There are two main types of popular musicians in our generation: those who buy guitars and those who buy turntables. For the former, perhaps the essential album is Experience Hendrix by Jimi Hendrix or Frampton Comes Alive by Peter Frampton. For the latter, the essential album, without a doubt, is Endtroducing by DJ Shadow.
When Endtroducing first came out in 1996, it was seen as a groundbreaking album for several reasons. First, DJ Shadow has little-to-no formal training on any instruments. Secondly, he was the first DJ to create an entire album using nothing but samples.
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It can be argued that his knowledge of music helped him create a unique sound, one that an entire generation of people has tried to recreate. Hip Hop and Electronica, as musical movements, have been influenced by the sound that DJ Shadow developed. He is certainly the foremost pioneer of electronic music.
Endtroducing starts out with an intro track that indicates that DJ Shadow has his roots in hip hop. The following tracks are nothing short of brilliant. The strong and steady beats layer with fluid melodies. The sound is intricate and immediately engaging and the tracks flow into one another flawlessly. Each track is worth a lifetime of listens.
The most striking songs on the original album are "Building Steam With a Grain of Salt," "Mutual Slump" and "What Does Your Soul Look Like." Especially the latter, because simply through listening one can actually answer that question. Also, pay attention to "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain" and "The Number Song." They might add meaning to your life.
The bonus disc features B-side tracks and great remixes. The remix adding the most oomph to the original is "Number Song [Cut Chemist Party Mix]." If it's a party mix, it has to be good. All of the remixes and alternate versions are worth checking out because they add something special to the originals.
Granted, the bonus CD is a nice bonus for any fan of Endtroducing, but the real treat is the album itself. This album is definitely essential for any music collection.