TURNTABLE LAB

DJ Shadow
Endtroducing 2LP

You know that really impressionable period in your life where you don't really know anything about anything, and you meet a bunch of cool people and they introduce you to a bunch of bands, movies, concepts, etc that you take as gospel, and you're really excited because you look around and are like "this is the golden age of me! Everything is new and exciting!" During this fertile time for me (AKA "college"), I heard the Portishead, Let Us Play!, and Endtroducing albums for the first time and, collectively, they BLEW MY MIND. I admit, this was a corny time for me (snowboarder pants + eyebrow piercing = ugh), but if I hear these albums I'll still bliss out idiotically to them. Fortunately, they're all watersheds of mid/late 90s electronic music production, and have dated well. The full length that established DJ Shadow as "the Jimi Hendrix of the sampler" (what does that even mean) is still an eminently impressive production debut, almost 10 years later. Everyone knows it was made entirely out of samples, but at the core of this album, each track transcends beyond this limitation and becomes something truly new, making it a desert island pick. OK, enough blowjobbing already, here are the songs: "Building Steam With a Grain of Salt(1)" has a crazy drum breakdown, "Number Song(2)" is based off a Metallica sample, "Changeling(3)" is in like 3/7 time, "Midnight In a Perfect World(4)" is a genre-defining masterstroke, and "What Does Your Soul Look Like Pt 1(5)" is the elegant capstone on the whole affair. If you were to ask me if this album is a must-own, I would stamp my fist into an open palm and screech "Yessssss!" 12 tracks total.
reviewed by the Woodman

file under:
downtempo + electronic - recommended / downtempo + electronic - vinyl / mo wax - vinyl / downtempo + electronic - all

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DJ Shadow
High Noon 12" (Original Pressing)

Ultra-rare DJ promo pressing (MW 063 DJ). Single sided. Limited stock.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - vinyl / mo wax - vinyl / downtempo + electronic - all / special edition + deluxe

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DJ Shadow
Preemptive Strike 2LP

Double album of Shadow tracks never released domestically. This is where to get the super-rare What Does Your Soul Look Like in its entirety as well as Shadows masterpiece Influx/Hindsight. Also features a remix of Organ Donor and the debut appearance of High Noon. Gatefold.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - vinyl / mo wax - vinyl / downtempo + electronic - all

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DJ Shadow
Stem 7" (Original Pressing)

Original MoWax deadstock copies (MW 058). Limited stock.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - vinyl / mo wax - vinyl / downtempo + electronic - all

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DJ Shadow
The Less You Know, The Better 2LP

multi-genre album from Shadow

For his fourth studio album, DJ Shadow explores a wide range of genres. Alongside the familiar cut-and-paste hip-hop/beats tracks, he ventures into metal, folk, blues, and more. The result is a mixtape-like album that hits on many levels, and despite the variety of ideas thrown into the mix, The Less You Know, the Better in its entirety come sounding coherent and articulate. For picks, check out the simple and beautiful "Sad and Lonely(1)," or the energetic, rocking "Border Crossing(2)" ("I Gotta Rokk(3)" also great on that rock note). The Bob Dylan-esque "I've Been trying(4)" also stands out, as does "Scale It Back(5)," a track featuring Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano. Another highlight of the album is "Stay The Course(6)" featuring Talib Kweli and Posdnuos of De La, a funkly, shuffling beat-driven hip-hop tune with the mcs trading quality verses.
reviewed by nakinboots

file under:
rock + new wave + 80/90s / new rock / downtempo + electronic - vinyl / mo wax - vinyl / and more

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Money Mark
Legitimate Pop Songs? 7" (Original Pressing)

Original Mo Wax deadstock copies from 1996 (MW 044). These tracks were recorded live with Kudo of Major Force West at the Rough Trade Shop in London. Limited stock.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
downtempo + electronic - vinyl / mo wax - vinyl / downtempo + electronic - all

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Unkle
Psyence Fiction 2LP

The second UNKLE project LP. A victim of the hyped to hell syndrome, we offer it a second chance. An obvious attempt at crossover with strange guest choices (Thom Yorke, Richard Ashcroft, Mike D, Kool G Rap, Alice Temple, Badly Drawn Boy, Atlantique), this effort was slap in da face to those MoWax fans expecting the smoky instrumental sounds of "Time Has Come." Many parts seem a little forced, but some moments are what Id expect from the duo of Lavelle and Shadow. It seems that they were trying to apply their ideas to new formats. "Rabbit in Your Headlights" is actually a pretty epic track (if you like the vocals). The equally mellow "Chaos" is a nicely produced female vocal track for listening to when none of the dudes are around. For the old UNKLE drum sound Lavelle and Shadow deliver on "Unreal and Guns Blazing." Plus, many production nuances that Shadow fans will pick up on and imitate. Stay away from side C, it blows. Whats up with the Beastie Boys recent terrible rhyming anyway? Although there are moments where their explorations work, sadly, the album as a whole fails to move me. As usual for recent MoWax releases, excellent 2LP Futura gatefold saves the day.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
mo wax - vinyl / downtempo + electronic - all

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