DJ Shadow, a.k.a. Josh Davis, could be credited with bringing newfound introspection to the gloating sounds of hip-hop. Condensed with urban oscillations and scatological beats, Endtroducing... shutters with eclectic samples and aural montages that reach beyond the constraints of hip-hop style. Enhancing the mix with fundamentals of rock, soul, funk, ambient, and jazz, the modern fusions fail to go unnoticed, even by the casual listener. While most of the tracks are compiled by layering samples from vinyl treasures found in used-record bins, the production quality of the mosaic is unmatched. Darkened melodies carry throughout the album with its eye on the end of the tunnel. The narration samples come from numerous sources and keep the listener involved and waiting for resolution. With a message as fragmentary as an overheard conversation, Endtroducing... conveys no apparent conclusion, but begs the mind, body, and soul for some rewind. --Lucas Hilbert

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested, there is so much of this sort of music out there, this is no different. On first impressions there is one track that stands out as worthy of its acclaim and thats track 8. This track made me stop what i was doing and made me listen and thats what i am looking for, thats what i classify as inspiration. As for the rest of the album it went unnoticed as a collection of breaks and samples playing in the background, just like so many others albums ive owned in the past. Reminded me of King Kooba and other mellow breaks etc. I guess just not what i expected despite having listened to it here on amazon!



Electronic Excellence, 11 Apr 2006
I always find it strange when people talk about their favourite track on this album. The whole "experience" is what makes this album so good. There is not one stand out track: the whole thing plays like one continuous stand out track! The onslaught of almost maddening beats give way to sudden passages of tranquility that use each other to great effect through the contrast they produce. Playing like a modern day classical piece this is diverse and dark. Also like the best music it rewards repeated (even continuous) listening!

California's Josh Davis--aka DJ Shadow would have no easy ride in making The Private Press after his debut Endtroducing wreaked havoc in the dance and hip-hop communities. Constructed entirely around samples, yet defiantly and thrillingly original, it took searching for dusty breaks in old thrift stores to new levels. With its serious b-boy underpinnings and potently stark soundtrack feel, it heralded in a whole new era of instrumental hip-hop. A zillion copycats have landed on the bandwagon since, but Shadow has kept on top of his game, keeping his hand in with various collaborations (Blackalicious, Unkle, Cut Chemist and superlative 12s like "High Noon" and "Pre-emptive Strike". Now, a full six years later, he's back with a follow up that is every bit as impressive as his debut but in a different way.

Once again, the producer has pushed his sampler to the limits, but this time he's brought with it a deeper, hungrier, more bad-ass spirit that's rarely found in modern dance music. There's a fabulous 80s vibe throughout (seen principally on tracks like "Monosylabik" and "You Can't Go Home Again") and the expected forays into b-boy culture (check the funky-ass collaboration with Lateef "Mashin On The Motorway"). While it's identifiably Shadow, it ain't "Endtroducing…Part 2". It is a worthy and imaginative follow up with humour, wisdom and musical understanding aplenty. It'll definitely enhance any record collection. --Paul Sullivan

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested, there is so much of this sort of music out there, this is no different. On first impressions there is one track that stands out as worthy of its acclaim and thats track 8. This track made me stop what i was doing and made me listen and thats what i am looking for, thats what i classify as inspiration. As for the rest of the album it went unnoticed as a collection of breaks and samples playing in the background, just like so many others albums ive owned in the past. Reminded me of King Kooba and other mellow breaks etc. I guess just not what i expected despite having listened to it here on amazon!



Electronic Excellence, 11 Apr 2006
I always find it strange when people talk about their favourite track on this album. The whole "experience" is what makes this album so good. There is not one stand out track: the whole thing plays like one continuous stand out track! The onslaught of almost maddening beats give way to sudden passages of tranquility that use each other to great effect through the contrast they produce. Playing like a modern day classical piece this is diverse and dark. Also like the best music it rewards repeated (even continuous) listening!

Can we start giving half stars? Its really worth 4 and a half......, 12 Dec 2006
I probably should have done this review earlier, but it just seems the right time to get people to listen to properly GOOD music (dance music seems to have gone down the drain a bit).
Josh Davis has come up with another winner here, in a sense that this album is quite removed from Endtroducing. As reviewers have said already (and i agree), this is a more "song"-orientated album, allowing you to skip to a favourite song, whereas endtroducing was more an album to listen through in one go.
The reason i give it 4 (but 4 1/2 in my heart), is because of the two dud tracks slap bang in the middle of the album (namely 'Right thing' and' Monosylabik'). Definitely not DJ Shadow quality.
This shouldn't detract anyone from the rest of the album though, as it is brilliant. I can't pick out any stand-out track really, but i am drawn to 'you can't go home again' and 'six days'.
Definitely an album to get especially if, like me, you're stuck at university and surrounded by cheesy music 24/7. Otherwise, get it anyway. No disappointments included.

Worthy celebration of the joys of music, 14 Mar 2006
Read the liner notes: This is abstract post modern music. It's not supposed to convey any messages. It's apolitical and completely without ego. Rather it's a celebration of modern popular music and the position it holds in modern society. Mr. Davis writes that there should be something here to make everyone smile. I think he succeeded there, there is something for everyone. Unfortanately, this is the albums major downfall. The versitility makes for a fractured listen, and there's no guarantee that you'll like every track.

Me, I like pretty much all of it. However, I usually skip past the tedious old skool hip hop of Un Autre Introduction and Walkie Talkie, and Mashing on the Motorway grinds a bit, (the obscenities are funny but anachronistic) but the remainding tracks are pure quality. Letter From Home and Fixed Income make for a suitably ominous opening, setting a mood that is perfectly complimented by my personal favourite, Six Days. It's the song that made me by the album in the first place, and it's easily as good as anything on Endtroducing, if not better.

Ah, Endtroducing, the album to which this will ALWAYS be compared. So how does it compare? Well, it's more song based. Endtroducing flowed beautifully to create an overall satisfying listening experience. With the Private Press, on the other hand, it's easier to dip in, listen to one or two songs, without missing the bigger picture. As an analogy, I'd liken Endtroducing to a stream you kayak down. The Private Press is more like a series of picturesque ponds in a landscaped garden. They should all be judged on their individual merits.

As such, there are some brilliant pieces of music on here. Everyone WILL find something they like about it, but very few people will like all of it. A fractured masterpiece then, like Electric Ladyland or The White Album for the B-Boy generation.

still waiting......, 28 Jan 2006
After such a highly acclaimed fist solo album in Endtroducing... which showed Josh Davis to be amongst the greatest and experimental of producers a follow up LP was eagerly anticipated and to an extent demanded by an over-awed audience .

'The Private Press' is as an album as experimental as its predecessor but feels like a selection of individual tracks (ranging from staggering to just plain daft) put together to fill an album just to stifle a demand . Since its release many of the tracks have been tinkered with (see The Private Repress) by a whole host of producers and made more appealing to differing tastes which would suggest that the bones are there but the flesh is missing . The album suffers for a lack of flow between tracks which was Endtroducing's greatest strength , something I'd expected would have come naturally from someone from a 'DJ' background .

If you've newly discovered Shadow from Endtroducing... my advice would be to source the 'In tune and on time' CD/DVD and buy that instead .

Awesome, 23 Jul 2004
Buy it now

Six Years... Six..., 25 Jun 2004
It's really not a bad album and I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars if I could...
I don't know but I like to see that artist has progressed in some way when his new album comes out, but I find substance of 'Private Press' too similar to stuff on'Endtroducing'('Giving Up The Ghost' can easily be mistaken for a track from that album), but I guess you can't expect an artist to change his style every time he makes a new album and to make a great album too, can't you?.
More on, in comparison to 'Endtroducing' there are some tracks that seem more user friendly and I'm sure MTV audience will be very pleased, but they lack on uniqueness and depth. Like 'Six Day War' which sounds good, but is an ordinary trip-hop treat and one with a message on morality of war too, how highly original...
I must say that I actually liked 'Monosylabik' and 'Mashin On Motorway', that have some creativity and good groove in them but probably won't make you dazzled and hungry for more.
In my opinion there are some pretty cool tracks on this album too, like 'Mongrel' and 'You Can't Go Home Again' and 'Blood On The Motorway' is o.k.
All in all 'Private Press' is a good album, and still better than majority of hip hop albums that record companies serve to the massess and DJ Shadow is a very interesting figure on the today's stagnant scene, and he did push the boundaries of the genre once before, so go ahead and try it, and please don't expect it to be 'your ordinary hip hop DJ' he is something more.

A collection of B Sides (Sorry, G Sides) from a band with only one album to their credit should be an exercise in lowest-common-denominator barrel-scraping. But Gorillaz' G Sides, as befits a band whose "live" performances take months of preparation, is an exercise in careful planning that actually manages to outstrip this near certainty. It's by no means a work of lost gems. "19-2000" features as a more uptempo mix, and "Clint Eastwood" reappears as the more chunky mix performed on the BRITs with Phi Life Cypher, and as a CD-ROM video. Other tracks, such as the closer "12D3" come across as 13 era Blur on autopilot. Unsurprisingly it's not hefty either, weighing in at a fairly paltry 37 minutes and 10 tracks, but overall it provides a fairly good companion to the album, and is better than it has any right to be. --Chris Blenkarn

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested, there is so much of this sort of music out there, this is no different. On first impressions there is one track that stands out as worthy of its acclaim and thats track 8. This track made me stop what i was doing and made me listen and thats what i am looking for, thats what i classify as inspiration. As for the rest of the album it went unnoticed as a collection of breaks and samples playing in the background, just like so many others albums ive owned in the past. Reminded me of King Kooba and other mellow breaks etc. I guess just not what i expected despite having listened to it here on amazon!



Electronic Excellence, 11 Apr 2006
I always find it strange when people talk about their favourite track on this album. The whole "experience" is what makes this album so good. There is not one stand out track: the whole thing plays like one continuous stand out track! The onslaught of almost maddening beats give way to sudden passages of tranquility that use each other to great effect through the contrast they produce. Playing like a modern day classical piece this is diverse and dark. Also like the best music it rewards repeated (even continuous) listening!

Can we start giving half stars? Its really worth 4 and a half......, 12 Dec 2006
I probably should have done this review earlier, but it just seems the right time to get people to listen to properly GOOD music (dance music seems to have gone down the drain a bit).
Josh Davis has come up with another winner here, in a sense that this album is quite removed from Endtroducing. As reviewers have said already (and i agree), this is a more "song"-orientated album, allowing you to skip to a favourite song, whereas endtroducing was more an album to listen through in one go.
The reason i give it 4 (but 4 1/2 in my heart), is because of the two dud tracks slap bang in the middle of the album (namely 'Right thing' and' Monosylabik'). Definitely not DJ Shadow quality.
This shouldn't detract anyone from the rest of the album though, as it is brilliant. I can't pick out any stand-out track really, but i am drawn to 'you can't go home again' and 'six days'.
Definitely an album to get especially if, like me, you're stuck at university and surrounded by cheesy music 24/7. Otherwise, get it anyway. No disappointments included.

Worthy celebration of the joys of music, 14 Mar 2006
Read the liner notes: This is abstract post modern music. It's not supposed to convey any messages. It's apolitical and completely without ego. Rather it's a celebration of modern popular music and the position it holds in modern society. Mr. Davis writes that there should be something here to make everyone smile. I think he succeeded there, there is something for everyone. Unfortanately, this is the albums major downfall. The versitility makes for a fractured listen, and there's no guarantee that you'll like every track.

Me, I like pretty much all of it. However, I usually skip past the tedious old skool hip hop of Un Autre Introduction and Walkie Talkie, and Mashing on the Motorway grinds a bit, (the obscenities are funny but anachronistic) but the remainding tracks are pure quality. Letter From Home and Fixed Income make for a suitably ominous opening, setting a mood that is perfectly complimented by my personal favourite, Six Days. It's the song that made me by the album in the first place, and it's easily as good as anything on Endtroducing, if not better.

Ah, Endtroducing, the album to which this will ALWAYS be compared. So how does it compare? Well, it's more song based. Endtroducing flowed beautifully to create an overall satisfying listening experience. With the Private Press, on the other hand, it's easier to dip in, listen to one or two songs, without missing the bigger picture. As an analogy, I'd liken Endtroducing to a stream you kayak down. The Private Press is more like a series of picturesque ponds in a landscaped garden. They should all be judged on their individual merits.

As such, there are some brilliant pieces of music on here. Everyone WILL find something they like about it, but very few people will like all of it. A fractured masterpiece then, like Electric Ladyland or The White Album for the B-Boy generation.

still waiting......, 28 Jan 2006
After such a highly acclaimed fist solo album in Endtroducing... which showed Josh Davis to be amongst the greatest and experimental of producers a follow up LP was eagerly anticipated and to an extent demanded by an over-awed audience .

'The Private Press' is as an album as experimental as its predecessor but feels like a selection of individual tracks (ranging from staggering to just plain daft) put together to fill an album just to stifle a demand . Since its release many of the tracks have been tinkered with (see The Private Repress) by a whole host of producers and made more appealing to differing tastes which would suggest that the bones are there but the flesh is missing . The album suffers for a lack of flow between tracks which was Endtroducing's greatest strength , something I'd expected would have come naturally from someone from a 'DJ' background .

If you've newly discovered Shadow from Endtroducing... my advice would be to source the 'In tune and on time' CD/DVD and buy that instead .

Awesome, 23 Jul 2004
Buy it now

Six Years... Six..., 25 Jun 2004
It's really not a bad album and I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars if I could...
I don't know but I like to see that artist has progressed in some way when his new album comes out, but I find substance of 'Private Press' too similar to stuff on'Endtroducing'('Giving Up The Ghost' can easily be mistaken for a track from that album), but I guess you can't expect an artist to change his style every time he makes a new album and to make a great album too, can't you?.
More on, in comparison to 'Endtroducing' there are some tracks that seem more user friendly and I'm sure MTV audience will be very pleased, but they lack on uniqueness and depth. Like 'Six Day War' which sounds good, but is an ordinary trip-hop treat and one with a message on morality of war too, how highly original...
I must say that I actually liked 'Monosylabik' and 'Mashin On Motorway', that have some creativity and good groove in them but probably won't make you dazzled and hungry for more.
In my opinion there are some pretty cool tracks on this album too, like 'Mongrel' and 'You Can't Go Home Again' and 'Blood On The Motorway' is o.k.
All in all 'Private Press' is a good album, and still better than majority of hip hop albums that record companies serve to the massess and DJ Shadow is a very interesting figure on the today's stagnant scene, and he did push the boundaries of the genre once before, so go ahead and try it, and please don't expect it to be 'your ordinary hip hop DJ' he is something more.

Great as always, 24 May 2008
This is a fantistic Cd and deserves to be bought. The only problem is that they put on two songs that they have on Gorillaz[UK]:
'19-2000 (Soulchild Remyx/Remix)'
and
'Rock The House'.
Even though on the CD, they put put on a '(edit)' at the end, i think, that they just cut out a possible swear word.
Despite these setbacks, all in all this is a great album.

G-SIDES, 26 Jul 2006
This album is great, full of remixes and unreleased versions of well known songs.
I love this, although i have outplayed it now, it is better than the other 2 gorillaz albums
This features a great version of Clint Eastwood, you have to get it.

Ooh ooh ooh!, 29 Dec 2005
As a Gorillaz fan I wasn't disappointed by this collection of 'G-sides'. This is the kind of album you can stick in the cd player, kick off your shoes, have friends round and chill to. I enjoyed the freshness of the tunes and the originality of the concept. Recommended.

A great side-dish to an already excellent main course, 25 Mar 2002
G-Sides is, as mentioned, an album of b-sides (or in this age of CD's, extra tracks) from the first Gorillaz album.

Whats particularly good about the album is getting hold of tracks that you would have missed other wise, stuff like the Scientist/Dub influenced "Dracula" is a great addition, with its heavy bass sound, and the mellow hip-hopp of "The Sounder".

This is a must have album for the Gorillaz completist (if there is such a thing) but if you have enjoyed even just one of their tracks, its worth picking this up to sample some of their other flavours.

So, the Gorillaz have hired some space monkeyz to remix their album? Right... The official story behind Laika Come Home is that it's the product of an intergalactic odyssey apparently undertook by D-Zire, Dubversive and Gavva, all descendents of the first chimps sent into space. And what does a lonely simian listen to in the dark coldness of space? Why bone-shaking dubscapes with enough reverb to transmit their message to the outer edges of the universe, of course.

Re-editing and producing a dub version of an album might sound like a pretty self-indulgent affair and to a certain extent Laika is. Whilst Gorillaz sounded original, it was a pop project with all the constraints that went with it - can you imagine the 6 minute remixed version of "Clint Eastwood" making it onto MTV?. But that's exactly what makes Laika so good. Listen to the "De-Punked" version of "Punk" with its meandering, decayed trumpet and computerised tweaks-- hardly recognisable as the original--or the swinging old-school ska that crops ups on "5/4". The two-tone skank of "M1/A1" (with Terry Hall) sounds like it should have been the original version, while the real killer tracks are those injected with dancehall vibes by DJ U Brown and Earl 16. Who says "you don't get paid for doing what you love"? Not Damon Albarn. --Caroline Butler

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested, there is so much of this sort of music out there, this is no different. On first impressions there is one track that stands out as worthy of its acclaim and thats track 8. This track made me stop what i was doing and made me listen and thats what i am looking for, thats what i classify as inspiration. As for the rest of the album it went unnoticed as a collection of breaks and samples playing in the background, just like so many others albums ive owned in the past. Reminded me of King Kooba and other mellow breaks etc. I guess just not what i expected despite having listened to it here on amazon!



Electronic Excellence, 11 Apr 2006
I always find it strange when people talk about their favourite track on this album. The whole "experience" is what makes this album so good. There is not one stand out track: the whole thing plays like one continuous stand out track! The onslaught of almost maddening beats give way to sudden passages of tranquility that use each other to great effect through the contrast they produce. Playing like a modern day classical piece this is diverse and dark. Also like the best music it rewards repeated (even continuous) listening!

Can we start giving half stars? Its really worth 4 and a half......, 12 Dec 2006
I probably should have done this review earlier, but it just seems the right time to get people to listen to properly GOOD music (dance music seems to have gone down the drain a bit).
Josh Davis has come up with another winner here, in a sense that this album is quite removed from Endtroducing. As reviewers have said already (and i agree), this is a more "song"-orientated album, allowing you to skip to a favourite song, whereas endtroducing was more an album to listen through in one go.
The reason i give it 4 (but 4 1/2 in my heart), is because of the two dud tracks slap bang in the middle of the album (namely 'Right thing' and' Monosylabik'). Definitely not DJ Shadow quality.
This shouldn't detract anyone from the rest of the album though, as it is brilliant. I can't pick out any stand-out track really, but i am drawn to 'you can't go home again' and 'six days'.
Definitely an album to get especially if, like me, you're stuck at university and surrounded by cheesy music 24/7. Otherwise, get it anyway. No disappointments included.

Worthy celebration of the joys of music, 14 Mar 2006
Read the liner notes: This is abstract post modern music. It's not supposed to convey any messages. It's apolitical and completely without ego. Rather it's a celebration of modern popular music and the position it holds in modern society. Mr. Davis writes that there should be something here to make everyone smile. I think he succeeded there, there is something for everyone. Unfortanately, this is the albums major downfall. The versitility makes for a fractured listen, and there's no guarantee that you'll like every track.

Me, I like pretty much all of it. However, I usually skip past the tedious old skool hip hop of Un Autre Introduction and Walkie Talkie, and Mashing on the Motorway grinds a bit, (the obscenities are funny but anachronistic) but the remainding tracks are pure quality. Letter From Home and Fixed Income make for a suitably ominous opening, setting a mood that is perfectly complimented by my personal favourite, Six Days. It's the song that made me by the album in the first place, and it's easily as good as anything on Endtroducing, if not better.

Ah, Endtroducing, the album to which this will ALWAYS be compared. So how does it compare? Well, it's more song based. Endtroducing flowed beautifully to create an overall satisfying listening experience. With the Private Press, on the other hand, it's easier to dip in, listen to one or two songs, without missing the bigger picture. As an analogy, I'd liken Endtroducing to a stream you kayak down. The Private Press is more like a series of picturesque ponds in a landscaped garden. They should all be judged on their individual merits.

As such, there are some brilliant pieces of music on here. Everyone WILL find something they like about it, but very few people will like all of it. A fractured masterpiece then, like Electric Ladyland or The White Album for the B-Boy generation.

still waiting......, 28 Jan 2006
After such a highly acclaimed fist solo album in Endtroducing... which showed Josh Davis to be amongst the greatest and experimental of producers a follow up LP was eagerly anticipated and to an extent demanded by an over-awed audience .

'The Private Press' is as an album as experimental as its predecessor but feels like a selection of individual tracks (ranging from staggering to just plain daft) put together to fill an album just to stifle a demand . Since its release many of the tracks have been tinkered with (see The Private Repress) by a whole host of producers and made more appealing to differing tastes which would suggest that the bones are there but the flesh is missing . The album suffers for a lack of flow between tracks which was Endtroducing's greatest strength , something I'd expected would have come naturally from someone from a 'DJ' background .

If you've newly discovered Shadow from Endtroducing... my advice would be to source the 'In tune and on time' CD/DVD and buy that instead .

Awesome, 23 Jul 2004
Buy it now

Six Years... Six..., 25 Jun 2004
It's really not a bad album and I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars if I could...
I don't know but I like to see that artist has progressed in some way when his new album comes out, but I find substance of 'Private Press' too similar to stuff on'Endtroducing'('Giving Up The Ghost' can easily be mistaken for a track from that album), but I guess you can't expect an artist to change his style every time he makes a new album and to make a great album too, can't you?.
More on, in comparison to 'Endtroducing' there are some tracks that seem more user friendly and I'm sure MTV audience will be very pleased, but they lack on uniqueness and depth. Like 'Six Day War' which sounds good, but is an ordinary trip-hop treat and one with a message on morality of war too, how highly original...
I must say that I actually liked 'Monosylabik' and 'Mashin On Motorway', that have some creativity and good groove in them but probably won't make you dazzled and hungry for more.
In my opinion there are some pretty cool tracks on this album too, like 'Mongrel' and 'You Can't Go Home Again' and 'Blood On The Motorway' is o.k.
All in all 'Private Press' is a good album, and still better than majority of hip hop albums that record companies serve to the massess and DJ Shadow is a very interesting figure on the today's stagnant scene, and he did push the boundaries of the genre once before, so go ahead and try it, and please don't expect it to be 'your ordinary hip hop DJ' he is something more.

Great as always, 24 May 2008
This is a fantistic Cd and deserves to be bought. The only problem is that they put on two songs that they have on Gorillaz[UK]:
'19-2000 (Soulchild Remyx/Remix)'
and
'Rock The House'.
Even though on the CD, they put put on a '(edit)' at the end, i think, that they just cut out a possible swear word.
Despite these setbacks, all in all this is a great album.

G-SIDES, 26 Jul 2006
This album is great, full of remixes and unreleased versions of well known songs.
I love this, although i have outplayed it now, it is better than the other 2 gorillaz albums
This features a great version of Clint Eastwood, you have to get it.

Ooh ooh ooh!, 29 Dec 2005
As a Gorillaz fan I wasn't disappointed by this collection of 'G-sides'. This is the kind of album you can stick in the cd player, kick off your shoes, have friends round and chill to. I enjoyed the freshness of the tunes and the originality of the concept. Recommended.

A great side-dish to an already excellent main course, 25 Mar 2002
G-Sides is, as mentioned, an album of b-sides (or in this age of CD's, extra tracks) from the first Gorillaz album.

Whats particularly good about the album is getting hold of tracks that you would have missed other wise, stuff like the Scientist/Dub influenced "Dracula" is a great addition, with its heavy bass sound, and the mellow hip-hopp of "The Sounder".

This is a must have album for the Gorillaz completist (if there is such a thing) but if you have enjoyed even just one of their tracks, its worth picking this up to sample some of their other flavours.

Dancing Amongst the Stars..., 09 Jan 2007
...is what this album had us doing. We've only just discovered it and whacked in CD player and spent the rest of the night moon-walking to those chilled deep dubs and and other fab sounds. I'd even dare to say better than the original!

Absolutely EXCELLENT., 02 Jan 2007
This is one of the best CDs I've bought in ages.
Definately not everybody's thing. Slowed down, meandering mixes of the original tracks (often drastically changed, like 'De-Punked') won't appeal to everyone. One of my best friends doesn't like what he's heard from it at all.
Personally, though, I think it's brilliant. I especially like 19/2000 (Jungle Fresh), Slow Country (Strictly Rubbadub), and Re-Hash (Come Again). They're so different from the original versions; It's a completely different sound, but it works really well.
As I write this, I keep feeling like I ought to recommend this album to a certain kind of person, but I'm finding it very hard to do so because I've never heard anything like this.
I suppose if you're into dub and like Gorillaz it's an obious choice. If you're just a Gorillaz fan and haven't listened to dub before, it's hard to say whether or not you'll like it. I did, anyway. Buy it if you want to take a bit of a leap into the unknown. You might be pleasantly surprised like I was.
Five stars. Absolutley excellent in my opinion, but it certainly won't be to EVERYBODY's tastes.

Absolutely Excellent, 18 Jun 2005
This is a fantastic concept for Gorillaz and Spacemonkeyz to try. If you don't like dub, steer clear, if you do, buy this album. I'm hoping the same thing is attempted for the second Gorillaz album. I'm so glad I gave this album a chance, because it's proved itself and then some.

Good remixes, 07 Feb 2004
I don't think there's any way I could even sit through the orginal album, I used to own it though, these remixes are something different and special. I love the modern dub sounds. It isn't Scientist, King Tubby, Lee Perry but it is still good to listen to. The delay suits Damon's voice very well. I am NOT a blur fan!

I write an online review and share my thoughts with others.., 07 Jun 2003
The Remix album of the Gorillaz-Debut-disk comes in the loose electronics-Dub-style therefore! The Spacemonkeyz cut here nearly each Track (except Double bass, skirt The House & Latin Simone) purported CD on its Dub form, what is unfortunately not always entirely arrive. The CD does not underline just the change rich Sound of that the Gorillaz so famously and unmistakable made has because the total impression precipitates yet sooner monotonous. To be sure occur here and there once extraordinarily melodic passage, that were transferred in the Spacemonkeyz style well, but comprehensively resembles this Repertoir sooner an unpretentious background music. Altogether this work comes not at the original up to, but as little sterile Sommersound and to that makes the CD take a break yet quite good!

Something must have flipped Kool Keith's wig like a mescaline pizza. I can think of no other way to explain the mutant birth of Dr. Octagonecologyst. Literally assuming another personality on this record, Dr. Octagon--Kool Keith on the mike, with Dan "The Automater" Nakamura producing--transmits unearthly rhymes like tractor beams to your cranium. Then he squirms around in there, grabs some Vaseline from your medicine cabinet, and does a little dance. The first time you listen to cuts like "Earth People" and "Blue Flowers," you might have to change the way you listen to hip-hop. The standards are the same--verse, chorus, verse, with plenty of nasty skits in the middle--and there are electro-beat shades of his predecessors, such as Afrika Baambaata, but the wordplay and beat compositions are truly light years from most hip-hop. Listening to this album is like trying to read the glyphs from Stargate. --Todd Levin

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested, there is so much of this sort of music out there, this is no different. On first impressions there is one track that stands out as worthy of its acclaim and thats track 8. This track made me stop what i was doing and made me listen and thats what i am looking for, thats what i classify as inspiration. As for the rest of the album it went unnoticed as a collection of breaks and samples playing in the background, just like so many others albums ive owned in the past. Reminded me of King Kooba and other mellow breaks etc. I guess just not what i expected despite having listened to it here on amazon!



Electronic Excellence, 11 Apr 2006
I always find it strange when people talk about their favourite track on this album. The whole "experience" is what makes this album so good. There is not one stand out track: the whole thing plays like one continuous stand out track! The onslaught of almost maddening beats give way to sudden passages of tranquility that use each other to great effect through the contrast they produce. Playing like a modern day classical piece this is diverse and dark. Also like the best music it rewards repeated (even continuous) listening!

Can we start giving half stars? Its really worth 4 and a half......, 12 Dec 2006
I probably should have done this review earlier, but it just seems the right time to get people to listen to properly GOOD music (dance music seems to have gone down the drain a bit).
Josh Davis has come up with another winner here, in a sense that this album is quite removed from Endtroducing. As reviewers have said already (and i agree), this is a more "song"-orientated album, allowing you to skip to a favourite song, whereas endtroducing was more an album to listen through in one go.
The reason i give it 4 (but 4 1/2 in my heart), is because of the two dud tracks slap bang in the middle of the album (namely 'Right thing' and' Monosylabik'). Definitely not DJ Shadow quality.
This shouldn't detract anyone from the rest of the album though, as it is brilliant. I can't pick out any stand-out track really, but i am drawn to 'you can't go home again' and 'six days'.
Definitely an album to get especially if, like me, you're stuck at university and surrounded by cheesy music 24/7. Otherwise, get it anyway. No disappointments included.

Worthy celebration of the joys of music, 14 Mar 2006
Read the liner notes: This is abstract post modern music. It's not supposed to convey any messages. It's apolitical and completely without ego. Rather it's a celebration of modern popular music and the position it holds in modern society. Mr. Davis writes that there should be something here to make everyone smile. I think he succeeded there, there is something for everyone. Unfortanately, this is the albums major downfall. The versitility makes for a fractured listen, and there's no guarantee that you'll like every track.

Me, I like pretty much all of it. However, I usually skip past the tedious old skool hip hop of Un Autre Introduction and Walkie Talkie, and Mashing on the Motorway grinds a bit, (the obscenities are funny but anachronistic) but the remainding tracks are pure quality. Letter From Home and Fixed Income make for a suitably ominous opening, setting a mood that is perfectly complimented by my personal favourite, Six Days. It's the song that made me by the album in the first place, and it's easily as good as anything on Endtroducing, if not better.

Ah, Endtroducing, the album to which this will ALWAYS be compared. So how does it compare? Well, it's more song based. Endtroducing flowed beautifully to create an overall satisfying listening experience. With the Private Press, on the other hand, it's easier to dip in, listen to one or two songs, without missing the bigger picture. As an analogy, I'd liken Endtroducing to a stream you kayak down. The Private Press is more like a series of picturesque ponds in a landscaped garden. They should all be judged on their individual merits.

As such, there are some brilliant pieces of music on here. Everyone WILL find something they like about it, but very few people will like all of it. A fractured masterpiece then, like Electric Ladyland or The White Album for the B-Boy generation.

still waiting......, 28 Jan 2006
After such a highly acclaimed fist solo album in Endtroducing... which showed Josh Davis to be amongst the greatest and experimental of producers a follow up LP was eagerly anticipated and to an extent demanded by an over-awed audience .

'The Private Press' is as an album as experimental as its predecessor but feels like a selection of individual tracks (ranging from staggering to just plain daft) put together to fill an album just to stifle a demand . Since its release many of the tracks have been tinkered with (see The Private Repress) by a whole host of producers and made more appealing to differing tastes which would suggest that the bones are there but the flesh is missing . The album suffers for a lack of flow between tracks which was Endtroducing's greatest strength , something I'd expected would have come naturally from someone from a 'DJ' background .

If you've newly discovered Shadow from Endtroducing... my advice would be to source the 'In tune and on time' CD/DVD and buy that instead .

Awesome, 23 Jul 2004
Buy it now

Six Years... Six..., 25 Jun 2004
It's really not a bad album and I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars if I could...
I don't know but I like to see that artist has progressed in some way when his new album comes out, but I find substance of 'Private Press' too similar to stuff on'Endtroducing'('Giving Up The Ghost' can easily be mistaken for a track from that album), but I guess you can't expect an artist to change his style every time he makes a new album and to make a great album too, can't you?.
More on, in comparison to 'Endtroducing' there are some tracks that seem more user friendly and I'm sure MTV audience will be very pleased, but they lack on uniqueness and depth. Like 'Six Day War' which sounds good, but is an ordinary trip-hop treat and one with a message on morality of war too, how highly original...
I must say that I actually liked 'Monosylabik' and 'Mashin On Motorway', that have some creativity and good groove in them but probably won't make you dazzled and hungry for more.
In my opinion there are some pretty cool tracks on this album too, like 'Mongrel' and 'You Can't Go Home Again' and 'Blood On The Motorway' is o.k.
All in all 'Private Press' is a good album, and still better than majority of hip hop albums that record companies serve to the massess and DJ Shadow is a very interesting figure on the today's stagnant scene, and he did push the boundaries of the genre once before, so go ahead and try it, and please don't expect it to be 'your ordinary hip hop DJ' he is something more.

Great as always, 24 May 2008
This is a fantistic Cd and deserves to be bought. The only problem is that they put on two songs that they have on Gorillaz[UK]:
'19-2000 (Soulchild Remyx/Remix)'
and
'Rock The House'.
Even though on the CD, they put put on a '(edit)' at the end, i think, that they just cut out a possible swear word.
Despite these setbacks, all in all this is a great album.

G-SIDES, 26 Jul 2006
This album is great, full of remixes and unreleased versions of well known songs.
I love this, although i have outplayed it now, it is better than the other 2 gorillaz albums
This features a great version of Clint Eastwood, you have to get it.

Ooh ooh ooh!, 29 Dec 2005
As a Gorillaz fan I wasn't disappointed by this collection of 'G-sides'. This is the kind of album you can stick in the cd player, kick off your shoes, have friends round and chill to. I enjoyed the freshness of the tunes and the originality of the concept. Recommended.

A great side-dish to an already excellent main course, 25 Mar 2002
G-Sides is, as mentioned, an album of b-sides (or in this age of CD's, extra tracks) from the first Gorillaz album.

Whats particularly good about the album is getting hold of tracks that you would have missed other wise, stuff like the Scientist/Dub influenced "Dracula" is a great addition, with its heavy bass sound, and the mellow hip-hopp of "The Sounder".

This is a must have album for the Gorillaz completist (if there is such a thing) but if you have enjoyed even just one of their tracks, its worth picking this up to sample some of their other flavours.

Dancing Amongst the Stars..., 09 Jan 2007
...is what this album had us doing. We've only just discovered it and whacked in CD player and spent the rest of the night moon-walking to those chilled deep dubs and and other fab sounds. I'd even dare to say better than the original!

Absolutely EXCELLENT., 02 Jan 2007
This is one of the best CDs I've bought in ages.
Definately not everybody's thing. Slowed down, meandering mixes of the original tracks (often drastically changed, like 'De-Punked') won't appeal to everyone. One of my best friends doesn't like what he's heard from it at all.
Personally, though, I think it's brilliant. I especially like 19/2000 (Jungle Fresh), Slow Country (Strictly Rubbadub), and Re-Hash (Come Again). They're so different from the original versions; It's a completely different sound, but it works really well.
As I write this, I keep feeling like I ought to recommend this album to a certain kind of person, but I'm finding it very hard to do so because I've never heard anything like this.
I suppose if you're into dub and like Gorillaz it's an obious choice. If you're just a Gorillaz fan and haven't listened to dub before, it's hard to say whether or not you'll like it. I did, anyway. Buy it if you want to take a bit of a leap into the unknown. You might be pleasantly surprised like I was.
Five stars. Absolutley excellent in my opinion, but it certainly won't be to EVERYBODY's tastes.

Absolutely Excellent, 18 Jun 2005
This is a fantastic concept for Gorillaz and Spacemonkeyz to try. If you don't like dub, steer clear, if you do, buy this album. I'm hoping the same thing is attempted for the second Gorillaz album. I'm so glad I gave this album a chance, because it's proved itself and then some.

Good remixes, 07 Feb 2004
I don't think there's any way I could even sit through the orginal album, I used to own it though, these remixes are something different and special. I love the modern dub sounds. It isn't Scientist, King Tubby, Lee Perry but it is still good to listen to. The delay suits Damon's voice very well. I am NOT a blur fan!

I write an online review and share my thoughts with others.., 07 Jun 2003
The Remix album of the Gorillaz-Debut-disk comes in the loose electronics-Dub-style therefore! The Spacemonkeyz cut here nearly each Track (except Double bass, skirt The House & Latin Simone) purported CD on its Dub form, what is unfortunately not always entirely arrive. The CD does not underline just the change rich Sound of that the Gorillaz so famously and unmistakable made has because the total impression precipitates yet sooner monotonous. To be sure occur here and there once extraordinarily melodic passage, that were transferred in the Spacemonkeyz style well, but comprehensively resembles this Repertoir sooner an unpretentious background music. Altogether this work comes not at the original up to, but as little sterile Sommersound and to that makes the CD take a break yet quite good!

Seminal stuff, 11 Jun 2006
What an album. For something released in 1996 this sounds miles ahead of its time, and still does. Kool Keith raps as his Dr.Octagon persona, adding a medical twist to his usual diet of porn and insanity lyrics. Acclaimed as his best album, his seemingly nonsensical battle rapping is as great and original as ever, with his speedy but watertight flow and sick, cryptic, twisted rhymes ranging from pop culture references, dark and nasty porn/horror imagery and out-and-out weirdness. What really shines on this album is the production however. Automator's trademark futuristic sci-fi style is here, plus the kind of dark, menacing horror samples kinda like KK's other long time beatmaker Kutmasta Kurt. As with most Automator stuff there's nothing repetetive on here, just unique, varied, unpredictable genius that as dark and disturbing as it is sonically impressive, with beats meaty enough to satisfy the most hardcore rap fans. Plus with great cuts from THE best scratch DJ Q-Bert, this is a completely timeless must have album from the darker, weirder end of hip-hop's spectrum.

Best Album Ever!, 08 Oct 2004
I've read the other reviews with interest, because this album really is either love it or hate it. My mates listen to it (DJ Shadow fans) and think i'm mad to rate it so highly.

I first heard of Dr Octogon on a James Lavelle album called Cram Live 2, which is also worth a mention. Blue Flowers was on, so I tracked down this album. I recon i've listened to it about 10,000 times, and for those who thought it was pants, well you haven't a clue. The lyrics border on amazing, if you actually listen to the words, it is possibly incredible what he speaks. I think perhaps someone should look inside his head!

But anyway, i've now got every Dr Octogon, Kool Keith, Dan the Automator and all the others that feature this chap. Buy it!

See abstract rap in anyway u want but i see it as INGENIOUS, 01 Feb 2004
It is very difficult to put across how i feel about this album. I guess ill have to put it on the scale of rap originality. On which it is 25 out of 10. But originality doesnt make it good. It could be an original piece of excrement. But what makes it good is its meticulous concoction of hellish production, mellifluos cuts and the indelible, indefatigable, totally indescrible rhymes of Kool Keith. His lyrics are unknown to the hiphop culture. His flow is not continuos or nursery ryhme like. He is not a foolish gangsta rapper oblivious to his duties as an artist. He is a word contorter, he warps the english language into incredulous clauses. He talks about playing astronauts tough like the ukelele. He is HalfSharkAlligatorHalfman. He is Dr octagon.

His apprentice in crime Dan the Automator destroys the ethics of producing and builds them up again. DJ Q-berts slices the traks with magical, intrevenous fingers to produce magnificent cuts. I also like this album because Dr octagon has a erotic side to him. He puts his testorone driven urges to paper in delicious sentences. "Girl Let Me Touch You" is one of the best songs on the album because of this.

Dr Octagon has many sides to him; he can insult lesser emcees like in "Real Raw", he can create the master gene like in "No Awareness", he can change into halfsharkalligatorhalfman as in" Halfsharkalligatorhalfman" or he can simply have fun in "Dr octagon" and "Wild and Crazy".

I think thats how he sees rap, as fun and it is. It can be anything any artist good enuf wants it to be. Dr octagon to me is an embellishment of 3 musical malvelolences. Kool Keith is the gothic yet comical skull, Dan the Automator is the white gloves that Keith uses to probe and morph songs into twisted melodies. And Qbert is the slicing Stethoscope bringin the beautiful heartbeat of the track that is the DJ.

Please buy it and liberate your mind. Close off from the world enjoy.
This world is a disease ridden, impoverished quagmar and Dr Octagon is simply providing the medicine.

Intriguing but bog-standard hip hop, 04 Jan 2004
Despite this being praised by the media and hip hop fans everywhere, I ain't falling for it. Yes, it was completely different to anything else out at the time but sadly, that's all it is, different. I can say that there some pretty good moments here like 'Waiting List', 'Real Raw', 'Earth People' and 'Blue Flowers'. But I pity anyone who actually likes unlistenable garbage like 'No Awareness'. I mean, anyone could make a song like this by babbling utter nonsense that doesn't even rhyme over some tacky, effortless beat. "Dr Octagon" in summary, original and experimental it is. A spectacular and timeless album it is NOT!

Over-rated..., 01 Dec 2002
This album isn't terrible, though it certainly isn't a classic and doesn't deserve the props that it has got. Dan The Automater's yawn-tastic 'dark' beats bring nothing to the imagination and definately don't bring the best out of Kool Keith.

Sir Menelik, who I feel showed himself as one of the most progressive rappers ever on his Scaramanga debut, rhymes terribly on this, really poor and it's this feel of not fulfilling true potential in so many areas that makes this album fall short.

Herbaliser masterminds Jake Wheery and Ollie Teeba consider Something Wicked This Way Comes to be the highlight of their career, and with good reason. The duo has been crafting a blend of jazz laced hip-hop and club grooves since they formed the ever changing and expanding Herbaliser collective in 1995. Now on their fourth album they've combined their formidable studio know-how with the live instrumentation utilised in their electrifying performances.

Collaborators include their homemade horn section the Easy Access Orchestra, Iriscience of west coast underground supremoes Dilated Peoples, Phi Life Cypher and Wildflower the tough, tender newcomer from Harlesden in Northwest London. Each brings a striking individuality to their tracks, ably nurtured by the production duos blend of psychedelic soul, tough funk, deep grooves and strong melodies. Wicked but wonderful. --Gavin Martin

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested, there is so much of this sort of music out there, this is no different. On first impressions there is one track that stands out as worthy of its acclaim and thats track 8. This track made me stop what i was doing and made me listen and thats what i am looking for, thats what i classify as inspiration. As for the rest of the album it went unnoticed as a collection of breaks and samples playing in the background, just like so many others albums ive owned in the past. Reminded me of King Kooba and other mellow breaks etc. I guess just not what i expected despite having listened to it here on amazon!



Electronic Excellence, 11 Apr 2006
I always find it strange when people talk about their favourite track on this album. The whole "experience" is what makes this album so good. There is not one stand out track: the whole thing plays like one continuous stand out track! The onslaught of almost maddening beats give way to sudden passages of tranquility that use each other to great effect through the contrast they produce. Playing like a modern day classical piece this is diverse and dark. Also like the best music it rewards repeated (even continuous) listening!

Can we start giving half stars? Its really worth 4 and a half......, 12 Dec 2006
I probably should have done this review earlier, but it just seems the right time to get people to listen to properly GOOD music (dance music seems to have gone down the drain a bit).
Josh Davis has come up with another winner here, in a sense that this album is quite removed from Endtroducing. As reviewers have said already (and i agree), this is a more "song"-orientated album, allowing you to skip to a favourite song, whereas endtroducing was more an album to listen through in one go.
The reason i give it 4 (but 4 1/2 in my heart), is because of the two dud tracks slap bang in the middle of the album (namely 'Right thing' and' Monosylabik'). Definitely not DJ Shadow quality.
This shouldn't detract anyone from the rest of the album though, as it is brilliant. I can't pick out any stand-out track really, but i am drawn to 'you can't go home again' and 'six days'.
Definitely an album to get especially if, like me, you're stuck at university and surrounded by cheesy music 24/7. Otherwise, get it anyway. No disappointments included.

Worthy celebration of the joys of music, 14 Mar 2006
Read the liner notes: This is abstract post modern music. It's not supposed to convey any messages. It's apolitical and completely without ego. Rather it's a celebration of modern popular music and the position it holds in modern society. Mr. Davis writes that there should be something here to make everyone smile. I think he succeeded there, there is something for everyone. Unfortanately, this is the albums major downfall. The versitility makes for a fractured listen, and there's no guarantee that you'll like every track.

Me, I like pretty much all of it. However, I usually skip past the tedious old skool hip hop of Un Autre Introduction and Walkie Talkie, and Mashing on the Motorway grinds a bit, (the obscenities are funny but anachronistic) but the remainding tracks are pure quality. Letter From Home and Fixed Income make for a suitably ominous opening, setting a mood that is perfectly complimented by my personal favourite, Six Days. It's the song that made me by the album in the first place, and it's easily as good as anything on Endtroducing, if not better.

Ah, Endtroducing, the album to which this will ALWAYS be compared. So how does it compare? Well, it's more song based. Endtroducing flowed beautifully to create an overall satisfying listening experience. With the Private Press, on the other hand, it's easier to dip in, listen to one or two songs, without missing the bigger picture. As an analogy, I'd liken Endtroducing to a stream you kayak down. The Private Press is more like a series of picturesque ponds in a landscaped garden. They should all be judged on their individual merits.

As such, there are some brilliant pieces of music on here. Everyone WILL find something they like about it, but very few people will like all of it. A fractured masterpiece then, like Electric Ladyland or The White Album for the B-Boy generation.

still waiting......, 28 Jan 2006
After such a highly acclaimed fist solo album in Endtroducing... which showed Josh Davis to be amongst the greatest and experimental of producers a follow up LP was eagerly anticipated and to an extent demanded by an over-awed audience .

'The Private Press' is as an album as experimental as its predecessor but feels like a selection of individual tracks (ranging from staggering to just plain daft) put together to fill an album just to stifle a demand . Since its release many of the tracks have been tinkered with (see The Private Repress) by a whole host of producers and made more appealing to differing tastes which would suggest that the bones are there but the flesh is missing . The album suffers for a lack of flow between tracks which was Endtroducing's greatest strength , something I'd expected would have come naturally from someone from a 'DJ' background .

If you've newly discovered Shadow from Endtroducing... my advice would be to source the 'In tune and on time' CD/DVD and buy that instead .

Awesome, 23 Jul 2004
Buy it now

Six Years... Six..., 25 Jun 2004
It's really not a bad album and I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars if I could...
I don't know but I like to see that artist has progressed in some way when his new album comes out, but I find substance of 'Private Press' too similar to stuff on'Endtroducing'('Giving Up The Ghost' can easily be mistaken for a track from that album), but I guess you can't expect an artist to change his style every time he makes a new album and to make a great album too, can't you?.
More on, in comparison to 'Endtroducing' there are some tracks that seem more user friendly and I'm sure MTV audience will be very pleased, but they lack on uniqueness and depth. Like 'Six Day War' which sounds good, but is an ordinary trip-hop treat and one with a message on morality of war too, how highly original...
I must say that I actually liked 'Monosylabik' and 'Mashin On Motorway', that have some creativity and good groove in them but probably won't make you dazzled and hungry for more.
In my opinion there are some pretty cool tracks on this album too, like 'Mongrel' and 'You Can't Go Home Again' and 'Blood On The Motorway' is o.k.
All in all 'Private Press' is a good album, and still better than majority of hip hop albums that record companies serve to the massess and DJ Shadow is a very interesting figure on the today's stagnant scene, and he did push the boundaries of the genre once before, so go ahead and try it, and please don't expect it to be 'your ordinary hip hop DJ' he is something more.

Great as always, 24 May 2008
This is a fantistic Cd and deserves to be bought. The only problem is that they put on two songs that they have on Gorillaz[UK]:
'19-2000 (Soulchild Remyx/Remix)'
and
'Rock The House'.
Even though on the CD, they put put on a '(edit)' at the end, i think, that they just cut out a possible swear word.
Despite these setbacks, all in all this is a great album.

G-SIDES, 26 Jul 2006
This album is great, full of remixes and unreleased versions of well known songs.
I love this, although i have outplayed it now, it is better than the other 2 gorillaz albums
This features a great version of Clint Eastwood, you have to get it.

Ooh ooh ooh!, 29 Dec 2005
As a Gorillaz fan I wasn't disappointed by this collection of 'G-sides'. This is the kind of album you can stick in the cd player, kick off your shoes, have friends round and chill to. I enjoyed the freshness of the tunes and the originality of the concept. Recommended.

A great side-dish to an already excellent main course, 25 Mar 2002
G-Sides is, as mentioned, an album of b-sides (or in this age of CD's, extra tracks) from the first Gorillaz album.

Whats particularly good about the album is getting hold of tracks that you would have missed other wise, stuff like the Scientist/Dub influenced "Dracula" is a great addition, with its heavy bass sound, and the mellow hip-hopp of "The Sounder".

This is a must have album for the Gorillaz completist (if there is such a thing) but if you have enjoyed even just one of their tracks, its worth picking this up to sample some of their other flavours.

Dancing Amongst the Stars..., 09 Jan 2007
...is what this album had us doing. We've only just discovered it and whacked in CD player and spent the rest of the night moon-walking to those chilled deep dubs and and other fab sounds. I'd even dare to say better than the original!

Absolutely EXCELLENT., 02 Jan 2007
This is one of the best CDs I've bought in ages.
Definately not everybody's thing. Slowed down, meandering mixes of the original tracks (often drastically changed, like 'De-Punked') won't appeal to everyone. One of my best friends doesn't like what he's heard from it at all.
Personally, though, I think it's brilliant. I especially like 19/2000 (Jungle Fresh), Slow Country (Strictly Rubbadub), and Re-Hash (Come Again). They're so different from the original versions; It's a completely different sound, but it works really well.
As I write this, I keep feeling like I ought to recommend this album to a certain kind of person, but I'm finding it very hard to do so because I've never heard anything like this.
I suppose if you're into dub and like Gorillaz it's an obious choice. If you're just a Gorillaz fan and haven't listened to dub before, it's hard to say whether or not you'll like it. I did, anyway. Buy it if you want to take a bit of a leap into the unknown. You might be pleasantly surprised like I was.
Five stars. Absolutley excellent in my opinion, but it certainly won't be to EVERYBODY's tastes.

Absolutely Excellent, 18 Jun 2005
This is a fantastic concept for Gorillaz and Spacemonkeyz to try. If you don't like dub, steer clear, if you do, buy this album. I'm hoping the same thing is attempted for the second Gorillaz album. I'm so glad I gave this album a chance, because it's proved itself and then some.

Good remixes, 07 Feb 2004
I don't think there's any way I could even sit through the orginal album, I used to own it though, these remixes are something different and special. I love the modern dub sounds. It isn't Scientist, King Tubby, Lee Perry but it is still good to listen to. The delay suits Damon's voice very well. I am NOT a blur fan!

I write an online review and share my thoughts with others.., 07 Jun 2003
The Remix album of the Gorillaz-Debut-disk comes in the loose electronics-Dub-style therefore! The Spacemonkeyz cut here nearly each Track (except Double bass, skirt The House & Latin Simone) purported CD on its Dub form, what is unfortunately not always entirely arrive. The CD does not underline just the change rich Sound of that the Gorillaz so famously and unmistakable made has because the total impression precipitates yet sooner monotonous. To be sure occur here and there once extraordinarily melodic passage, that were transferred in the Spacemonkeyz style well, but comprehensively resembles this Repertoir sooner an unpretentious background music. Altogether this work comes not at the original up to, but as little sterile Sommersound and to that makes the CD take a break yet quite good!

Seminal stuff, 11 Jun 2006
What an album. For something released in 1996 this sounds miles ahead of its time, and still does. Kool Keith raps as his Dr.Octagon persona, adding a medical twist to his usual diet of porn and insanity lyrics. Acclaimed as his best album, his seemingly nonsensical battle rapping is as great and original as ever, with his speedy but watertight flow and sick, cryptic, twisted rhymes ranging from pop culture references, dark and nasty porn/horror imagery and out-and-out weirdness. What really shines on this album is the production however. Automator's trademark futuristic sci-fi style is here, plus the kind of dark, menacing horror samples kinda like KK's other long time beatmaker Kutmasta Kurt. As with most Automator stuff there's nothing repetetive on here, just unique, varied, unpredictable genius that as dark and disturbing as it is sonically impressive, with beats meaty enough to satisfy the most hardcore rap fans. Plus with great cuts from THE best scratch DJ Q-Bert, this is a completely timeless must have album from the darker, weirder end of hip-hop's spectrum.

Best Album Ever!, 08 Oct 2004
I've read the other reviews with interest, because this album really is either love it or hate it. My mates listen to it (DJ Shadow fans) and think i'm mad to rate it so highly.

I first heard of Dr Octogon on a James Lavelle album called Cram Live 2, which is also worth a mention. Blue Flowers was on, so I tracked down this album. I recon i've listened to it about 10,000 times, and for those who thought it was pants, well you haven't a clue. The lyrics border on amazing, if you actually listen to the words, it is possibly incredible what he speaks. I think perhaps someone should look inside his head!

But anyway, i've now got every Dr Octogon, Kool Keith, Dan the Automator and all the others that feature this chap. Buy it!

See abstract rap in anyway u want but i see it as INGENIOUS, 01 Feb 2004
It is very difficult to put across how i feel about this album. I guess ill have to put it on the scale of rap originality. On which it is 25 out of 10. But originality doesnt make it good. It could be an original piece of excrement. But what makes it good is its meticulous concoction of hellish production, mellifluos cuts and the indelible, indefatigable, totally indescrible rhymes of Kool Keith. His lyrics are unknown to the hiphop culture. His flow is not continuos or nursery ryhme like. He is not a foolish gangsta rapper oblivious to his duties as an artist. He is a word contorter, he warps the english language into incredulous clauses. He talks about playing astronauts tough like the ukelele. He is HalfSharkAlligatorHalfman. He is Dr octagon.

His apprentice in crime Dan the Automator destroys the ethics of producing and builds them up again. DJ Q-berts slices the traks with magical, intrevenous fingers to produce magnificent cuts. I also like this album because Dr octagon has a erotic side to him. He puts his testorone driven urges to paper in delicious sentences. "Girl Let Me Touch You" is one of the best songs on the album because of this.

Dr Octagon has many sides to him; he can insult lesser emcees like in "Real Raw", he can create the master gene like in "No Awareness", he can change into halfsharkalligatorhalfman as in" Halfsharkalligatorhalfman" or he can simply have fun in "Dr octagon" and "Wild and Crazy".

I think thats how he sees rap, as fun and it is. It can be anything any artist good enuf wants it to be. Dr octagon to me is an embellishment of 3 musical malvelolences. Kool Keith is the gothic yet comical skull, Dan the Automator is the white gloves that Keith uses to probe and morph songs into twisted melodies. And Qbert is the slicing Stethoscope bringin the beautiful heartbeat of the track that is the DJ.

Please buy it and liberate your mind. Close off from the world enjoy.
This world is a disease ridden, impoverished quagmar and Dr Octagon is simply providing the medicine.

Intriguing but bog-standard hip hop, 04 Jan 2004
Despite this being praised by the media and hip hop fans everywhere, I ain't falling for it. Yes, it was completely different to anything else out at the time but sadly, that's all it is, different. I can say that there some pretty good moments here like 'Waiting List', 'Real Raw', 'Earth People' and 'Blue Flowers'. But I pity anyone who actually likes unlistenable garbage like 'No Awareness'. I mean, anyone could make a song like this by babbling utter nonsense that doesn't even rhyme over some tacky, effortless beat. "Dr Octagon" in summary, original and experimental it is. A spectacular and timeless album it is NOT!

Over-rated..., 01 Dec 2002
This album isn't terrible, though it certainly isn't a classic and doesn't deserve the props that it has got. Dan The Automater's yawn-tastic 'dark' beats bring nothing to the imagination and definately don't bring the best out of Kool Keith.

Sir Menelik, who I feel showed himself as one of the most progressive rappers ever on his Scaramanga debut, rhymes terribly on this, really poor and it's this feel of not fulfilling true potential in so many areas that makes this album fall short.

5.5 out of 5..., 06 Mar 2004
Judging by some of these reviews, 'Something Wicked...' doesn't appeal to a certain type of Herbaliser fan. In my opinion, the closed-minded ones. This album isn't leaning towards pretentious jazz, it's a mix of seductive downtempo grooves, fresh hip-hop and sleazy funk with some excellent production.

Admittedly, this album is a slight departure from the old Herbaliser sound, being less sample-based and with more emphasis on instrumentation - but the cheeky samples from old movies and public information films are still there, as is the clever scratching, catchy beats and awesome guest rappers. In any case, it's not as much a departure as a logical evolution of their style.

I suppose the only way you could dislike this album having been a fan of their previous work is if you are the sort of person who would dislike Barry Adamson's 'Murky World of...', and hence you probably wouldn't appreciate the cinematic lounge-funk-jazz hybrid that the backing to the Herbaliser beats has become.

I personally think the additional instruments give the album an epic, live feel, and shows that the Herbaliser are much more than just purveyors of high quality ambient hip-hop. Basically if you like quality hip-hop with stoned grooves such as Aim, you'll love this. If you are into bands like Quantic, Bonobo, Kinobe, Blue States - you should love this album too.

Not as good as other Harbaliser albums, 23 Feb 2004
Sorry - can't agree with the other reviewers (who gave 5 stars) here! I'm a huge fan of Herbaliser - Very Mercenary and Blow Your Headphones are stunning albums of low down, sampled up hip hop (and Session One is very good as well).

However this one seems to be leaning towards (slightly pretentious) jazz. Basically it is full of random doodlings and very little quality hip hop, and very few "songs" (just lots of ideas). Not a terrible album (there are some highlights - Something Wicked and Good Girl Gone Bad) but those expecting the usual full on Herbaliser (like me!) will be disappointed. Stick to the aforementioned albums unless you're a completist (sadly like me :)).

Something Wicked This Way Comes....Indeed!, 28 Feb 2003
I've only just purchased this CD, but already it has become my most highly adored of all time. I'm new to the 'Ninja Tune' label, but this album certainly does it justice. Something Wicked This Way Comes has a little something for everyone.

Whether it be the chilled out and euphoric sound of 'Something Wicked' which features the haunting vocals of 'Seeming To.' or it's incredibly funky 'Turnaround' this CD is simply...Amazing. The Herbalizer do justice to their already distinguished 'jazzy' sound with the enlightening 'Unsung song' and the truly superb 'Battle of Bongo Hill'.

This album also features some of the most talented MC's from both U.K and U.S hip-hop. Phi-life Cypher demonstrate yet again that they have some of the smoothest and fastest mic skills to date in the amazing 'Distinguished Jamaican English' and 'Blade' gives them a good run for their money with his unique lyrical content in 'Time 2 Build'

If hip-hop is your thing, then buy this! If funk is what you like, then buy this! If you feel you need a new, refreshing sound to keep your ears smiling then make sure 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' is soon to be a member of your Cd collection.
Top Class!!!

Herbaliser do it again - only better!, 25 Oct 2002
This is by far the best Herbaliser album so far. Whilst I agree that Blow Your Headphones was a classic, it now seems a little dated.

All tracks on Something Wicked are fresh and intense. I especially like Distinguished Jamaican English and Blade's Time to Build. The samples are wicked also - check out The Hard Stuff for the funniest sample ever.

Just awesome - if you like the Ninja Tune Label and The Herbaliser you should definitely check this album out.

;) Wicked, 20 Mar 2002
comin on like an episode of scooby doo in the london gangster underworld ,the herbaliser have produced a 21st century classic, smokey , sexy a very classy record indeed , the strings are wonderful the beats are produced to perfection and with guest spots by phi life cypher and mf.doom(amogst others) it is record you will own and love , perfect for a night in with the mates ,or a sensual getdown with the missus. its a very dope package.
;) Wicked

Supermodified is the stunning fourth album from Amon Tobin. Hard-edged tracks like "Four Ton Mantis" and "Saboteur" are juxtaposed against melodic downbeat excursions like "Slowly", "Marine Machines" and "Natureland". "Deo" fuses a Brazilian guitar sample with razor sharp break-beats that sound like Egberto Gismonti jamming with Squarepusher. "Precursor" (a collaboration with Montreal beatboxer Quadraceptor) merges off-the-wall scat rhythms with jazzy guitar riffs. "Golfer Vs Boxer" sounds like the bastard child of Innerzone Orchestra's "Bug In The Bassbin". Supermodified is an album where generic conventions get turned on their heads, as Latin, drum 'n' bass, bossa nova and jazzy instrumentation collide with genetically modified oscillations and polyrhythms: break-beats have been sculpted from spitting and farting; bass sounds have materialised from motorbikes and tubas. This all adds weight to the fact that Amon Tobin is a truly experimental artist who has mutated caustic beats with sumptuous melodies to produce a hauntingly seductive album. --Terna Heuston-Jibo

Insight, foresight, the clock on the wall reads a quarter past midnight..., 10 Jul 2007
I first got into electronic music a while ago, and frankly couldnt have asked for a better induction. I was recomended this by a friend when I said I liked the electronic stuff on Kid A and he told me that most of it was influenced by this man.
He was right, Shadow is a genius. His skill with a drum machine is matched only by his skill with a sampler and his talent for mixing, perfectly capturing an ever shifting mood with changes of tempo, time signature, key, instruments and genre. Its all captured here, like a beautifully preserved insect in a peice of amber. Jazz, soul, blues, and that ever present loaded-gun backbeat, tying every interesting sample and gorgeous melody together into an amazingly cohesive journey of beats.
It is, like the best albums, prismic and ever changing. Nothing is repeated, and everything is brilliant, but specifically, the best examples of its genuis are The Number Song, Stem/Long Stem, and the stunningly beautiful Midnight In A Perfect World. However, unlike The Private Press, you really have to lsten to it all, right through. You simply cannot skip tracks. the thought of missing anything...well...
Anyway, I would personally reccomend this to anyone new to electonic music, and when you're done here (as if you will ever be 'done' with Endtroducng) I reccomend The Private Press, anythng by Massive Attack (Mezzanine, Protection) and then for the unltimate in trip-hop, Dummy by Portishead.
Rejoice, brothers. Go forth and preach the gospel of the beat...

One of the most influential albums ever!, 12 May 2007
Ok, not too many adjectives can describe how good this album is, but it is important to point out how influential this album is. Basically there would be no Ok Computer (not just Kid A) without Endtroducing and they are considered to be two of the best albums ever, so it's logical to suggest that Endtroducing is better, something I always try and explain to Radiohead fans.

This is simply brilliant, I would not change a thing about the album and track 4, "Changeling" is just stunning. Buy it please.

Record breaking, 12 Mar 2007
Superb from start to finish - Shadow in his finest hour. The first album to be made entirely from samples. Sounds derivative? Buy it, listen and learn. May take you a few playings to get your head round some tracks, but don't worry you've heard most of it all before as ironically this is now one of the most sampled albums around, certainly by advertisers and tv execs. If you get a chance to see him live don't miss it..

good background music?? Not inspired, sorry, 09 Sep 2006
i dont know what to say about this really. I read the reviews like you are now and got the impression that this was some kind of undiscovered gem from way back in the day that id overlooked. Dont get me wrong this is a good album but its not inspiring like the reviews suggested