DJ Shadow - Outsider

Submitted by Bobby Kittens - Sep 15, 2006

DJ Shadow

Outsider

Artist Website || No Tour Dates

For anyone who knows the music of DJ Shadow, they will certainly agree that his latest release "The Outsider" is far from what they'd expect.

The album is prefaced by a monologue, scripted by Shadow himself, defining the Outsider, but leaving room for interpretation. The intro gives way to the rich, rhythm n blues inspired, "This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)". "This Time" features an unknown vocalist, a recording which was allegedly found on an old studio session work tape, and a lush string arrangement provided by the London Session Orchestra both of which accented the Heliocentrics' musical direction to the point where you feel like you've just traveled back in time to the 1960's.

And what follows a musically vintage sound better than San Francisco Bay Area "hyphy" rap music? A style first chronicled in 1998 by Keak the Sneak, made popular by E-40 in 2004, and now championed by DJ Shadow in 2006. Keak appears alongside Turf Talk on "3 Freaks". "Turf Dancing" with its ring modulated drum track and distorted leads is a high powered club track that epitomizes the Bay Area Hyphy sound.

"Seein Thangs" and "Broken Levee Blues" both illustrate a post Katrina New Orleans. "Broken Levee Blues" with its spoken word prologue, and "Seein Thangs" with David Banner's edgier look into realty.

"Artifact" has a post-punk feel with its heavily compressed drums and distorted guitars that give way to a melody reminiscent of Shadow circa the U.N.K.L.E. project. The ethnic instrumentation, vocal tracks, and drum programming on "The Tiger" and "Erase You" add to that notion (without suggesting that he hasn't evolved from the late 90's, of course).

"What Have I done" could possibly be an airy attempt at modern folk music, while "You made it" is folk, in a more straight forward sense.

"Enuff" featuring Q-Tip and Lateef, which in my opinion is a collaboration which should've happened years ago, is one of the most notable tracks on the album with a catchy chorus and a latin guitar loop that gives it an East Coast nightclub vibe. Q-Tip and Lateef's lyrics are delivered flawlessly, perfectly complimenting each other, as well as the bass and drums provided by the DJ.

E-40 and Shadow show us, once again, the meaning of hyphy with "Dats my Part". A track with a beat so fresh it fills me with the desire to run out and bootleg the Mo' Wax instrumental album.

And finally, the release is concluded with a Droop-E remix of "3 Freaks" with a special guest appearance by Mistah F.A.B. (one whom Shadow says can out freestyle anyone).

And there you have it. It's safe to say that this release is definitely all over the place. What about the hardcore fans, you say? He hasn't forgotten about us. He just has new ideas. And if there is one person on the planet who believes in evolution, personal growth, and attaining new musical goals its DJ Shadow. From Entroducing, to The Outsider, and beyond, he will continue to prove that to us time and time again.

–Bobby Kittens