Description
Endtroducing..... is the debut studio album by American music producer DJ Shadow, released on September 16, 1996 by the British independent record label Mo' Wax Recordings. The album is known for being composed almost entirely of sampled content, most of which originated from various vinyl records obtained by DJ Shadow during trips to record shops. Endtroducing..... was produced by Shadow in the span of two years using minimal amounts of equipment, most notably the Akai MPC60 sampler. In creating the album's overall atmosphere, he strived to capture the downbeat nature of his previous releases for the Mo' Wax label. The album's content features both moody, slow-paced tracks and upbeat jams reminiscent of DJ Shadow's early hip hop influences.
In the United Kingdom, where DJ Shadow had already established himself as a rising act, Endtroducing..... was released to positive reception. It reached the top twenty of the UK Albums Chart and was later certified gold. Mo' Wax issued four singles to promote the album, including the chart hits "Midnight in a Perfect World" and "Stem". However, it would take considerably longer for Endtroducing..... to find success in the United States. Upon completing promotion of the album and returning to his hometown of Davis, California, DJ Shadow primarily devoted his time to creating new music. After this period, significant interest in Endtroducing..... began to build in the American music press.
Endtroducing..... received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised DJ Shadow's approach to sampling and the beats he created from samples. It ranked highly on various year-end lists of the best albums of 1996. The album is considered to be a landmark work in the instrumental hip hop movement, with DJ Shadow's innovative sampling techniques and arrangements influencing other producers to create similar sample-based works. Endtroducing..... has since appeared in several publications' lists of the decade's greatest albums.
