards, that was good.

This is a collection of proto-hip hop tracks. No lyrics, just vibes. If you're into free styling, this is a good record to have. It's a pleasant listen but 'Midnight In A Perfect World' really stands out. It's a trip hop type joint, with a melancholic tinge that only comes at night. The rest is fine but this one track is worth listening to, and maybe downloading on your streaming app.

Beautifully layered album with a lot of sounds and textures scattered throughout. Doesn't feel like it completely commits to a mood however. Great stuff otherwise. Extra half star for Twin Peaks sample at the end.

Cool grooves, but it always felt like half a song

Here is an album that fits the spirit of the list perfectly. I’ve never heard it, never would have bothered to listen without this list, and I’m glad I heard it before I died. Did I love it? No, but it’s pretty interesting to me how much creativity one can have making audio collages of other material. Aka sampling. Every sound here is sampled. Some very good tracks, some irritating ones, some that left no impression whatsoever. It’s fine, I’ll never listen again, but it’s unique and worth hearing once for sure

Awesome. I like to picture the guy spending years creating this, poring over every transition, every sample, every beat... Some very cool moments. Solid 4. Wish I could give it an 8.7 out of 10.

Pretty good for background

Pretty cool and unique album. Loved some of the heavier beats

What is there to say about this one. Was very important to me in summer 2016… spooky as hell in the best ways. Still holds up. Maybe a wee bit long winded or slow in parts but dammit i guess that’s what he wanted out of the whole thing. Is nice and comfortably numb. FOUR!

1.67

Brooding and menacing in equal portions. Not been equalled since. Its an album to be listened to in its entirety on a yearly basis. Hard to pick out highlights as the whole piece is excellent but stem/long stem is the most memorable.

cool

this just made me want to listen to pretty lights, so that's what i did after

# Album Name: Endtroducing... # Artist: DJ Shadow # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Real bang average album. Complete elevator / 90's sitcom background music. # Top Tunes: None # Would I listen to it again? No

Good Transtions Good Beats

This album is really fun to listen to

Fav: Stem / Long Stem - Medley Least Fav: Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain - Medley Whatever this genre of music is, I want more of it NOW

*Cool lo-fi beats in several songs *Unique approach with the sampling, but a cool sound

This album was super great. Was not sure what to expect. very cool grooves and soundscapes. Actually a pretty big fan.

Fun stuff - knew about of the history behind this and I've listened to the original once before, 10+ years ago. Amazing what he/they have done here!

Not my type of music but I can appreciate it

According to the Wiki, this is entirely written in samples, which can be interpreted as DJ Shadow didn't create anything, but still created one of the most renowned albums

Very much not my usual thing, and it feels more like a soundtrack to a game than an album, buts it’s ok in a dynamic, background-y kind of way. It’s not completely shit.

First listen

good but mostly instrumental, a bit slow at times

Some great chill hop tracks then some boring. I wish "Organ Donor" was longer! This is a good background album. Top tracks: "Organ Donor," "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt," "The Number Song"

This was fun and cool. Not sure I’ve ever just listened to an instrumental hip hop album.

Favorite tracks: --Building Steam --Stem/Long Stem --Transmission 2 --Organ Donor --Midnight in a Perfect World

Interesting enough.

Dj album. Chill. Good background music

groovy

I really liked the slower stuff, the trip-hop equivalent songs, especially with that industrial hip-hop side to it. But the other songs I thought were just too far over the place, especially with all the samples

It's obvious to me that The Kleptones and Girl Talk and others do not exist without this record. And I am not well versed enough in the genre to talk with ANY authority. But this is eminently listenable and explosive. It builds on what I loved about Public Enemy (and they must be on this list somewhere) but this is not a political polemic. At least not obviously. This is to Hip Hop as Brian Eno was to Glam Rock. OF the genre but building on it and creating something new, yet familiar. In the end I found myself losing interest. This could be because it is over an hour long, as most albums of the 90s were and, while none of it is filler, I just think that's about 15-20 minutes too long to sustain interest. It really doesn't matter the genre.

Иногда, бывает, что-то включаешь такое, не ожидая ничего особенного, и спустя некоторое время, может секунды, а может минуты, понимаешь, что касаешься чего-то действительно великого и влияющего на весь жанр или вообще создающего свой. Вот это тот самый момент. Такого подхода к семплингу и раздвигания границ "дозволенного" в рамках хип-хопа сложно найти где-то еще. Это воистину невероятная работа. Я не изучал историю альбома, но это чувствуется во время прослушивания. Реально легендарная вещь. Не хочу спойлерить, просто послушайте.

Brilliant. Loved every second!

Might be good for background music if you need to get some work done but not something I’ll seek out again

Absolute masterpiece. Spawned many imitators, but nothing comes close. Astonishing considering the relatively primitive tech used, and still sounds fresh today. Would give this six stars if I could...

This was a very interesting discovery and a cool listen. The Twin Peaks quote in the last track was just the icing on the cake.

Its different from what a was expecting, was nice experience but i dont really like the songs, but was worth the experience

Pretty good but nothing out of this world

There's a nostalgia here for me. I dig this album. Not just for the decent tracks that it contains, but for the music that this album helped open. DJ Spooky, Kid Koala, RJD2, Dan the Automator. It was the music of the late 90s early 00s for me. Tricky 's Maxinque, Massive Attack's Mezzanine, and the Sneaker Pimps' Becoming X. Shadow went on then with UNKLE and the rest of his solo work. This shit has groove. While this isn't his best work, it still has some killer moves.

One of my favorites

Kinda bland imo

No no no

Muy lindo trip hop. Inesperado. Nota: 3.7

The first main song and the last song hold up well but there is lots of uninteresting long tracks that go nowhere, slowly.

Good

4/10 I strongly disliked the start of this album - it's ugly music. Brtlutal drums that crash through the samples, laying waste to any musicalitym but I like the Organ Donor song

Grooved to it while coding. Would listen again.

Strange, sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a very not good way. Not much of a hip-hop fan.

Still sounds great and could easily have been released this year and wouldn’t sound dated. Brilliant album

Didn’t fancy this but was pleasantly surprised.

A bit all over the places. Tracks seemed to jump about, with no connection to one another, or anything helping the whole thing flow or fit together. Some individual tracks weren't terrible, but the album as a whole wasn't great.

Enjoyed listening to this a lot

Have listened to this a number of times before. Very much enjoy it. There is a little bit of filler in the album/a tad long. Nonetheless, a solid album.

I found myself quite bored listening to this

Lowkey esoteric.

I'm not into rap, but this is pretty good!

First time listening to this - pretty groundbreaking

I liked this one. Thought it was a little chaotic at times but I think I enjoyed that. 4 stars

2003 is calling and it wants my CD back (yeah, I didn't discover this album for a few years after it was released but when I did, it was ON!)

I’m a fan of the plunderphonics genre and while this one doesn’t go as crazy as some it’s still a very enjoyable sound

Gera, neįkiri muzika.

haunting, thrilling, a magnificent tour de jockeying

It’s not unenjoyable but it’s not great either. An interesting curiosity.

Great Beat tape. some really solid beats that I could see 90's rappers bodying. Gets a bit redundant due to some song lengths without much changing in some beats, but I feel like you could say the same for almost any beat tape. And the range of styles between songs is great as well. Smooth Stuff

Strange, unique, experimental, and great vibes, are the words I would use to describe this album. I really enjoyed this.

This was fun and interesting. I prefer a more instrumental sort of hip hop, like this.

Still need to listen tbh

Enjoyed it sure, at least some of the incredibly layered drumbeats. But of all the noises to listen to, I think i could have made it to death wihtout this one.

Phenomenal sampling, super super smooth, early trip-hop and DnB emerging.

2/5 one of them big shepherd hooks comes in from stage left and pulls this off the stage please

The album creates an amazing atmosphere only using samples, which is pretty amazing. From the first second it drags you into this world which feels surreal, trippy, hypnotic and fascinating. Every song has an amazing progression to it, which makes it feel like a whole adventure. Stem/Long Stem's drone-y melody and post-apocaliptic vibe make it feel like a song from a spy movie. Building Steam with a Grain of Salt is one of my fav songs here, has an eerie, wintery atmosphere in the first half and then after a short drum solo it tranaitions into this absolutely mesmerizing finish. The drums in general are absolutely insane and hard af on this thing, just so cool. Most of the album is kinda chill, but then Mutual Slump comes at you with those crazy blasting sounds, idk what it even is but sounds hard as hell. Also love how the song has those calmer sections that then build up to chaos again, reminds me of how Modest Mouse structure their songs a lot. And Midnight in a Perfect World is just magical. The rhythm is so addictive and the dreamy guitars and faint vocal samoles make the song feel exactly like its title. I really don't have many complaints about this album, maybe the only one is that I don't have s trong personal conection to some of the songs I didn't mention. This is probably one of the stronger 9/10's for me and who knows, maybe one day it will join the 10 club.

not my type of music but i did not hate it! different from most music I've listened to but interesting nonetheless

Definition of meh. Felt a bit unorganised somehow and went on too long

was disappointed by this

I’ve never heard of DJ Shadow, so I’m excited for this one. It's amazing that this is all samples and drum machines. Pretty sweet bass lines throughout, especially "What does your soul look like, pt. 4." Easy to play but slaps. Very cool beats, easy to listen to. Pretty cool album, reminds me a lot of trip hop like Massive Attack. Not sure which came first.

This album continues to impress and relax me into a place of pure comfort. I don't know what is so relaxing about the scratchy and disjointed mixing heard on this album but it makes me want to lay down and float. The main reason for the score drop are some of the interludes and small choices in sounds that I feel make them a bit clunky at times. This album and Portishead's Dummy continue to put me in such a relaxing trance and have dug a deep hole in my heart where they will forever stay treasured and praised. I listen to this album at least once a month for the past couple years and never once has it gotten old or repetitive in my eyes. Such a thought-provoking and impressive piece of music.

It feels at once hypnotic and fragmented, drawing the listener through shifting textures, layers, and emotional tones. There’s also a melancholic, almost spiritual undercurrent — a sense that Shadow is archiving forgotten cultural fragments and giving them new life.

This shit was so smooth and relaxing that I fell into such a deep slumber that I drifted off into another dimension. Whizzing by planets and galaxies til I landed on the planet Gorkon 11 which is where I met the Kraglons. They begged and pleaded that I save their elvish princess. Now I know what you are thinking, why would the Kraglons have an elvish princess? They are an asexual race of blob creatures. And what does this have to do with the album? Well first of all that was a little racist towards the Kraglons, I’m not sure what they did to you to elicit that kind of response. And yes they are slightly blob like but they are deeply offended by that comparison. Anyways, after the princess was saved, they rewarded me with their greatest jewels and berries. Believe me when I say that you have never tasted a jewel as delicious and juicy as a Gorkon 11 Lamex. And the berries you can sell for goods and services or get set into a ring or necklace. Great weekend!

Very good background beats

What a wild album! I feel ignorant that I did not know who DJ Shadow was... This album seems way ahead of his time.

Big ‘Blockhead’ vibes which I really liked, but very repetitive, which worked in some songs, but didn’t in others. Bonus points for repping NorCal!

I’m finding out that I love a good instrumental hip-hop album (“Donuts” by J Dilla anyone?). This isn’t something I would have found on my own, which is why I started this project in the first place. Really awesome beats throughout, and an overall great listening experience.

Probably really influential but to me it was not much more than focus music

Quality beats

Hyviä biittejä joita jäin kaipaamaan enemmän. Välillä konemusiikkityyppinen ääni nousi keskiöön ja lopulta musiikki jäi vain taustalle pyörimään eikä vanginnut mielenkiintoa.

Ei kovinkaan mun tyylistä musiikkia, mutta oli silti aivan hyvä. Hauskoja ja erilaisia biittejä ja ainakaan kaikki bisiit ei kuulistanu samalta. Lopulta kuitenkin jäi vaan taustamusiikiksi.

Some of the songs perfectly capture the eery sounds of a stoned city in 90s. Good stuff.

1/5 - it just wasn't for me ngl...

Liked this but don’t know enough about the genre to understand why this is viewed as so much better than most albums that do the same kind of thing

Pretty good and chill ambient techno-hip-hop or something. I liked it.

DJ Shadow's "Endtroducing.....", an album I struggled to connect with on any level. I found it to be a monotonous and tiresome listen that felt more like a chore than a pleasure. By the fourth track, the experience became a test of endurance, and I found myself just waiting for it to end. I found it to be a long and difficult listen. One star. 1 "Best Foot Forward" (3/5) 2 "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" (2/5) 3 "The Number Song" (1/5) 4 "Changeling" (1/5) 5 "Transmission 1" (1/5) 6 "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)" (1/5) 7 "Untitled" (1/5) 8 "Stem/Long Stem" (1/5) 9 "Transmission 2" (1/5) 10 "Mutual Slump" (1/5) 11 "Organ Donor" (1/5) 12 "Why Hip Hop Sucks in '96" (1/5) 13 "Midnight in a Perfect World" (2/5) 14 "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" (1/5) 15 "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)" (1/5) 16 "Transmission 3" (1/5) Total - 20 Average - 1.25 113/1001 60/113 albums reviewed were new to me.

When I was at school my friends told me this was cool. I tried it and didn’t like it because I liked music with guitars and musicians making it. I was excited to try it again with a more grown up mind. But I think it is just ok after all an impressive technical feat but musically not for me

Very nice DJ rap album with some great remixes. Felt it dragged a bit.

actually really good easy listening

A very mediocre album overall. DJ Premier is fantastic, but I find this to be his most basic production…very simple loops. Guru isn’t a fantastic rapper as well. He lacks a lot of charisma you could get from many rappers

Still pretty good. It was the first type of album I'd heard like this from a DJ so has a special place for me. 4/5 cover art.

Another one of my all time favorites!

I’m sort of amazed I hadn’t heard this album before. It’s super interesting, the production is fire, and I will be making it my personality for the foreseeable future.

It's an iconic album. It's one of the most creative pieces of modern, popular music and it blew me away the first time I heard it. It still slaps, would listen to Shadow all day. Cover is also good, appropriately DIY and relevant, it gets a solid 4, but the album is a 5.

This was great! I think I only knew one song (Midnight in a Perfect World) but I really enjoyed the entire album. Great sampling, great mixing. Really showcases how much of an artform good sampling can be.

I was already somewhat familiar with this album, but I'd never listened to it all the way through. What a masterpiece.

V good for reading/working as there's no words.

Thoughts before listening: This album has made best album ever lists since it was released in the 90s, but its just never been something I cared to check out. My understanding is that this is more of a hip hop soundscape with inventive beats than a cohesive, lyric driven rap album. I think this will be my first time listening to this album. Review: As expected, this is a difficult album for me to review. I know that its important and ushered in a new way of looking at production and sampling....but a lot of it just sounds like background music to me. Its effective at setting a tone and these songs would likely be solid for a movie soundtrack, but its just not something I am going to spend a lot of time listening to. I would also say that there are some cool ideas and melodies on here that catch my ear, but they're often short lived and just one part of a longer meandering song. 3-stars

It was ok

This album restored my faith in hip-hop when the genre was feeling bloated. Every track is a sample-heavy stroke of genius. Do yourself a favor and check out the deluxe edition—especially Cut Chemist’s remix of 'The Number Song'

I felt like the main character. This album is such a viiiiiiibe

Easy 5. Sounds incredible and can see how it's influenced so many other artists that I like, such as Flying Lotus. Particularly enjoyed the bits that sound like Boards of Canada...by which I mean all the 60s/70s style "Dr Who" synths.

Sounds like I’ve bought a 20 bag in the mid 2000’s. Weird considering I was 9 when it came out. Tight buds, inner city pubs and adidas clothes. Top album, love it.

It’s 30 years old and feels fresh out the box. Excellent stuff, loved it.

A creative and interesting landmark in the art of music sampling. It's often chill, but there's a haunting melancholy that I connect with. I find myself switching from active listening to passive throughout. It's been a good album to throw on while I'm working on a project.

3.5 RYM

Extremely creative all around. The sampling work is genius and really shows that sampling is a transformative art form. This album would probably have been perfect if some of the fat had been trimmed off of some of the songs. I haven’t heard too much music like this, and the music like this I have heard came after. I can’t imagine how revolutionary this must’ve been at the time. 4/5

I am not entirely sure what that was. But I am moderately sure I enjoyed it.

Kai tää ⭐️⭐️⭐️ taipuu. Välillä vähän tylsiä kappaleita.

Siistejä biittejä mut vähän itseään toistavaa. Pioneeri tääki.

Noise

Great album!

Nostalgiskt. Skatefilmer från tidigt 2000. Musikmässigt blir det lite tjatigt

Excellent, de la musique smooth. Les tunes sont tellement variées. C’est planant, ça met vraiment une belle ambiance dans le salon

Bon album électro!

4-

Pretty dry and boring. Each song resuses a lot of the same beats, sounds, loops, etc. Maybe in its time it was experimental and risky, but in the present day it's very safe and overdone. 3/10

Album was okay but I wouldn’t buy it. Not my normal genre of music

The more you learn about how this album was created, the better it gets. I tend to think of this album as one piece of art and through countless listenings over decades, I can’t name a single “song” on it. This record gets at the project of this book in that it’s something every pop music fan ought to hear at least once.

it grew on me

forgetable

Wow that was dull. I am glad that I listened once. The craftsmanship is incredible and the work paved the way for so many records I love. That doesn't mean it's held up though.

My first thought was... oh no not yet another random hip-hop album please... I've been on a long stretch recently. However, I was very pleasantly surprised with this album that I had only vaguely heard of. It's chilled, very well made, instrumental (apart from sampled vocals) hip-hip, and I'd say bordering rather on trip-hop (which I love). The drums, as the only "real" instrument, hold it all together. Enjoyed the sound of this, tastefully sampled and expertly mixed, and I understand DJ Shadow was quite ground-breaking. Can't give it a 5 because without other people's music, this album would be nothing but an hour-long, boring drum solo. Of course all artists "steal" but not to this extent. But it's a 4 because it sounds great and is well made and is (was) novel.

Rating: 10/10 One of my favorite albums of all time, this is the definition in beauty in sampling. This album is absolutely gorgeous and deeply relaxes me, literally therapeutic.

I had never heard of DJ Shadow before, so I had no expectations going into this album. I have to say that I was quite impressed by this album, especially since it is quite outside the genres of music that I normally listen to. I found the instrumentals to be well constructed and engaging, and the album does not stick to a certain sound for too long. The overall atmosphere presented by this album is very pleasant and I could definitely see myself relaxing to this album in the future.

Fedt!

Loved the drums. Sometimes driving amd often atmospheric.

No pude ni acabarlo

If I was running a fusion restaurant with cool vibes in NYC, or trying to have something on in the background while I chill with friends, this would be a good option. If I'm largely sitting and listening to it, this thing goes on and on and on. Fun use of the medium, good DJ, but you could cut it in half and have the same album.

good background music

I had not heard this before and really like it.

I can tell that it’s musically incredible but kinda boring to me

Already like this one

Fun album. Knew some songs but a lot of them were nice surprises

Whacky, totally different to the later stuff I’m more familiar with.

An insane artistic achievement to have created something that sounds so organic purely from vinyl samples with basic gear. Blends rhythm and texture seamlessly to create a sound that’s constantly interesting.

Not my style but Why Hip Hop Sucks in ‘96 gave me a laugh.

Album 9/1001 This is one of those albums that I respect more than I enjoy. The fact that it was the first album to be entirely made up of samples is an impressive feat and you can hear the influence it's had on all different kinds of music to this day. Unfortunately, one of those kinds is low-fi which I'm not so grateful to it for, and has actually tarnished it for me since I last heard it. Still, can't deny it's importance and it's one of the few purely instrumental records that I would choose to listen to - more for the hip-hop and cinematic vibes than the electronic ones. Favourite song: Building Steam with a Grain of Salt ♨️🧂 Honourable mention: Organ Donor 🫁 Mutual Slump😞😞 Midnight in a Perfect World 🎑 What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt.1 - Blue Sky Revisit 🏙

This was a weird one as the first time I listened I really didn’t take to it, but second time I listened more closely and turned out there is some good stuff here. Why are all the albums in this genre so damn long though. No need

-ough hell yeah.. this is like my third time listening to this album and it gets better every time. so entertaining and creative -makes me want to go on a long walk through a dimly-lit city in the middle of the night too bad that’s not rlly safe -there are some genuinely beautiful and mesmerizing tracks on here too… they’re not ALL mindblowing but there’s something new to discover with every listen. 4.5 stars -Favorites are Changeling, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4, Stem / Long Stem - Medley, and Midnight In A Perfect World

Technically impressive, but there's only so much I can enjoy instrumentals. 3.

I quite like Girl Talk and Milkman, so it's not that this is all just samples. It's just background noise. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.

Rap, Samples, 1996 -> 1-2

This kind of turntable electronic music couldn’t be further from my sort of thing, but I’ve grown to respect it as an album more. I wouldn’t chuck this on regularly, and I’d say it’s closer to background music for me, but there’s a certain hazy ambient charm to it.

Another 90s trip-hop-ish record. Perhaps 'DJ Shadow' was legit in the 90s, but now it feels more some 10 year old would name his rogue in World of Warcraft. Staying true to his name, many of the songs had quite ominous and evil sounding samples for being trip-hop, like 'Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt', 'Stem/Long Stem', or 'Organ Donor'. Felt like they could feature in either The Excorcist, or one of the Resident Evil games. Overall I felt like the record was a bit of a roller coaster. There were some really good tracks, like aforementioned 'Organ Donor', and especially 'Midnight In A Perfect World', and 'Changeling', and then there were quite boring drum heavy ones like 'The Number Song'. The transmission songs were also a bit... edgy. Overall the album was stronger at the end. I think I'll give this a weak 4, knowing it fits me quite well, and while there were lowpoints, I still enjoyed listening to it a lot.

I have such respect for people who worked with sampling pre-digital sampling. Just the amount of work that they had to put in is insane. Because of this I’m really impressed with this album. Still, even without the technical feat, I think the music is good on it’s own. There are plenty of good, dark, menacing trip-hop beats on this album and even though it ran for an hour it didn’t get boring. Favourite songs was probably “Building steam from a grain of salt” and “Stem/long stem”. Previously I only knew DJ Shadow from their very good colab with Run The Jewels “Nody Speak”, I’m glad to have found out he has more to him. All in all, a very good trip-hop album that I will come back to more times, it just lacks some more killer tracks to push it past a 4 star rating.

This sounded like podcast music. I kept expecting an ad for better help with a 10% off code. 2 stars

I love DJ shadow, but perhaps controversially not this album so much. Some tracks are too long/meandering, but no one else was making beats like this at the time, at least in America, hence all the mid -90s hype for Entroducing. I continued to follow his career to this day, and he's also awesome live, where every track is manipulated/remixed uniquely for each show. Midnight in a Perfect World is my favorite on this album. Made with 2 turntables and a sampler, no computer, pretty impressive.

it was okay…I don’t think I’d return to this tho.

Funny, I already had the second track, Building Steam With a Grain of Salt, on my liked songs. I know this song from somewhere but I'm not sure where. This album suffer from the same thing so many other 90s albums suffer from which is their length. It's like every artist in the 90s felt they had to fill the length of a CD, which routinely made for albums that are an hour plus. Given this length, it can make it hard to parse out what's good and what's just filler. So on the whole, this album is fine but would be better if it were more streamlined. It's truly a 2.5 stars for me but I'm feeling generous this morning and rounding up to 3 instead of rounding down to 2.

This is work music to me

hard to pin down just what genre this album is, so it's an interesting listen for that reason. dj shadow also does a good job at showing off his versatility; there are lots of songs on here that sound different, yet still some sonic consistency across the project. but i kind of struggle to see the vision and aim of this album, and i feel like dj shadow didnt have much of clue either. hmmm

Es fing ganz gut an, der erste Song war wirklich in Ordnung. Dann wurde es anstrengend und zog sich in die Länge. 1 1/2 Sterne aber ich runde auf.

A masterful job layering samples -- musical, found sound, interviews, otherwise. I've said it before: I don't really know much about music that's not primarily made with instruments. this is compelling, though. It's dark and moody but also lively and infectious. DJ-based music like this may not involve the person named on the album playing every instrument but it certainly reflects a deep understanding of music. I first encountered DJ Shadow's music in the 2000 documentary, "Dark Days" (by Marc Singer), focusing on people dwelling in a disused train tunnel beneath New York City. It's easy to see why he was picked for that soundtrack. This is an easy 4/5 for me. Not life-changing but worth a listen anytime and well worth revisiting, whether for study or fun.

Ok some good some not for me

This wasnt what I expected at all. A mix of trip and hip hop, which was a hit on some tracks but a miss on others. It's hard to explain but it became too repetitive at some parts and was hard for me to fully immerse myself in it. I think some tracks are better stand alone than listening to an album in full.

Debut Album. Hip Hop / Electronica. I'll give it a generous two out of five because the samples were good but overall I was bored.

Very sympathique

It's alright. Interesting enough but nothing more than a 3

Atmospheric hip-hop beats that feel quite haunting & provocative. Almost has a dark & heavy feeling to it despite the lack of lyrics. The album has a good pace to it, with ebs and flows in intensity, and I could easily get lost in it's tone and grooves.

Chato demais

This was a bit unique, but I had Organ Donor in my library already. I think this is a 4. I wouldn't call it Hip Hop or Rap though.

Bóg mnie testuje. Umęczyłam się strasznie, powtarzalne bity, które się ciągną w nieskończoność, losowe przebitki, wszystko za długie i zbyt męczące a do tego bez polotu. 4/10

Love this, and I’d never heard of DJ Shadow before. I will definitely be listening to other albums. I probably would of never found this artist without the challenge

Nothing special

It’s the money 💰

I'm actually really enjoying this. It's not my taste in music at all, but it's really nice to listen to. Reminds me of when I would listen to the Joseph Hann tracks from Linkin Park.

Really enjoyed this. Good background music for work or around the house probably. Will make me listen to more DJ Shadow in the future.

white guy who "revolutionized hip hop" thru his use of samples... um i know a trio of white guys who did that a decade earlier! MAN just listen to paul's boutique instead-- unless you're looking for something to fall asleep to, then go for this.

Endtroducing is a plunderphonic masterpiece. It's known historically as the album that truly legitimized the sample-flip on its own terms, but beyond that its legacy as inspirational and endlessly re-listenable can hardly be overstated. Endtroducing has been favourably called the Hip/Trip-Hop equivalent of a Velvet Underground or Aphex Twin and there's hardly a greater compliment. Deep, rich, organic, and boundary-pushing, these tracks feel like deep meditations on sound and a love letter to music as a whole. We'll never get an Endtroducing again, not just because clearing all these samples would be a financial and logistical nightmare in the 21st century, but because this album was too far ahead of its time. fav track: [all of them], Short Stem/Long Stem, Building Steam..., Midnight In A Perfect World

Hate being a late millennial

Brilliant

I had low expectations of this and was very pleasantly surprised. I thought it was going to be one of those 90s dance albums but it was something entirely else. I'm not exactly sure what, mind, but something else. A bit hip hop, a bit experimental, a bit ... sounds. Some tracks wouldn't feel out of place on the soundtrack to Alien, and to me that's a good thing, so this album was a good thing.

Excellent start. Great look into the alternative dance music scene in the 90’s

I’m not sure if any of the music on this album is played by a human, so it sounds good, but is it actually music?

So interesting, seems like a classic? Not my style, but I appreciated the different genre.

I mean, this is like perfect. I've heard this in full before, and I already love this album. I don't want to say conclusively that this is the all time greatest instrumental hip hop album: artists like J Dilla and Nujabes have albums that may be better (especially Donuts, holy shit) but no one else had reached these heights in 1996 (as far as I know). The way this is constructed is truly genius: like it's kind of a plunderphonics thing, it's kind of a trip hop thing, and it's still very much its own. On a sensory level for me, it sounds *extremely* burnt orange, and very dusty. Like, I'm not sure this has ever really been replicated, and so much work went into this to ensure this. Like *exactly* what makes this truly one of a kind is kind of locked in a black box like I am almost completely unable to analyze it: it's just beautiful. Like sometimes it's very fragmented: the weird little interludes, the sampled nature. But, it's still incredibly cohesive: the sound palette is very internally consistent, there are motifs and everything. I dunno, I can't get into what's up behind the scenes here, it's like all made on one Akai sampler and then like a magic spell cast by DJ Shadow for good measure. I'm just in awe here.

Some cool beats but not totally my thing - maybe I am missing the significance if it is unique for the time period it was released.

It’s alright , nothing stands out to me

This is someone playing someone else and calling it thier own

3/5 Best Track - "Midnight In A Perfect World"

DJ Shadow rules. The Number Song, Mutual Slump, Midnight in a Perfect World stuck out to me. Rad listen. I’ll come back to this one for sure

I have a lot of respect for this album and what it accomplished. It’s a little long, but easy to enjoy. But when you contextualize it, it paved the way for a lot of albums I love.

Did not expect for the album to be an instrumental, i thought it was gonna be a hip hop rap album. the instrumental samples were really enjoyable and calm, I'd listen to this when im studying or trying to relax, which is... kind of weird to say to hip hop?

I hadn’t heard this before. I really enjoyed it. There were so many great beats and you ask tell this guy is passionate about what he makes.

4,0

Vibes!!! Before it’s time! Vapor wave OG. Napalm brain and what does your soul look like crushed it. Loved this.

Very cool. Butter than most classic rock albums until now.

This album transformed the mix landscape and made me want to be a dj so bad.

A bizarre soundscape that starts you off wondering what you're listening to and how much longer till it's over, but it pulls you in and leaves you wondering where it went when it's over.

This just sounds cool like it was meant for something else. Feels like it comes straight out of a 90's sci-fi has since become a cult classic (looking at either Ghost in the Shell or Strange Days). I kinda wanna relisten to it now. Maybe not 5 stars but it's probably the coolest album I've ever heard.

Groovy beats

Nice to revisit this album all these years later. Still has the same feeling as the first time I listened. Great music to chill to after a long day or on a lazy weekend. Also, a great album to go down the rabbit hole with on Whosampled

i like the vibes, really good to work to

almost entirely made up of samples, this 2 year endeavor of DJ Shadow was groundbreaking in the world of sampledelia and instrumental hip hop / trip hop. Great album.

Alright

one of my favorite albums ever. totally revolutionized music, imho. just amazing samples that are so obscure, great production, visionary work. 5 stars.

Very chill and enjoyable.

This blew my socks off. Perfect melding of hip hop and jazz with notes of ambient thrown in for spice. Each of the samples with talking in them are so well chosen. Instantly downloaded this knew I had to listen to it again as soon as I could. No standout tracks each track follows the other like a beautiful rhythm when Twin Peaks quote ended things I just knew I needed to play it back again. The best discovery of this journey so far for me.

Great beats, great production , wish I wasn’t as hungover when I listened

Forgot that DJs didn’t sing until later

Endtroducing….. – DJ Shadow (1996) | Instrumental Hip-Hop / Trip-Hop | Avg: 7.85 | Favorite Song: “Midnight in a Perfect World”* Endtroducing….. feels like a sonic collage that’s as moody and hypnotic as it is meticulously crafted. Even with a few tracks unscored, the ratings paint a clear picture of consistency, with most songs sitting in the 7 to 9 range. “Midnight in a Perfect World” stands out as the pinnacle of the record; it’s eerie, soulful, and beautifully layered, capturing the dreamlike aura that makes this album a standout in instrumental hip-hop. There’s an emotional weight here that sneaks up on you, track after track, as if you’re drifting through a late-night radio broadcast from another dimension. What’s interesting is the number of interludes, and how it doesn't seem to disrupt the flow. That might actually speak to the seamless transitions and ambient cohesion of the project. DJ Shadow isn’t throwing out obvious bangers, but instead building a mood that lingers. This isn’t an album where every track demands attention; it’s more about the experience as a whole. And while that means some moments blur together, the consistency and intention behind the production make Endtroducing….. a landmark listen in its genre, especially for those who like their beats introspective and cinematic.

Surprised that this was actually really good background music for work. Great album? From what I can gather it made its mark as landmark recording in hip hop in 1996. Context is important. a 4. Not a 5. why? I've surprised myself by wanting to play this again, but I think it needs something more to be great. That may be my remaining bias speaking.

You need this album heard. You need to listen to this. You want an album that is the predecessor to Lofi Girl? This is it. This album? Amazing. You need to listen to this album. Brother I am telling you. Listen to this album.

god damn! this was a journey i enjoyed the whole way through. a smorgasbord of sound that never got smorgasboring. vibes both chill and spicy. yet somehow it still feels like a coherent album. incredible. 100% listening to this next time i get stoned

I’m a sucker for instrumental works like this, so this album was right up my alley! Loved the samples and lo-fi beats, and how they changed from track to track. I can see why this album is so influential!!

every. single. beat. is. immaculate. perfect.

This isn't the type of thing I would just listen to. It didn't seem like the goal was to entertain, but rather to engage deep thought. It was very similar modern art just in musical form. It's something that's meant to be the focus of your time for sure, not just background noise.

Not my usual genre but I enjoyed it!

Fundamentally important album for sample-based music. I’ve always loved this record - feels like you’re on a different planet. My guess is this is going to be a polarizing one, but for me one of the best.

Solid, delightful samples. Great album, best so far

This album just felt a little flat and boring to me. It was good ambient music to have on in the background while I was getting ready for work but it felt more like elevator music with random samples thrown in. Not gonna lie it kind of put me to sleep but I can see why some people would find it appealing. Personally it is not for me.

Great!

Never heard of this group. A lot of interesting sound effects, several times it sounded like a CD sounded when it was skipping. I’m glad I was listening to this while working so I didn’t totally waste an hour of my life listening to this.

listen this idea and concept is creative and i respect it but it isnt super engaging for me. it's very lofi beats to study to coded and for that i do enjoy but it's not a number one for me

I know nothing about the DJ world. I don’t know what makes them good, or well-regarded, or renowned. I can only base my score on the music, and I like some of the moodiness of this DJ Shadow album.

This reminds me of a scorching hot day at the beach at some over-the-top hip beach club where they hired a DJ

jako dobro

One of my favourite albums of the 1990s - and of all time. Atmospheric, unsettling, euphoric, intense, intriguing and always interesting - one that rewards repeated listening and explorations. Highly recommended. An essential album by any measure.

i won't have any idea that this album is fully built from prexisting samples if you don't tell me about the fact. Certainly one of two certified classics in the genre of Plunderphonics (the other one is Since I Left You.) 4.5/5

Really enjoyed this. Fresh take on sampling and still relevant 30years later

Good if you want background music. Very catchy beats.

Good background music.

Lots of the same…thought I was on an elevator. Doesn’t mean bad as an elevator music just lots of the same, but some of it was catchy.

Dj

It took me forever to get through this. I do like this kind of music but it felt like such a slog working through this.

This was impressive and groundbreaking for the time. Nowadays it blends in a bit with it's contemporaries, but the first half of the album still slaps. 3.5/5 - > 4/5

Instrumentals that keep you engaged and keep suprising. Organ Doner as a stand-out track, among others. Good album, definitely coming back to it.

Ein paar gute Tracks,

Love the bass in all of the tracks. Find myself vibing to the music in the background. Pretty repetitive, but very nice for just chilling or working/studying. Still feels fresh, like I'm listening to it in 2025, not 1996. 8-12-25 1:15 am

I’m not always a fan of pure instrumental hip-hop. I feel like so much of the joy in hip-hop is in seeing the combo of killer production with a great rapper, the pairing of poetic production and lyricism. For all its strengths, I often feel you end up missing something if the vocals aren’t there. With that said, I was really pleasantly surprised by how well DJ Shadow kept my attention the whole time. Really well-structured album with a lot to enjoy, great sampling and beat creation, and a surprisingly easy-to-follow narrative given the lack of pure words. There were several songs that achieved a kind of flow state, where the meaning of the record sort of flowed through the beats. Really great stuff. With that said, a few songs didn’t quite work for me, with either samples and beats that didn’t quite meet in the middle in terms of a consistent time signature, or else production that was just to busy to get all the way into. Still, a great record with a ton to love.

I haven't explored the world of instrumental hip hop much, so it's challenging to review. Some of these were interesting, but most were not. It didn't land as something I needed to hear, at least not in it's entirety.

Pas si pire

Have to love the fact that this album got picked the day I had to return to work and that it is one of my favourites. Before talking about the album, I want to say that I first discovered this LP on my last year in college when I was leaving behind my life as an elitist metalhead and finally expanding my musical taste, so I have a bit of affection for this one. The main point behind this record, as well as what makes it so interesting, is that it only uses samples from existing songs by other artists, creating entirely new and different soundscapes. To do so in such a sophisticated as this LP does, is just mind blowing. I can't even imaging how difficult had to be to produce and master all of this and make it sound as good as it does. So, what else makes this album special apart from how it was crafted? It sounds beautiful and very spacy. For me, it even works as an ambient work, not to the point as some of Brian Eno's pieces considering the very present hip-hop type of drums. Nevertheless, it still has this meditative, ethereal and dreamy feeling very characteristic of the atmospheric genre. All of the tracks share this trait and they are all fantastic in their own. Even so, I would highlight the following tracks: - 'Building Steam With a Grain of Salt' for doing an incredible job at stablishing the general mood of the album. - 'Changeling', because it reminds a lot to 'Marble Blast Gold' soundtrack (for some reason). - 'What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt.1', as I consider it to be the most beautiful song in the album. It may has it little flaws, but I think this is near perfection and for that, I'm giving it 5 stars.

It took a few tracks but by the middle of this album I was surprised how much I was enjoying it. Some of the drum and jazz samples were really engaging , crazy how much rhythm can be created by samples and loops. I do find myself looking to judge this album a little more harshly as a dj mashup without traditional "musicians" but what it gets docked for this, it makes up for with how cutting edge this album was. I do think there are so many artists now that sound just like this but from my little bit of research, it sounds like Dj Shadow and Endtroducing were the first to do it.

A couple years ago, I was watching an interview with the Tallest Man on Earth and he mentioned loving this album when he was growing up. Naturally I was intrigued because I always love looking into my favourite artist’s inspirations. So I threw it on and was so confused; it wasn’t at all what I was expecting as an inspiration for an indie folk artist. Listening to this now and I find myself surprised again. Electronica and hip hop have been some of the worst genres for me to explore on this list, but I actually really enjoyed this. You can tell a lot of time went into collecting and arranging these samples. It sounds so much more natural than the standard 4 on the floor dance beats that every other electronica album has had so far and the instrumentals have been the best parts of several of the hip hop albums. It honestly feels closer to a jazz album than an electronica or hip hop album.

This is really not bad. A good mix of hip hop/trip hop and electronic. This was a relatively popular genre at this exact time and I am surprised I never heard this. I enjoyed listening to this and there were a few notable songs. Its not quite a 4, but it is a solid 3.5 stars

Обкладинка топ! Я чомусь очікувала реп-альбому, але якби була уважнішою, то зрозуміла, що нічого такого від виконавця з ніком DJ Shadow очікувати не можна. Музика подекуди рвана, слів дійсно не вистачає, тому оцінка певно буде 2: бал за обкладинку і за друге слово в імені)

The music is good, but it has the same downfall as every other electronica album: the songs are too fucking long.