Reviews (page 7 of 13)
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
Building Steam with a grain of salt has been in my liked songs for a long time. I like the beats a lot, but dislike the glitchy/distorted sections (doesn't feel as pleasant to listen to compared to the nice horns and bass in the rest of the song(s)). Track 6 Feels like a precursor to the lofi city jazz trend
It’s lowkey fire. i can def listen to this while doing work n shit. I love listening to that typa stuff while working cuz it helps tune out other thoughts n shit lol. It’s probably too much for me sometimes but outside of that it’s fire.
3,75
3 fairly pleasant background music couldn't finish tho
The sound quality is excellent, the music is interesting and fresh, and I can’t believe this came out in the 90’s. Aside from background music while gaming or something though, I can’t think of an occasion where I’d have this on. I’m left unmoved, unthrilled.
6/10 - It was decent soft dance for backgrounds, I honestly can't remember anything distinct but that doesn't make it bad
Pretty good album. Very chill and hypnotic in a goodcway. Mutual Slump was my standout. 6.2/10
Building steam with a grain of salt is a solid instrumental track This is a good album to have on in the background. Lots of instrumental portions. Solid. I didn't mind having it on. Unsure if I'll revisit.
This was better than I was expecting, but still kinda meh.
It’s DJ Shadow’s birthday today. Happy birthday DJ! Your album a pretty cool and chill, I guess.
cool
this was very cool, probably wouldn't listen again but i did enjoy it. took a shower to it. it kinda felt like my thoughts
Album fait entièrement à partir de samples, l’album est dynamique tout le long et les drums sont innovants même si on peut y retrouver une certaine ressemblance entre certains tracks. On y retrouve un mélange d’émotions qui se ressentent pendant l’album, ce qui expliqué par l’artiste par des phases de doutes/mal être. HM : Midnight in a perfect world, Building Steam with a grain of salt
Pretty good as ambient noise
This was better than any electronic album I've gotten so far, although this isn't that. It was interesting and didn't feel boring
those drums were relentless (in a great way)! I loved how this album unfolded and how all those sounds fit together, and there were moments I thought sounded so cool (the melody from Organ Donor, foreshadowed in Stem / Long Stem, Building Steam With A Grain of Salt), but as predominantly instrumentals I wanted a bit more at a few points. But still a very cool piece of work
This was decent. Good music to listen to the in the background. Back when electronic music was analogue.
I liked this just fine. It's not "GREAT" and it's nothing I'd turn to if I found myself wanting to hear DJ mixes and hip-hop.
It is a fine electronic music album
Some fun background music. I actually love albums like this, where I can’t tell where one song ends and one begins. It was fun to work out to. But at the end of the day, there weren’t any tracks to latch on to. A fun time in the headphones.
reall don't know what to make of this - Kraftwerk witk some Blackstar or spa music?
LOVED transmission 3 and stem / long stem medley, the rest were just alright
Me gustó bastante a pesar de ser algo bastante raro para mí
Good beats but entirely too long to be interesting.
It's ok when it's doing the ambient work properly
I can imagine this is a great background record, as it all kind blends into one track. I appreciate the artistry and skill of mixing, but I did find it a bit repetitive sadly.
A long time ago, we had a ‘Band of the Month’ in the flat. The concept was pretty self-explanatory: you could only listen to one artist for an entire month. We had a tracking spreadsheet and everything. The honourees were Springsteen, Sigur Rós, DJ Shadow, and then we decided it was a terrible idea and abandoned the project entirely. Anyway, my month of non-stop exposure to DJ Shadow brings back more painful memories than joy. To be fair to Mr Shadow, this is a ridiculous way to listen to music, and I only have myself to blame for the bad times. We must accept the consequences of the choices we make in life.
There's a lot of love for this, and I get it, but not troubling my shelves. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 348 Already owned : 77 Purchased : 16 To buy : 3 Nope : 252
okej w tle
It's alright, best part is the drum samples- lyrics are okay.
It's interesting. The thing I liked the most is the Orion sample (in, "The Number Song"). The track "Stem/Long Stem - Medley" is probably my favourite track (very good). I also enjoyed "What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4", "Midnight in a Perfect World" or "What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1 - Blue Sky Revisit). It's a solid 3 stars for me.
Got into it more the longer I listened
An album you feel. Some really cool use of so so many samples, cool shit
This is hard to judge. It was immensely popular among my friends back in the day, and I can kind of see why. In its good moments, it has a lot of groove and vibe ... ultimately though, it sounds very 90s and outdated.
Rap is not my favorite genre, but this is a pretty good album overall
Vibes. The beats pleasing and foggy. One time is enough
chuj nie zapisalo sie a n pamietam co naposalam chyba ze fajne ale te pisenki brzmia tak samo
It was okay.
Al principio bueno, como para ir caminando a buen ritmo. La 2da mitad es más de lo mismo
Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt -- this mix is fucking fye There are a few good songs here, but nothing special.
No one would question whether this was executed supremely well, just not the type of album I would seek out to put on.
Album 206. Endtroducing..... (https://open.spotify.com/album/7N0W5QxnRMP3s1mMxfQo1p?si=fX00Am1_QrCBsRoQnYbiYQ) — DJ Shadow (1996) Well, it's cool. It's an instrumental hip hop album built entirely from samples. 3/5 Liked: — Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain
Definitely up my alley. I love instrumental drum/bass/piano & sampled music. Songs are a bit longer than they need to be. I was thinking they would develop more than they did. Mutual Slump is my favorite track.
One of the more interesting electronic albums I’ve heard from the 90s. 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨….. builds a really distinctive atmosphere entirely out of samples, loops, and beats, but it never feels cold or purely technical. A lot of it has this strange, late-night, almost cinematic mood that makes the album stand out from a lot of other instrumental electronic music from that era. What impressed me most is how cohesive it feels despite being built from so many fragments. You can hear the hip-hop foundation underneath it all, even though the album works more through mood and texture than through traditional songs. At the same time, it doesn’t completely hold my attention all the way through, and some sections start blending together after a while. Still, compared to a lot of 90s electronic music, this feels much more creative and memorable than most.
Not too shabby. Chill electronica - pleasant listen
some nice sounds but not my thing to be honest wouldn't listen to it again
Not my Vibe
This was alright. I was grooving and humming along the whole time, but by the end I was kinda done with it. Three stars.
Palju lahedaid mõtteid ja juhuslikke harmooniaid. Aga see DJ on vahepeal ikka kohutavalt tüütu. Rikub hea loo ära mingi suvalise jutusample'iga. Siin plaadil olevast materjalist saaks väga palju head ambient muusikat välja võluda, aga Shadow ise pole seda teinud. 3.1/5
I don't mind this.
I listened to this album awhile back, it was suggested as the DJ's album of albums and the trendsetter that all DJ albums have to answer to. I rember not being all that impressed. I do like a handful of his later songs but I remember thinking this is more like a sketchbook of unfinished ideas and beats, exactly what you'd expect in the mid-90's. Overall it was better than the first time I heard it and it felt more complete. I could hear samples from other artists and stuff that may have been stolen from this album (start of "Long Stem" and again at the start of "Organ Donor" - that's the melody which Swollen Members commandeered for their hit, "Fuel Injected"). I can hear influence on the Beastie Boys and some of their work that followed as well. I liked "Building Steam With a Grain of Salt", which is one of the two big tracks (36M listens) on this album. Overall it was better than the first time I heard it and it felt more complete. It's a little bit too much of the same thing to be an album I'd listen to over and over. The most popular track, "Midnight In a Perfect World" was good, a bit redundant and it sounds dated. All in all, 3 out of 5. I can feel the influence and the fact this was a bit revolutionary at the time.
Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 ( yes it's almost all samples, but it's an original concept so let's split the difference between a 1 and a 5.) Emotionality: 1 = 3.4 rounded down to a 3 "I enjoy stealin', it's just as simple as that/ Oh well, it's just a simple fact/ When I want something, man, I don't wanna pay for it" This is an album I missed completely when it was released, but found later in the early 2000s after it had been hyped up as worthy and important. And it was very easy to see why. It never became a staple for me, but got plenty of play, and there are several elements memorable enough that I can recall them very well. I expect this to maybe not hold up as well as other similar stuff that came after. THE TRACKS "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" - The template to all the "chill beats to study by" playlists starts here I think. We begin on a very self serious sounding note, and while this is damn solid stuff, I immediately start to notice the cracks and wrinkles I never did before ( it has been a LONG time) as this is at 30 years old. "The Number Song" - This one is putting me in mind of The Chemical Brothers, and that is not a good thing. Though this is much easier on the ears than their last one. I can appreciate this one, but it's not one I would put on for pleasure. I'd much rather listen to the sample of that beat the song is built around - "Baby Don't Cry" by The Third Guitar. "Changeling" / "Transmission 1" - This one is a bit more interesting and despite also relying most heavily on the drums from another great song, this one adds a lot of textures and accents to make the trip worth it. Checkout "Soft Shell" by Motherlode though when you get the chance. "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)" - I wonder if any indie video game designers cite this album as an influence. This very much feels like it could be the open-source soundtrack to some lo-fi indie darling puzzle game from the 2010s. "Stem/Long Stem" / "Transmission 2" - If the last one was a puzzle game soundtrack, this one's the score for a dungeon explorer. Dialogue samples easily the worst part of this, but there's too much else to like. "Mutual Slump" - My favorite track on the album up to this point. Bonus points for pulling that great little synth riff from Bjork's "Possibly Maybe." "Organ Donor" - built around a god-tier organ riff from Georgio Moroder's "Tears", this one hits just as well as the previous one. Ok, I change my mind - this one is my favorite track. It's also the one that first enters my mind when I think of this album. "Midnight in a Perfect World" - One of the ones I remember getting a music video, so much have been pushed pretty hard. I can see that. Trip Hop would have been having a moment I think and this slots in very well there. "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" - When your whole album is already one giant medley, what exactly is the point? As often occurs with these end of record medleys, this one has the stink of leftovers about it. More boring than bad though. The one black mark on an otherwise solid album. "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)" / "Transmission 3" - A fine closer with some lazy, but not leaden saxophone which opens up into a jazzy trip hop number. And we get samples from both Twin Peaks and Prince of Darkness! HIGHLIGHTS - "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" - "Changeling" / "Transmission 1" - "Stem/Long Stem" / "Transmission 2" - "Mutual Slump" - "Organ Donor" - "Midnight in a Perfect World" - "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)" / "Transmission 3" MIDLIGHTS - "The Number Song" - "What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)" LOWLIGHTS - "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" FINAL THOUGHTS I don't think I've reached anywhere close to a burning out point after 80 albums, but I was really tempted to just write "Why DJ Shadow Sucks in '26" as the entirety of my review. But I knew ahead of time That wouldn't gel with whatever rating I was gonna give it, and besides I'm sure someone already thought of that. Right? Having just recently listened to The Avalanches Since I Left You puts this one in perspective. Recording sessions for this apparently started in '94 ( and I imagine conceptually had to have been felt out maybe even a few years earlier) so it definitely casts a long shadow. I appreciate the ideas and execution, but I think I almost always prefer the followers who build and expand upon the original ideas rather than the pioneer who paved the way. Avalanches right away felt more fun. Important to be sure, but it's on the edge of becoming a historical curiosity at this point. The Homo Erectus of turntablism. It didn't leave me cold by any means, and I still enjoyed it enough. But mainly as background music I didn't feel liek I had to engage with much. Active listening on this was ... difficult. My favorite part of this is that decades now ( jesus...) I'm able to easily find all the sample sources. And holy cow, they are DEFINITELY worth checking out. Sampled: - I gave up listing stuff two songs in. Worth investigating yourself though: https://www.whosampled.com/album/DJ-Shadow/Endtroducing...../ More than a couple of people are out there doing the lort's work and have made some curated playlists of the sample sources. Here's a solid one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EGiMLnJdnA&list=PLUFuQ4VtRkEDKh_F7tvlGEeDB8aIYjhTC&pp=0gcJCcsEOCosWNin PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS FURTHER LISTENING - Since I left You by The Avalanches - You've Come a Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim - Music Has the Right to Children by Boards of Canada - Donuts by J Dilla - Deltron 3030 by Deltron 3030
Vinyyli sampleista luotua musiikkia. Tosi siisti ajatuksena, mutta instrumentaali kappaleet jää hiukan puuttumaan jotain. Levyllä on toki hyviäkin kappaleita ja hyvä fiilis. Mukama myös suomalais samplee. Parhaat: Midnight In A Perfect World, Mutual Slump, Changeling
Honestly at first this sounded like pretty standard 90s rap/r&b but actually it's quite ahead of its time. A lot of cool and interesting sounds. Good album.
Some fun pieces of electronica here. It holds up surprisingly well after thirty years.
Endtroducing..... announced DJ Shadow as a turntable auteur, stitching together dusty samples, murky grooves, and fractured breakbeats into something moodier and more atmospheric than most electronica of its era. “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt” opens with haunting piano loops and trip-hop cool before the drums veer off into stranger territory, while “Changeling” locks into a hypnotic groove that’s indulgent but effective. Shadow’s greatest strength is his ability to create atmosphere — the record often feels like a late-night radio transmission drifting through static. The problem is that Endtroducing..... can also feel self-consciously weird for the sake of it. “Stem/Long Stem – Medley” builds genuine cinematic tension before random vocal snippets and drum breaks clutter the track, and “What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4” ruins its mellow groove with an obnoxious processed vocal effect. Even “Organ Donor,” with its muscular riff and pounding drums, sounds like it’s waiting for a rapper who never arrives. There’s enough invention here to understand the album’s cult reputation, but despite its groundbreaking status, it never quite feels essential.
Anything DJ normally gives me the fear but this was actually pretty enjoyable. Nice mellow tunes
I enjoyed it
I liked this album as a whole; an hour of 90's hip hop beats you can get lost in.
Me gustó, dentro de los de música más de fondo fue el mejor por ahora, pero sigue siendo un tipo de música que no me interesa mucho. Me gusta concentrarme en lo que escucho y en este no había nada muy wow.
2.75. I had a buddy in college who got me into DJ Shadow. This was kinda nostalgic. Definitely something I could put on in the background to do chores/house work.
not bad considering its made up entirely of samples but not super interesting either
I like a lot of moments here but find my attention drifting a lot while listening. Songs are long and a little self indulgent. It's definitely something I appreciate more than I enjoy but respect the craft.
Nothing wrong with this one. Some cool beats and one song that I really loved a lot ("Changeling") But one of the 1001 greatest albums of all time? Let's not get crazy
Plunderphonics. Veldig kreativt, lekent og tidløst. Jeg syns likevel det blir for kjedelig, altså. Top 3: Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt, Midnight In a Perfect World, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 1 - Blue Sky Revisit
Kind of like Revolution 9 if it sounded good and lasted an entire album. Pretty nice sounds here and there but feels like background music a lot of the time. Making deliverately abrasive sounds in the middle of an otherwise good song continues to be a dogshit decision though.
It's a good album, just doesn't resonate with me as a full album for whatever reason
2.5 Cancion 3, 6
sampling made individual. that's what's enjoyable.
I can appreciate this, but maybe one time of listening is enough for me. Don't think I will have the urge to play his again, although I can understand the value. I respect the strove to create this kinda album with very minimalistic gear. I read from the Wikipedia article, that Q reviewer described this as "a cinematically broad spectrum so deftly layered that the sampling-is-stealing argument falls flat" and I tend to agree.
n é muito meu estilo mas achei interessante ele ser composto apenas por samples de outras músicas
Definitely not what I was listening to in 1996 (more jangly pop and grungy rock), but I like the groove of the album. “Building Steam With a Grain of Salt” is a great jam.
This is the best reason to do this 1,001 albums project. I'd never heard any of this before, and spent the entire hour's run-time asking myself: Do I like this? The answer is...not yes. It's not an album, a style, for me. But the answer isn't 'no' either. I think there's just a little too much random-ness in the samples for me to really get into it, specifically the 'soundbites' (as opposed to the music). But damn, do I appreciate the dedication, focus, talent it took to blend all of this together and create something entirely new. So it's a 3...but one I smile on, not one I set aside.
Czasem interesujące atmosfery i beaty, czasem zanudzające na śmierć. Doceniam to, że cała płyta została zrobiona z sampli. 7/10 Ulubiona piosenka: Mutual Slump
Like it's not good but I didn't get it
My ADHD brain really liked this in parts. The music purist in me not so much. But I guess it was cool overall. Not as good a use of sampling as Discovery by Daft Punk.
I have heard of DJ shadow, but didn’t realize how prolific he is. This album W’s a bit more atmospheric than I typically like, but enjoyed the curated an thematic tracks as a whole.
Felt more like a technical demo at times. I'm sure it was all very difficult but not all worth hearing
An alright listen for the Background while working. I'm sure it is even better after multiple listens with full focus.
It’s a great sampling album but is only one half of what hip-hop is. Which half? I’ll let you decide.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from the album but that wasn't it. It was weird, but I mean that as a compliment here.
I might've been slightly harsh on first pass, but not by much. It's better than a 2, but I'd keep it as a low 3.
Tykkään kyllä tällaisesta Sample pohjainen musiikki, mutta tämän rumpu ja rummut oli usein erityisen huonosti hoidettu
Not my vibe
I just can’t really bring myself to care about this album. It’s okay. But all of the really fast tremolo effect just makes it sound like it was buffering. Or maybe it actually was, but I’m not gonna relisten to find out.
Building Steam with a Grain of Salt Stem/Long Stem Transmission 2 Mutual Slump Organ Donor
Review - has always felt like the sort of album I should be into but not really for me. He's talented but I've never been big into turntablism+plunderphonics Rating - 6/10 Need to hear? YES
Вроде прикольно а вроде нет
my expectations were pretty low for an instrumental album. it was enjoyable though, i was never too bored. favorite song is Organ Donor, or maybe Mutual Slump. soft 3
This is one of those albums that I can appreciate for its historic and cultural significance (and having spent a little bit of time with an Akai MPC, I have a lot of respect for the virtuoso production skills that went into making it). But it's not one of those albums I'll just casually throw on or crave to hear.
I took this album piecemeal. Unable to consume it all in one sitting, I found myself tuning in to it over the course of a few days. I understand it’s not the best way or really the intention of an album’s purpose. I’d like to think of this one as an exception, it’s hard to digest all these long DJ tracks in one sitting. Much more enjoyable in small doses throughout different environments.
J’ai écouté cet album en lisant Vogue et avec une bière à la main. J’ai bien aimé, surtout un titre le reste un peu moins mais je pense que ça reste un super album d’ambiance. J’adore la pochette.
Never heard of album or dj. Production right off the bat is really cool. I like that type of intro. What a piano on building steam. This beat as a whole is so sick. I wish there was rapping over this. I have a similar feeling about the number song. It’s a really cool beat just missing the rapping over the top. Don’t like the changeling beat as much. Just ok. Transmission 1 is much cooler. This one doesn’t need lyrics at all it’s just a cool song. Sweet bass line on what does your soul look like. I also like the subtle piano. Untitled is a cool bridge song. Steam/long stem is another banger of a beat. Nice piano on transmission 2. I like when albums have call backs like this. Mutual slump is very 90s. Pretty cool song tho. Organ donor is sweet too. Why hip hop sucks was meh. Midnight in a perfect world is fine. Really good guitar. Very 90s again. Napalm brain is a little too choppy for me. I like what does your soul look like a lot more. Good horns. Better beat. Very relaxing. And I like how it closes out with another transmission. Full circle. I enjoyed this album, just can’t stop thinking abt how good it could’ve been with even a mediocre rapper rapping over it. Good not great album nonetheless. 3.4 stars.
Estuvo bien,no soy del estilo, me gustaron muchos los sonidos increíbles.
277/1001 DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ One of those albums where I can respect and appreciate what it's doing, but I don't really enjoy the listening experience. To make an album made up entirely of samples into a cohesive album is impressive, but yeah not for me...
This wasn’t bad but my god it dragged on for so long. If most of the songs were about a minute shorter, this album would be basically brilliant. Sometimes good things need to be restrained. I understand why this is on the list, and the tracks are pretty good, but this was a struggle to finish. Wish I could rate this a 2.5, but I’m rounding up because 2 feels too low for this, but I probably won’t listen to this again.
Very interesting from a craft perspective, though I can’t say the music itself does a ton for me. Still, I understand its accolades and would be willing to listen again.
5/10
Just listened to this a couple months ago and found it cool, but just okay. Goes on a bit too long.
02/04/2026 1. best foot forward - like the scratching! the samples are fantastic!! 2. building steam with a grain of salt - not massive on the piano at the start... drums have started, liking it a lot more. not enjoying it as much... maybe a bit too slow at times and too long? *3. the number song - more upbeat and fast! love the drums and the droning noise in the back! ooo saxaphones!!! niiicee!! fantastic!!!! 4. changeling - looove the bass! drums are great aswell! goes on a bit too long for me again. *5. transmission 1 - like how the last track faded into this one.... very atmospheric. reminds me of the ambient sound in eraserhead... *6. what does your soul look like pt.4 - very groovy immediately! lovely!! 7. untitled - literally twenty-five seconds. 8. stem/long stem - not massive on this one... the twinkling sound and the loud drums with the droning sound reminds me a bit of the suspiria soundtrack? bit too long for me again! 9. transmission 2 - same as the prev transmission :) 10. mutual slump - like the start!! nice :) 11. organ donor - like the sample at the start... again nice, but doesn't jump out at me! 12. why hip-hop sucks in '96 - like the bass.. short and sweet! 13. midnight in a perfect world - just a bit long and slow for me again! like the ticking sound at the end. 14. napalm brain / scatter brain - ten minutes... like the string-y synths, especially near the end but far too long *15. what does your soul look like pt.1 - very surreal opening... love the sax... drums are great! love the scratching towards the end. *16. transmission 3 - loooove the atmosphere in the transmissions!! very surreal and sinister!!!! twin peaks!!!!! the songs i liked were absolutely fantastic, but most of the songs just dragged a bit for me... maybe if i listened to them by themselves and not as an album it would drag a bit less? liked the faster songs more generally and wouldn't complain if any of these played in the background. the sampling was really phenomenal throughout and i really liked the little interludes though!!
not my cup of tea for a hip hop piece
Some of them would be perfect to just chill, others get boring real quick
Interesting! (Or should I say endteresting?) I was hooked with the first few tracks, and then it kinda...all blended together. Which made for a seamless listening experience, but...a little too mellow. The length of the album probably didn't help either. If this was just a smidge shorter, I think it would've been great. But I'm sad to say I got sleepy in the back half. A fair album.
it was ok but i'd never choose to listen to it
I bought this on vinyl in high school mostly to be cool (it has one of the great album covers of all time). In 2026, it's a really good listen but hard to see what all the hype was about.
An enjoyable listen with mostly decent tracks. As is always the case with some hip hop albums, some of the soundbite tracks and interludes don't add much so for me it's a 3 star not a 4 star offering
Чел годами сидел в подвале музыкального магазина, слушая тонны винила. Нарезал кучу сэмплов и соединил это всё в своём альбоме. Альбом интересен тем, что это первый коммерчески успешный, сделанный только из сэмплов.
Honestly, I liked this a lot more than I thought, and liked it better on a second listening. All the sampling is sort of weird and annoying to me personally but the downbeat change in organ donor made my jaw drop and immediately start the song over like 4 separate times
This was a fun album. Lots of great samples and the mixing was on point
Creative not 100% a fan but I liked it
Fun album but it was a bit long
sim
Mindestens 3
Franchement, plutôt sympa, je trouve le concept de fabriquer un album presque uniquement à la base de sample très original mais le soucis c'est que... Honnêtement, l'album est une soundtrack. Franchement, certains morceaux sont excellents niveau prod mais mis à part ça, on a toujours l'impression d'attendre une voix qui va vraiment commencer le son. C'est plutôt dommage
real neat but needs rapping
I liked a lot of this, a lot, and at 47-48 minutes could have considered a fourth star.
Had more sampling than Baskin Robbins.
Nicht meins, zweite Hälfte war besser
Gave me Silent Hill vibes.
You can really hear how the influence this album had on future music but the album itself didn’t rock my world tbh
Low 3? Didn't dislike but nothing really stuck out to me
I did not need to hear this
Like the view of this - good background music.
Brilliant sampling, okay album.
Really liked this, just not sure when I'd listen to it, it's so moody!
Not digging it 100%, Got some grooves on there, I've heard a lot worse though.
Turntablism. Good-ish. Add DJ Shadow to my list of people whom I know are good at this shit: him, RZA, MF Doom.
I didn’t hate it. But I’m not sure what makes this album great. It’s great music to work by, but in saying that I have no recollection of anything on this album after several listens. It doesn’t even go in one ear and out the other. It just permeates the air and doesn't dare challenge you or please you in any way.
Some great drum and bass samples on this. Found myself nodding along to a lot of the beats. A good example of something I wouldn't find otherwise, enjoyed listening to one time through, but probably wouldn't think to seek it out again.
It's basically impossible for instrumentals to be great songs, but a lot of these are actually good (Building Steam, Stem/Long Stem, Mutual Slump, Midnight in a Perfect World) and none are terrible
Parts of this are interesting enough to keep you listening. I did not hear this when it came out so I cant attest to how groundbreaking it was. By the time I listened to this the first time I had heard other albums by Madlib and J Dilla(and others) that are in my opinion much more deserving of being on this list.
3.5 rounded down, good sound
Chill/lofi beats to study to
DNL
bello come sottofondo
This was an interesting concept album and it was well done. I enjoyed listening to it but don’t think I’d go back to it again.
I wasn’t feeling this selection today. There was nothing wrong with the music, but i just couldn’t get into jamming with a DJ today. The music was no different to me than if I chose a “DJ Mix” on Spotify so I’ll just call this the middle of the road.
Like a certificate of perfect attendance or a trophy for winning a pickleball tournament, this album signifies that a great deal of work, commitment and time was invested in achieving a goal, but was it really worth it? This is such a niche, specific sound that I don’t know what to do with this album other than throw the shittiest rave imaginable.
Rap music with no rap? Sounded crazy, but it works. DJ Shadow combines different styles and textures to create a sound of controlled chaos with smooth flow. Very cool and very enjoyable album.
Meh
The DJ albums are always kind of tricky for me. I either deal with them or hate. This one was actually enjoyable. It was easy to get into a meditative flow with it. There were definitely some cool elements that drew me in, while I worked out this morning. I think my issue with this music is that its usually best enjoyed with something. Its like the chaser that goes with a drink. Its not the heavy stuff, its the stuff in the background. Unrelated to this album, I love DJ Shadow collabs with Run The Jewels.
Better EDM than some of the rest.
Really fun album, love the forwardness of the drum mixing. Dynamic sonically and rhythmically. Hard to have a perfect instrumental hip hop album in my opinion, but this sure comes close. Favorite track: What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)
Fully sampling and digitising the experience usually for me means something is lost or ruined. I can't claim to be re-born musically as I still have a problem with this genre, but I did enjoy this album contrary to my expectations. The usual conveyer belt of repetitive sounds didn't materialise. The artist played with the music consistently meaning the music has layers and built on those inevitable hooks that get your toe tapping but otherwise would destroy the very soul they are trying to conjure. It was a little exhausting to listen to in the end and yes you might get annoyed by some of the silly sounds buts it's a compelling version of an otherwise niche in my world. I guess it's cool to let your mind wander with what strange sonic blasts it gets rather than the typical hand holding it normally gets with "traditional" music listening. Interesting and that's saying something from me.
Mhm
Liked: The Number Song, Mutual Slump, Midnight In A Perfect World Disliked: Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain - Medley
Pretty good stuff that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. The second song was terrible though.
As i didn't know that this album is full made of samples, it was not that good. But this detail gives more interest to it. Rate 6/10
Des rythmes un peu planants, d'autres plus dynamiques, assez variés, pas une mauvaise écoute
I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. It was alright. I didn't hate it, but I can't really see myself listening to it again. Although I thought it was fine I was also starting to get bored towards the end.
Nice ambient instrumentals, but I'm not in love with any of the tracks
It’s a cool record. I wish there was a bit more spoken word, because the instrumentals can drag a touch. I’m not sure if I can name a more impactful sample-based album intro, though - Building Steam is awesome.
OK nice lounge hip hop jazz everything , but not something extraorinary
Cant decide if I love or hate the album so let’s split the difference
3/5
Really cool. Love instrumental hip hop generally and this seems a fine example. Slightly disappointing that even on an instrumental hip hop record from the 90s you still get stupid skits.
Good album. This was a nice mix of beats and had an interesting flow. Would recommend.
fresh
Nothing too crazy in my opinion. Solid production. 3/5
Reminds me a bit of the 80's band Art of Noise. Atmospheric without being heavy handed. A talented lyricist could do great things with this album, but it stand well on its own.
This album is very different. I happened to see a review that said albums like this are what this countdown is all about, and I have to agree with that sentiment. The atmosphere on this record is excellent. I loved the sampling, the beats, the throwback feel, etc. That's also what makes this a bit disappointing, as it could have been even better if these were complete songs and/or went somewhere. Too often, though, they weren't and/or didn't. Not that it makes this a bad album, as it doesn't. It just left me wanting.