A study in unique beats from the 90's
Anyone who is a fan of excellent electronic/hiphop/glitch/breakbeat/triphop/turntablism will tell you that DJ Shadow's first album Endtroducing is arguably the greatest album of all time. Funk and soul has always been incorporated into hip hop since it's creation. What makes this sound stand out is the texture. It's a sort of 'cut and paste' technique but he's not trying to hid it, he wants it to be noticed. The entire record was composed of samples of other records, minus the scratching of course. The layering of sample on sample on sample breathes a new found life and sense of beauty into lost music.
To the ear that has never heard Endtroducing, it may sound strangely warm and familiar. Look at the label and you'll notice with shock that it was released in 1996. Not until the era of "Stones Throw Records" will the world be graced with ghostly, smokey beats with such a broad variety of genres and influences. This album is a masterpiece, like Miles Davis' Bitches Brew before it, of J Dilla's Donuts after it.
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