DJ Shadow

The Private Press (MCA)
by Tim Den

Everyone knows by now that DJ Shadow‘s debut, Endtroducing…, revolutionized the “found sound”/DJ/sample-based electronica genre. The man has nothing left to prove. Except, maybe, that he can have a good time too.

On The Private Press, his first full-length in six years (many projects, though not full albums, have elapsed during that time: The semi-anonymous U.N.K.L.E., two collaborations with Cut Chemist, soundtrack to the film Dark Days, production work with Blackalicious, etc.), Shadow still pleases the audiophiles with quirky compositional skills, but he’s also turned up the fun factor.

Forgoing his usual collection of soul/funk 45s, The Private Press is made up of mostly garage rock drum sounds, New Wave synth samples, a lot of acoustic guitars, and even some melancholy pianos. This new approach comes off much “lighter” and “accessible” than any of his previous work (though no less groovy), making The Private Press almost a party favorite. “Un Autre Introduction” is a hilarious ’80s drum machine romp, “Walkie Talkie” is a Run DMC throwback, “Six Days” could be some world music record on Peter Gabriel’s label… you get the point.

And it’s all toe-tappin’, head-boppin’, stereo-blastin’ “phat beats.” It’s irresistible. Maybe you had to be in the right mood for Endtroducing…, what with the dark undertones and fast beats and all, but The Private Press is one for all occasions. Maybe it ain’t the next “groundbreaking” thing to change the face of music, but so what? He’s already done it once. Now he just wants to make you move and smile.