Reviews (page 7 of 14)
I’ve never heard of this artist or album before, but it was really nice. Well-created mix of samples.
Lots of horror-movie sounds and soundtrack samples worked into the beats give most of this album a wonderfully creepy vibe. “Midnight in a Perfect World” is, in my opinion, a respite from the gloom (and “Why Hip Hop Sucks in ‘96,” but that’s only 44 seconds long). I remember buying this when it first came out - don’t remember how I heard about it - but I was not prepared for its overall ominous tone. I came to love it and it holds up today.
Not what I'd have chosen for myself. That said, this was an album ahead of its time. I enjoyed several songs immensely; the rest was decent background music. Nice to stretch some boundaries with this.
I don’t know how to explain this other than…. Vibes
not usually one for instrumental hip hop but this is obviously a beautiful example it. still, I don't think this would ever be a repeated active listen for me, but i can certainly appreciate it. midnight in a perfect world is a banger though
90s techno teance feel
Unusually for an album of this length, this got better as it went along. By the end I was very into it indeed. This was the kind of thing that the Indie Kid of the 90s shunned, while the more out-there types got bang into it. Well I can see why now. It's superb working music, which, as mentioned previously, may not be a total compliment, but is extremely useful.
This one I know to be a classic, though I'm not really familiar with it or DJ Shadow. I think I listened once, expecting a cool hip hop beat tape, and was disappointed. The reality is, I don't think I understood it. This isn't really a "hip hop" project in that sense at all. Sure, it's a lot of sample-based beat making, and a few of these beats could work on a hip hop album, but as a whole this doesn't strike me as hip hop. Wikipedia says things like "trip hop" or "plunderphonics," which makes me think of The Avalanches or The Books. For me, taking away that genre expectation significantly improved the listening experience. I do really like this, the sample work is pretty impressive and enjoyable. Not something I personally would annoint as classic or essential based on my listen, but I have no awareness of the scene or context surrounding it, so I won't doubt it. And even without that awareness, it's a pretty great ride. Really enjoy the long tracks that just let the instrumental breathe. Favorite tracks: Best Foot Forward, Building Steam, Changeling, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Organ Donor, Napalm Brain. Album art: Definitely a classic cover, the kind I've seen a hundred times. Couple guys digging through crates at a record store, who can relate? Captures the spirit of sample-based work like this, and the blur and anonymity of the shot gives this an air of mystery. 4/5
Also ahead of its time. He also puts on an amazing live show
Unique and interesting. I’m here for it.
Totally amazing. I was under the impression DJ Shadow was an UK act, lol. This is something extraordinary.
this is the perfect album for doing background stuff. it meanders a little from time to time but overall I found myself vibing to this whole album as I worked through my day, good stuff
Oh what’s this? One of the best examples of sampling ever?!? I used to love this album back in the day so it was very nice to return to it. Drags a little in the middle but overall it’s terrific
Quite enjoyed this - still very fresh-sounding despite being nearly 20 years old. Like the repeated themes throughout. Will happily listen again.
I unfairly judged the cover and didn't think I'd like this album but there was a lot to like about it and some of the tracks were very much my vibe.
Honestly a great album, but it felt like it was missing something. It makes sense given how influential it was and the year it came out. Maybe if a rapper was paired with DJ Shadow or the songs were a little more complex like the Avalanches. Great homework album though
Enjoyed. 7/10
This holds up.
Dit album is een constante trip. Het feit dat het compleet gesampled is en dat er eigenlijk vrijwel geen origineel geluid in zit draagt naar mijn mening zo erg bij aan wat het vet maakt. Dit is dus echt een album waarvan ik meteen begrijp waarom het in de lijst staat. Het is vernieuwend voor de tijd, er zijn weinig albums die hier op lijken en het is muzikaal ook gewoon een ijzersterk album! Organ Donor is zeeeeeeeer herkenbaar - Camelo's Christening van Vilchezz pakt dat sampletje ook volgens mij. God, wat is dit toch een lekker album. Toch denk ik dat het voor mij een 4 sterren album is, ik zou het 4,5 geven als dat kon maar ik neig eerder naar de 4 dan naar de 5. Er zit toch te veel filler tussen en niet elk nummer is voor mij even speciaal. 4 sterren is wel ontzettend hoog though!
Instrumental hip hoptrip hopplunderphonics, sampledelia.
Experimental: the different sounds made it a very unique listen which I was slightly digging. Like nothing I have really listened to before which was I was wanting smth different to enjoy. Overall a solid listen and would recommend.
One of the albums that got me into instrumental hip-hop. I enjoy most of the album throughout and don't think there's much filler.
I think many who hear this in 2024, take this for granted because technology has come so far that you can produce this on your home computer. The painstaking detail and time used to layer and create on this is incredible. Smoke a joint, put your headphones on and sit back and enjoy this.
parking tickets listen to 2021 re-release tho; it's better
Really good instrumental hiphop album. It is a bit long, but the songs are pretty much all good, so its not to big of an issue. Works best in the background.
mágico misterioso divino
Instrumental hip hoptrip hopplunderphonics, sampledelia.
I should look into his catalog!
Very interesting one
I come back to this one every few years and really like it. It's not my normal style of music but this one really stands out.
It's alright, doesn't seem to stand out much, but good background music. Not quite sure what the artist is going for here.
Instrumental hip hoptrip hopplunderphonics, sampledelia.
Very good!!! The best way to describe it is if your friend hands you a flip camera and asks you to record some skate tricks. It’s ephemeral and has solid rhythm; each song has buildup. It’s just good music imo
Nice. Will listen to again.
Jaren 90 dance/electronisch
Old school sampling.
Lots of interesting textures and clever use of samples. Not my usual but I enjoyed this!
Def a mood
very confident album on the whole and despite the change in vibes between songs the whole experience was very smooth and not jarring. I like the mix of instrumentals and vocals Building steam with a grain of salt is cheeky and I love it Changeling and what does your soul mean to me are very soothing to me
Really original
Surprisingly great listen!
Not my style, but certainly a great album.
groovy AF. 4 stars.
decent
Good vibes
Love it
An album made entirely of sampled material…the first of its kind. Vibrant, heart pumping, and difficult to imagine how it’s so fully realized given it’s place in history.
- Even better than I remember it. Can't quite get to five stars, but its real close. - Maybe the best-composed plunderphonics album of all time? Shadow is really doing some incredible stuff here.
really good. rainy day vibes a lot of the time but great songs through and through.
Solid tracks. Seminal album for sure. 4.5/5
Encore du Hip-hop, mais pas degueu du tour
Enjoyed this one - a very important to the genre!
I like this a lot. Nice drum rhythm EDM. Cool samples and funky tracks at times 4.1
Wish I had known about this album 27 years ago! Great sampling choices and composition. He could have delved even more in places and gone full concept album, and I would have been even more pleased. Need this one for car trips.
Pretty good for background and/or focus. Wouldn't necessarily put this on just for fun, though.
Didn’t know what to expect, I’ve heard of this without really hearing it. Really enjoyed it, reminded me of the Byrne/Eno Bush of Ghosts with record scratches and breakbeats.
I like this album, I think DJ Shadow used sampling to create something artistic and different sounding. Having said that I thought the weird blast beat on stem was a strange choice. Overall I’m conflicted about sampling as it can be quite lazy and can alter my enjoyment of the original songs that were sampled. This album still gets a 4/5 as it has an interesting and mysterious atmosphere to it.
Some interesting stuff on here for sure. Will need to listen again some time.
very chill, all vibes, lets go highlights: -building steam with a grain of salt -changeling/transmission -what does your soul look like -midnight in a perfect world
Groundbreaking turntablism. I can't think of anything like it. Majestic.
Haven't listened to this whole album in years, forgot how good it was to have on while working. 3.5/5
I've heard a lot of buzz about this album on the 1001 albums subreddit, so I had really high hopes for this. I tend to enjoy music that employs a lot of sampling, and this album was no different. These songs were incredibly pleasant to listen to, and I thought they were incredibly well produced. It's really impressive that DJ Shadow built this entire album almost completely off of sampling and that he used minimal equipment to do it. I'll definitely listen to this album again soon.
The musics coming through me
Classic, always a pleasure to return to.
Chill
Wow I really liked this
It was quite a rollercoaster. But exactly what he does, experimental. I loved it, it was a unique experience for me and I like that. Quite a fun album
Ein Werk, wortwörtlich: das ist alles aus samples gebastelt. Was für eine Mammutaufgabe. Und was man erst alles dafür gehört haben muss. Bisschen lang vielleicht.
good album, enjoyed the tunes and mixes.
Really cool album. Never heard of DJ Shadow, crazy that this sound was produced in the mid 90s. Seems like it was also probably way ahead of its time (saying also cause I reviewed Gorrilaz yesterday). Some sick tracks, but I think my brain didnn’t appreciate as much as I wouldv’e if I heard it 20 years ago. Just oversaturated by lofi beats today. But still dank, 4 stars cause ik this piece was way ahead of its time.
A bit overrated and inconsistent but somehow still great
Some great parts, I knew more than I thought I would, catchy parts too
Great instrumentals. Never listened to hip hop/rap album with limited vocals but I enjoyed this one. Definitely a killer album with good energy.
Het neefje van de Propellerheads zo te horen. Maffe filmcitaten, hier en daar wat spionnenklanken, orgeltje ertussen. Het is wat minder uptempo, maar verder een leuke trip.
Vermakelijke verzameling van deuntjes en beatjes uit de triphoptijd. Het heeft niet dezelfde eeuwigheidswaarde als de albums die we eerder mochten luisteren, maar het is toch wel weer lekker relaxed. 3,5 ster, die ik maar weer eens naar boven afrond
Endtroducing.....a classic album of sampling-turntablist hip-hop.
Es un todo, los elementos se correlacionan de manera interesantísima y el tono de intriga del disco es excepcional. Es impresionante que sampleando se logre tal resultado. He escuchsdo discos instrumentales de hip hop pero llega un punto que cansan, este reslmente vive y es consciente de ello. El jazz las baterias impredecibles pero con groove, los elementos que se asoman, todo parecen detalles por un chef en un plato perfecto 8/10.
Nice
Thought it was fun, a bit of a mood really. Good for car driving tbh. Overall enjoyed it.
I didn't really know what to expect and wasn't that optimistic. But the the intro was cute and the album stayed interesting throughout. I liked it a lot.
Really enjoyed this, great use of sampling. I liked the jazzy, hypnotic feel of many of the tracks
So cool. Very little else to say.
Meanders a little bit but otherwise a very cool album!
It sounds like if lofi hiphop had a caffeine-induced 3 AM inspiration to do something which sounds like big beat and did it. And it's great. Surprising form someone who I discovered from Run the Jewels' "Nobody Speak".
Bardzo przyjemna muzyka do słuchania, spokojnie dzień może minąć przy tych utworach
I enjoyed it. Not what I would usually listen to, but it was good.
Wow, when Best Foot Forward started I thought I knew what to expect, but because I accidentally had shuffle on, Midnight In A Perfect World came on next, and that was nothing like I expected at all! What a beautiful song. Even going back and listening to the second track Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt this isn't the kind of hip hop album I thought it was gonna be. I had no idea about instrumental hip hop albums. The Number Song is really cool with that underlying guitar. Gives it a heavy rock / industrial feeling. Same with Stem/Long Stem. Transmission 2 has such a gorgeous intro. Honestly, I need to listen to this album a lot more. I bet it'd be great for a late night chill listen.
Started quite weak for me but ended very very strong, almost hypnotic. Teetering between 3 and 4 stars - and I think it's interesting and innovative enough to take the higher score. The album as a whole won't be entering my rotation, but a couple of key tracks that will do.
It’s a classic and most people’s intro to turntablism. Shadow set the bar with this album’s commercial success, ironically selling millions of CDs when the album is made of vinyl loops, for lo-fi hip hop. Listening back now though, seems kind of boring. Or maybe a soundtrack to a movie.
Pretty incredible how every major label producer spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time trying to replicate a sound generated by a dude with a sampler in a room.
3.5 stars. Chill mostly instrumental trip hop that feels like a precursor to Lo-Fi. Created entirely from samples high production quality. Impressive for a debut album. Personal favorite track was "Organ Donor."
1. “Best Foot Forward” 😃 2. “Building Steam With a Grain of Salt” 🔥 3. “The Number Song” 💎 4. “Changeling” 🔥 5. “Transmission 1” 👍 6. “What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4” 😃 7. “Untitled” 👍 8. “Stem / Long Stem (Medley)” 😃 9. “Transmission 2” 👍 10. “Mutual Slump” 🔥 11. “Organ Donor” 😃 12. “Why Hip-Hop Sucks In ‘96” 👍 13. “Midnight In a Perfect World” 🔥 14. “Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain (Medley)” 🔥 15. “What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1 (Blue Sky Revisit)” 😃 16. “Transmission 3” 👍 Overall rating: 🔥 Classic meter: 💮💮💮
Spännande! Instrumentala hip hop-beats gjorda helt på samples. Som ett soundtrack. Ofta big beat-igt på ett härligt sätt, drivna trummor. I 'Stem / Long Stem / Transmission 2' händer något. Trummorna fuckar ur på ett sätt, väldigt hype. 'Organ Donor' och 'Midnight In A Perfect World' också bra. Väldigt solitt album! Bästa låt: Stem / Long Stem / Transmission 2. Men mest för "Stem"-delen.
Alfa beats. Good lyrics.
I enjoyed all of it. Especially the number song. shoutout to orion
I normally don't care for instrumental albums but this was very enjoyable and kept me engaged. The drums were the highlight, great album.
4/5
Liked it a lot, some great beats. Really loved a couple of tracks, but others made me a bit nervous. 3,5/5
Man this was an enjoyable listen. It’s unlike pretty much anything I’ve heard before-it’s a weird feeling since it feels like music from another world where you can barely latch onto anything, but in a good way. The Melodies and musical segments hook you in and then they Fleet away into something else. The highlights are astronomical, and the interludes are still listenable. Not a universally playable album but for what it is it executes perfectly. Highlights are Building Steam, Changeling, and Stem.
Amazing album. I've heard of DJ Shadow before but never took the time to listen to any of his songs. The first track on the album blew me away. 4/5 worth a purchase!
Listened to this a lot when it came out, but not at all in recent years. It's technically impressive, but now seems a bit soulless.
I didn't expect to like this it's not really my genre. But I loved it! It's chilled out an powerful at the same time. I can imagine it as a backing track to an amazing dance routine (I'm almost choreographing it in my head). I think I will listen to this one again
I enjoyed this album for chill background office music
What a solid and exciting work. After decades, it still keeps its sharp and its passion
4.5
I followed up Grandmaster Flash’s pioneering of scratching and sampling with perhaps the peak with DJ Shadow’s “Endtroducing…” It’s really cool what Shadow was able to do with nothing but a collection of samples, but the collage lacks heart and soul too much of the time.
The first album ever comprised entirely of samples of existing works. Is this art? It’s a good question. Is it meta art? Is meta art just art? Also good questions. There are infinite ways to create original music, which can result in whole body, euphoric as well as wretched experiences. There are also infinite ways to create fully sampled music, and it’s a smaller set of infinity. Can it be just as enjoyable as original art? Yes, this is art. Yes, this is meta art, which is also art. Yes, this is just as enjoyable as “original” music because it is original. The process of choosing the samples, splicing them, layering them, looping them, and joining them together is original. Side note that surprised me: Lyrics Born is the guy on the cover wearing a wig. He was part of the Solesides Collective with DJ Shadow. Lyrics Born is great. Give his album, Later That Day . . ., a try. It’ll be worth your time.
Very cool, jazzy, instrumental hip-hop. Fun variety of tunes, definitely worth a listen.
Listened Before? N This was a surprise. A great vibe and very, very well executed instrumental hip hop album. Thoroughly enjoyed it beginning to end. I will be revisiting it ASAP. Maybe even right now! Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Midnight in a Perfect World
9/10. dms weno y cohesivo. todas las canciones son buenisimas y varia entre weas mas hiphop y weas cmo midnight in a perfect world q suena como moby pero melhor.
I have owned this album for a very long time, but this was the first time I had listened all the way through. While I did find it an enjoyable listen, I am not sure I put it on a pedestal the same way that critics seem to have in the past. 3.5/5
This had a great beat and flow to it. Great for driving or working.
I have a soft spot for this type of music, think it takes real talent to produce. Brilliant stuff enjoyed majority
A good background listen
1. Best Foot Forward: intro using samples. 2. Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt: beat goes hard, vocal stems over it complement really well. 8/10 3. The Number Song: again crazy beat, breaktype goes hard. 7.5/10 3. Changeling: really nice track again, like the tempo changes. 7/10 4. Transmission 1: trippy interlude 5. What Does Your Soul Look Like - Pt 4. : 6. Untitled: interlude 7. Stem/Long Stem: this had some really hard parts in it. 8.5/10 8. Transmission 2: follow up on trippy interlude 9. Mutual Slump: casual banger. 7.5/10 10. Organ Donor: not my favorite one but still good. 6/10 11. Why Hip-Hop Sucks In '96: nice interlude 12. Midnight In A Perfect World: also really nice. 8/10 Overall great album with some seriously good tracks.
Fun fact: DJ Shadow's favorite holiday is Groundhogs Day.
Goes very hard but it's also very 90s. It feels very much like 90s hip hop remixes, which isn't a bad thing, but definitely has that feeling, so if that's not your scene you won't like it.
Listened to this all the time in college. Mostly holds up, though my tastes have changed
This is the progressive hip hop one w not a lot of words. very inspiring drums, played w tempo and signature a lot,
Listening at work and it works well as background music but is also interesting enough for intentional listening. Creates a nice mood to settle into, it propels you forward gently but with purpose.
very intersting electronic album, well used samples and it never gets stale
Real cool
Really quite enjoyed this, an interesting trip through well linked musical genres with some pretty funky grooves.
This was significantly more interesting than i expected. A ethereal tubular bells vibe mixed in with a bit of hip hop beat. It was quite atmospheric and there were enough cool tracks to make it worth listening to.
Me gusta mucho primero porque es muy relaxing todo el disco y segundo porque tiene mucha variedad en el uso de samples, desde cosas sacadas de temas de jazz hasta creo que algo de un tema de Nirvana.
Its a nice chill sample vibe
Now we're talkin'. This album was such a pleasure when it came out. I really enjoyed revisiting this classic.
4.5
Caught me by surprise. Lead off song had a very compelling hook. Heavy on percussion but a bit light lyrically. Absolutely spot on for the music around the drum line. Worthy of additional listens
Bit weird, not terrible
I liked this way more than I expected to. Normally I put shit on this sort of stuff but this kinda sucked me in. Apparently the whole thing is samples + an 808 (or similar) but the only tune I definitely recognised was Metallica's "Orion". Another bit sounded like one of the themes from FVII but I think this predates that. The whole album was probably too long, but that's just standard fare for electronica. I'd listen to some of this again for sure. A strangely high 4/5.
How to review an album like this! Something that’s so self-evidently influential, that it must have inspired every producer within a 15-year timespan afterwards… from Alchemist to No ID to Nujabes to Doom. It’s all there. I get why it’s on the list… it’s very significant. Supposedly it’s the album that got Radiohead to start sampling on OK Computer! It’s kind of the moment when it all crystallizes for hip hop… when sampling really takes on a life of its own, is coming into its own as an art. And I’m really happy that 1001 made me finally sit down and listen to this album… one I always said I’d get around to. It’s also really, really interesting to listen to still. There are things about it that are funny, like the skits (which hip hop is now replete with). There’s sentimentality… I can just picture a younger Nujabes listening to this and the gears start turning. And still, there are aspects of the production that are surprising, or feel like you haven’t heard it copied to death yet. All on an MPC60, which makes the record sound both familiar and yet like sonic unobtanium. It’s the way samples are supposed to sound to so many producers, because this is how they hear it in their heads, but it’s more truly lo-fi than all of that. Inspiring as heck. Even the super dated parts feel fresh on this album. Long live sampling! 4/5.
Sooo cool! You're watching in real time as sampling as an art form is being explored. Of course by 1996 sampling had been around for a little while, but this record feels like a much more mature version of hip hop. Some of these songs sound like they could have come out 10 years later! With records like these I always tend to feel like it's sort of a wasted opportunity. Where's the rapper?? Or at least the singer? Some of these tracks would be SO good with someone on them. That's probably just my personal taste but... I can't say I wasn't making up some lyrics in the car listening.
It’s not usually my taste, but there was a sense of mystery and uneasiness that is very powerful throughout the album. Perfect for doing homework or studying, as it has minimal vocals and relies more on instrumentals. I liked it more than thought I would.
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Building steam with a grain of salt, Changeling, Stem/Long stem, Organ donor
Hip-hop instrumental. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Instrumental hip hoptrip hopplunderphonics, sampledelia.
Excellent stuff. Had written this off before I’d even heard it. This is the true beauty of the exercise!
Instrumental which I think is a first for this list. Great and very valmong for the most part
Never heard of it, liked it!
Great tunes
A classic, milestone album 4+/5
Notes - Instrumental sample-based hiphop album - Found sounds, vocal manipulation, unconventional drum sampling - Unique sound and mood - Samples pulled from albums found in used record bins - A lot of the songs use a sort of contrast of samples and sounds that shouldn’t go together but work in the context of the album - Kinda feels like this was the jumping off point of the whole lo-fi hip hop genre - Kinda reminds me of j dilla and nujabes Fav - Mutual slump - Really cool vibe with the super resonant drums and muted keyboard sample & noisy elements Least fav - Organ donor - I like the idea of using the organ but I think it sort of falls apart in the second half 4/5
This was such an influential album. Without DJ Shadow, the phenomenon that is Lofi Girl and the dozens of other "chill tracks to study to" YouTube imitators wouldn't exist. My studying days are long past but I turn to this kind of jam on a weekly basis to GSD. It's chill but driving, interesting but not distracting. The production quality is so good that my subconscious has something to listen to and I'm not going to get tripped up by anything problematic. Overall, it's just a great album.
I absolutely LOVED this record when it came out. It was mind-blowing. However, either my tastes have changed or the musical world has caught up with DJ Shadow because it felt a bit pedestrian. Strange. Still going to give it 4 for old time's sake, but if I was listening now, I think it might be a low 3.
Great background noise, great mixing, great alignment of different genres that share a beat. 4/5.
Hip hop? Jazz? Ambient? All three??? Will be very good on a night shift
Thought I would hate this. I was expecting it to be like an hour of Sandstorm by Darude. But I was pleasantly surprised. Loved that he samplemteal instruments and not all synths. Some real contemporary beats in here.
Hip-hop instrumental. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Great record. Bought this on vinyl a few years ago. It’s an album to put on and let it wash all over you. A hip hop, sampling masterclass. Highlights: Building Stream With A Grain of Salt, The Number Song, Changeling, Mutual Slump
I've never really clicked with this album but I appreciate the heck out of it - the technical wizardry on display is astounding, and DJ Shadow conjures up some quite eerie vibes in impressive fashion
Super chill, be try experimental and samply. Really like it. Favs: Stem/Long Stem, Organ Donor, Napalm Brain/ Scatter Brain
So good. Sums up so much of the 90s - 4/5
Not one I would ever have chosen, but one I will definitely come back to! Might be better suited as background music for me, while studying or cycling, but enough to keep the interest if I'm listening "properly" too.
Quintessential Trip Hop Album, 4/5 Highlight- "Stem/ Long Stem"/"Transmission 2"
电子,****
Very interesting album. If you’re a hip hop fan it is a must. It is a prelude to all the sampling done from the late 90s to present. I can definitely see how this album has its thumbprints all over hip hop. The Number Song and Stem/Stem Long were my favorite songs.
Never heard of this artist or album before. I found it a compelling and haunting collection of sounds. Great fun, with beats that we’re driving at times but also many reflective moments. This helped make the difference between hip-hop and rap very clear to me.
Solid drum and bass album, very brief interludes before kicking into the next beat. Had this on while working and definitely was vibing, lots of great samples in here with deep layers.
expertly sampled beats. dark, ponderous and sentimental
Amazing what can be created from other material.
This was a better version of the avalanches album
Lots of mixing, tripping to interrupting songs. I like it a lot! Ah over the place, lots of samples
Very interesting to listen to- there's no clear cut classification in my mind. Maybe Trip-Hop/Electronica but it merges from track to track with samples, drum beats and synth. It's good to have playing in the background or to chill to.
I like a lot of DJ Shdaow's work, and really enjoyed this album. Groundbreaking
Wow, a fully all-instrumental hip-hop album, entirely composed on the sampler but nonetheless lushly orchestrated. (7/10) FT: Midnight in a Perfect World, Building Steam with a Grain of Salt
Why have I not bought this yet?? Maybe I should check 1200s on trademe. Great drum sounds and bass lines, haven’t heard this for years, and surprisingly chill most of the time, especially when compared with the rest of the genre
Enjoyed this, for something 26 years old it doesn't sound particular dated. Pretty phenomenal for a debut record.
I didn't realize this was 100% made from samples on a single sampler. Really impressive. Great beats.
not the best album ever, but it is VERY VERY close. enjoyed most of it!!
Gillar ju Building steam with a grain of salt. Inte hört resten
Pretty frickin cool
Essential trip hop. Excellent album and has a spot in regular rotation.
Holy Shit! My first solid 4,4,4,4,4,4. I have heard song from this album before (the cover art is almost a meme), but never all the way through. This is what you get a sound system for. This is at the upper echelons of 4 due to how amazing the Spotify radio was after: - Boa - Mr. Scruff - Jon Kennedy - Quantic The Herbalist - Massive Attack - David Holmes - Squarepusher - Four set - Kings of Convenience - Funki Porcini - Cujo - Amon Tobin
This is a cool album... I like it.
Building steam with a grain of salt is my favorite. Awesome sound
Damn its a long one
Very very good. I've tried many times in the past, never could connect. It has a certain mood, kinda night timey. Long songs. Really liked, would spend $11 on used.
It's the money
Sounds just as great as it did in the 90s.
didnt finish it but it slayed
Known about this since '96 and only heard in full for the first time. Not what I was expecting at all. Incredibly immersive. A portal to another world.
Pretty dope tracks.
super cool and different
An all time classic, spent many a hour in my day listening to this.
Classic sample-heavy stuff, full of nostalgia for me
LOVED it
Very good album. I'd heard parts of it before, but never sat down with the whole thing. Very neat that it's the first album only made of samples. Some of the songs go on a bit too long for my tastes, which is what is keeping this from being a 5/5. But It's still great. 4/5
Chill triphop with lots of depth. The fact that this is only comprised of samples is insanely impressive.
It still astonishes me how he’s able to turn sampling into an art form. He’s not the first to do so- Paul’s Boutique had already come out- or possibly even the best, as J Dilla was soon to burst out. But this is fun, beautiful and surprisingly heavy all at once. Essential. A-
Quite enjoyed the first listen but it got better and better with every time I heard it again ! I really enjoyed it so 4*
Best Song: Mutual Slump. One of the more bombastic tracks, it provides a nice contrast to the more chilled-out tracks that surround it. Worst Song: What Does Your Soul Look Like - Pt. 4. Just wasn't a fan of the croaky vocal sample. Overall: Pretty perfect background music for working or writing. Nice mix of hip-hoppy beats and more ethereal soundtracks. Will definitely return to this.
that was pretty decent 4/5
This sounds like electronic-punk-rock-jazz-rap made for cop show theme songs... 4 stars
It ended with a twin peaks reference
Chillhop before it was cool
Love sample based music. Great vibes.
My son saw DJ Shadow at the Music Hall and gave me an intro. DJS's ability to weave together all these samples is remarkable. I guess a personal collection of 60,000 records is the enabler that makes this possible. I like how eclectic this album is and the continual shifting of gears makes each song a new adventure and keeps the excitement level up.
4.3 - great listen that brings me back to undergrad. A hip hop classic.
Pica
Loved it, not my usual cup of tea, amazing how this as been made.
Cool album! Lots of heavy HEAVY beats, while still simple. I liked the classical/piano bits mixed in as well. 8/10
Building steam; cool groove, interesting sounds, percussion gets a bit too disjointed. The Number Song; upbeat I hear snippets of familiar sounds can't place ... Public Enemy? Changeling; not as interesting as the previous 2 songs but I do like the burbling bass. What Does Your Soul Look Like; I like this one, slow soulful bass line, nice sax, weird baritone vocal burblings, little piano touches, subtle percussion. Love it. Stem/Long Stem; very dramatic sounding, love the intro with the guitar line punctuated with huge tom strikes and subtle bells. Has a creepy feel. Then gets chaotic when full "band" kicks in. Love that oboe-like sound. This song is full of twists snd turns. Compelling stuff. Mutual Slump; more jarring with the basic tom beat, punctuated with loud cymbal work. Midnight in a Perfect World; Not a favourite is that Beth Gibbons? Certainly has a Portishead vibe. Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain; Nice funky bass line but ultimately did not engage me. What Does Your Soul Look Like?; Love the cool sax and the relaxed pace. I was previously I was unable to get into this album. Forced myself to concentrate this time and subtle details were revealed to me. Sorry for the track by track analysis but it helped me to stay in the moment. A really good album that defies categorization. Is it hiphop? I guess so. Whatever it is it has layers and layers of simple things that add up to a complex and ultimately satisfying whole. 4.5 🌟
Very relaxing.
Instrumental dance hip hop is not my genre, but this is pretty impressive.
i liked this very much so that I liked it a lot
In 1996 I was not hip enough, or whatever, to be on the same page as this. What a cracking assemblage of sonic wisdom. Mucho enjoyo.
Well I'm an idiot. Every time I've heard this previously I've been a bit "don't know what the fuss is about". This time, I got it. It's brilliant & I was plain wrong.
Definitely not what I expected, although I honestly didn't really know what I was expecting. I'm generally not a fan of hiphop, but then again, without the Wikipedia article I wouldn't have thought of this as instrumental hiphop. In any case this was highly enjoyable background music, even though it's difficult to pinpoint, what exactly I enjoyed about it so much.
really cool 4.5
Strong! Catchy beats, nothing too intrusive but it was good to listen to at work.
4,5!
Cuando se tienen un gusto exquisito por la música y se hace un disco entero a base de samples, el resultado es este. Elegante y refinado en todos los cortes, este álbum debe ser escuchado de principio a fin y saboreado con calma para disfrutar de una maestría inusual en un disco de debut. Aunque parece fuera de lugar destacar una canción por encima de otra en este trabajo, mis favoritas son “The Number Song” y “Midnight In A Perfect World”. Estoy seguro de que “Endtroducing…..” ha servido de inspiración a gente como The Avalanches. Una auténtica obra de artesanía.
It's aight
4,5!!
Pozytywne zaskoczenie, bo mocno zareprezentowana instrumentalna czesc murzynskiej muzyki, tym wprowadzeniem pana DJa Shadowa, ktory choc czarny za bardzo nie jest, to jednak wie jak w samplowanie, bo ponad godzinny krazek jest kopalnia klasycznych murzynskich sampli jazzowo funkowych, jak i zarowno wprowadza sporo rokowych elementow, chocby nirwane czy metalike, ale gdybym mial wybrac swoj ulubiony sampel plyty, zdecydowanie kierowalbym sie w strone traka organ donor, ktory sampluje tears od Giorgio Morodera z 72, chociaz w instrumentalnym rapie sample to spora czesc muzyki, to jednak umiejtnosc ich wykorzystania i zabawa nimi jest najwazniejsza, a jako ze jest to debiutancki krazek, to ma w sobie on sporo tej swiezosci, naginane tutaj sa reguly tworzenia instrumentali lat 90, bledujac instrumentalne soundtracki do zycia z luznymi kawalkami pelnymi skreczy i funkowych sampli, wzbogacone o noirowy klimat i przyprawione skitami, ktore skladnie lacza kolejne kawalki, pierwszy raz slucham dzisiaj endtroducing i raczej bym nie dal jej ponad 25 lat, bo brzmi tak wspolczesnie, moze to rowniez przez to, ze tak sie juz osluchalem z ostatnimi materialami od pana Shadowa, wiec z our pathetic age czy the mountain will fall z ktorego traczek z RTJ chyba najwiekszej popularnosci mu narobil w mainstreamie, wiec pozytywne zaskoczenie, ze instrumentalny hip hop rowniez ma swoja reprezentacje na liscie i to jeszcze z hameryki, bo jeden moby juz wystarczy na 1000 albumow, na plejke instrumentalna traczek organowy, building steam with grain of salt i magnum opus plyty czyli midnight in a perfect world
So smooth! So good!
Ah, sama kuin Boatman's Callissa, että toimii selvästi paremmin nyt kuin nuorempana. Alkupuolisko erittäin hyvä ja jopa tanssittava, kun tajusin luukuttaa kovaa. Lopussakin tietty legendaarinen Midnight ja Pekka Pohjola.
Midnight in a Perfect World followed by Napalm Brain was great
Magnifiient album
When listening to an album by a DJ, there is an expectation of repetitive yet layered composition. "Endtroducing" is not short of this, but where DJ Shadow separates from the pack is that we maintain anticipation for how each song unfolds. Better even, is that every track can stand on its own and for that this listener is grateful.
7/10. This one was weird and I am not sure what to think about it.
Very chill but faded into the background really easily. Could listen to this while working on stuff but probably not on its own. 7/10
Listening to this makes me feel like I'm in the hands of an expert I can trust. So good!
Always liked this album, it pretty chill and the motif is always interesting. It's not the most interesting sample-based album for me but it feels like it was pretty ahead of its time and definitely set the stage for hip-hop sampling. I'm also a fan of his sampling ethos to avoid using popular material, and if you do to use it in a way to not be able to pinpoint it back to its source. it An impressive debut for sure.
This is of so much in electronic music ethos in here. Crazy to think of how much impact this style would basically take over the world and put music on its head. Changeling is a cool track and doesn't overstay its welcome even at over 7 minutes. Stem/Long Stem goes into some weird cool places. The Organ Donor theme comes up a couple times previously but the track itself is the power of a compelling hook. What Does Your Soul Look Like is a relaxed groove.
Thought I didn’t like DJ Shadow but think I just haven’t listened properly before.
meaty art hip hop
Nice groovy background music
How have I never heard this album? Unique sonic collages within the language of hip-hip. Stands alongside Massive Attack!
Wow, just really, really good! I'm reserving my 5 star ratings for the best of the best of the best, but this is close. First time hearing this and I'm so glad I did.
This is like all those youtube trip hop videos I would study too... except the crowned jewel that everyone should model after. Samples are incredible. They're mostly lesser known pieces that work so well together to make a collective effort that flows and contributes to an overall mood yet has a lot to offer with each track. It might be kinda strange to think that an album founded on samples could be deemed consistent when it takes from so many genres and so many artists, but it's the way he reuses those samples, and overall the themes is incredibly impressive, some of the best I've seen. The most popular tracks "Building Steam" and "Midnight in a Perfect World" are the most chill and best exemplative of the genre, but by far the tracks most likely to by your consciousness if you're not actively paying attention. "The Number Song" is my favorite for sure. I love the drums and the funk that gets me grooving in an excited sort of way. "Changeling" has a futuristic feel to it. "What Does Your Soul Look Like" is smooth and jazzy. I like how Pt 4 is still very much involved and deep in the mood, but then the album closes out with Pt 1 which feels like the fog has been cleared up and you could hear the jazz so clearly. "Stem" feels very atmospheric yet anxious, like I'm in a dark, creepy cave full of danger. The organ interjection reminds me of Luray Caverns' Great Stalacpipe Organ. I like the organ piece in "Organ Donor," they definitely could have stuck that in "Stem." I wouldn't have minded the extra length. "Mutual Slump" is another favorite of mine, although I'm not quite sure how to describe it. Maybe it's the high energy, weird sounds, and avant-garde jazz that gets me to vibe with it. Not only did I feel no track overstayed its welcome, but I actually wanted each track is keep going. Even the long ones that went on for over 7 minutes, I would love extended versions of them. Despite being a little over an hour, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.
Entire album of flawless beats. An inspiration for DJ's everywhere. Today there a thousands of YouTube video created by at home DJ's that sound similar to Entroducing, but when it came out, it was unique.
Pretty neat. Good beats. Fun atmosphere. Inventive (naturally). Would put on again for studying/etc.
Can see how this was a huge inspiration for a lot of people.
3.75
Chill beats. Great for background noise.
I need to buy this
Brilliant. Formative. Have always loved the sample genre. Look forward to more listens.
Another good hidden gem. Listened while riding the bike through the streets of DC, really enhanced the experience.
Полный семплинг, интересно послушать. Ну и основы трип хопа в Зеленоградске приятно постигать.
Trip hop com clima conceitual
Reminds me of the Maxwell Implosion, Dimitri from Paris, Chill Sirius XM station. Downtempo electronica. Not feeling like it's hip hop. Maybe I don't know what hip hop is.
A classic that spawned a decade of instrumental hip-hop albums. Definitely encapsulates the feeling of the burgeoning underground hip-hop scene.
Vibey and skillful
Let’s talk about flow, shall we? An astonishing river of sound, and DJ Shadow the river guide with a firm hand on the paddle so you see just the sights he wants you to see whilst you sit slack-jawed at the dramatic scenery and the vastness of the sky. You can’t predict what’s just around the riverbend and nor do you want to. You’re happy floating, guided, gawping. There are few rapids to be found here (he said, leaning far too heavily into his river-guide metaphor). The pace is never rushed, and could perhaps do with a little more variety - but then why crave variety with a sound as crisp and clear as a sun-scorched blue sky?
Yes very good
Like a proto “lofi beats to study and/or chill to” or whatever. I dig it.
Still sounds good but less innovative than I recall.
Aaah yeah this was my jam back in the day, had organ donor on repeat for months. Probably enjoy the Private Press a little more overall but this is one of the foundations of instrumental hip hop. Not everyone will like the aesthetic and the quirky samples, but you have to at least acknowledge the amazing drum programming, looping and sampling. Nearly every sound on the album came from something that was already recorded, yet it's all completely original.
July 29, 2021 (actually July 30, 2021) I really didn't hate this as much as I thought I would. Great background for working. Actually kind of... good? Not what I usually like at all but I'm into it. Especially enjoyed "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt".
Gostei, não é algo que eu procuraria ouvir, mas é uma vibe bem urban 90s, definitivamente vou voltar a escutar em outro momento ao longo dos dias!
Hmmmm, thats pretty good~
05/06/2021 Ricardo was here
This album caught me off guard. I'm listening to these albums while working but this one kept drawing me in. Just as I'd start getting into the grove of a long melodic song it would mix it up, keep me on my toes. Initially I thought the song changes were a bit jarring but towards the end I realised the album was breaking up the pace with shorter tracks, funny bits etc in the same way that the individual songs were. I felt like I wanted more of some tracks and less off others. It's like a Nolan film, I'll get more from it the second time cos I know what to expect.
Judging by the cover and date of release, I was expecting East coast hip hop. I was pleasantly surprised, with the instrumental chill hop vibes.
Absolute classic.
Smooth and easy listening
// Favs: Best Foot Forward / Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt / Stem Long Stem / Organ Donor Score: Decent 4
Musically, this album was pretty good. I was expecting rap, but was pleasantly surprised.
Great songs Some are just interludes
A great listen. Another album that had passed me by, but was solid. Will definitely come back for more
Putting together the pre-recorded music for church has given me a good appreciation for just how difficult and involved the craft of the producer is. You can have a bunch of samples, you can have an idea for how they’ll fit together, but making that actually sound good when those clips have such wildly different audio quality takes is difficult and awe-inspiring when done well. I love this, love the vibes, love the sound. Favourite track: “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt”
Heavy
Je peux clairement imaginer pourquoi cet album est culte et je comprends l'influence qu'il a pu avoir sur les genres comme le hip hop, mais aussi la house ou la techno. Même si ce type de sons un peu cheper sans paroles n'est pas mon genre de prédilection, il y a quand même quelques pépites que je peux beaucoup apprécier. En tout cas, je pense que cet album a clairement sa place dans les 1001 meilleurs albums de tout les temps car il est indéniablement de très bonne qualité!
This is quite a unique album. All the songs here are quite mellow hip-hop tracks but they all have a different flair to them due to the stylistic differences found on each song. This is all supported by a solid rock back heat
Découverte intéressante !
Big fan of this, great background/chill music with a ton of different musical elements thrown in. Some of the songs, like Midnight, are pretty creepy and have a cool ambience Saved: Stem / Long Stem, Organ Donor, Midnight In A Perfect World
Some excellent tracks on here, very varied
Mick said its brilliant
Tracks 2, 3 and 13 are massive.
Great album, but some songs are just too damn long and it's pretty ambient overall
Good grooves
Ok, isso foi bem mais interessante do que achei que seria
I was very impressed with this album and realize how influential it was to the DJ scene in the late 90's and aughts. I used to love a lot of this type of music and it heavily influenced my pandora playlist back in 2009 or so. Midnight in a perfect world is a great track.
Madre mía. ¿Cómo no conocía este disco ni a este músico? Puro sampler y hip-hop de los 90. También tiene un aire a IDM como los Boards of Canada. IMPRESIONANTE!!!
Was not excited to see a 90’s hip hop album today, but the full instrumental beat making and sampling was rad! Real good stuff and glad to have come across it!
Some OG dj chops. This album takes hip-hop style, rhythm, and structure and use the beat too expands opon it. Shadow took the equipment thats was used too warp sound and instruments to make a song and used the instruments them selves as instuments.
Atmospheric trip hop
I liked this. More like mood music, but not bad.
Stem/Long Stem best song on album
Pretty good music to zone out to. A lot of it was instrumental.
great samples, good tracks
Unlike anything I've heard before! Cool vibes, new sounds.
How can something so important be so boring
4.2
Chillllll
Like this a lot. This will be on the playlist
Shadow is a legend and this album is a perfect encapsulation as to why. Chill yet electric-- it showcases his talents as a DJ.
Cool
It's simultaneously discomforting and serene. Relaxing, and a hair stressful.
Very nice listen
Smoooooth
7/10 F.t.: organ donor
Listened to it before and quite liked it.
Really really good, loved how I hardly noticed the tracks changing
sampling is art. A true hiphop sampling love letter. As a student of the game it is very much appreciated! (3.5/5.0)
This was not what I was expecting at all and I really enjoyed it. Petition for artists to no longer call themselves DJ so-and-so please as I assumed this was going to be trash based on that. But what probably needs to change in that case is me making assumptions. After all, we know what happens when you make assumptions…
Organ Donor! Beats!
Skönt album att lyssna på men inte mer än så för mig. Omslaget är fantastiskt dock.