The Outsider

The Outsider
Label: Universal
Length: LP
Rated: NONE
Media: CD
Format: Album
WorkNameSort: Outsider, The
Ever since DJ Shadow’s near-revolutionary 1996 debut, Endtroducing, fans of his freaky sonic juxtapositions have long hoped he’d one day match the feat. And while The Outsider doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it confirms the fans’ faith that DJ Shadow’s iconoclastic mix of hip-hop intent, rare records and fascination with universal dread remains unparalleled. Once you get past an overload of gangsta hip-hop, The Outsider offers Radiohead-inspired Arabic pop, breezy R&B guitar solos, dreamy harps, Fistful of Dollars ambience and some ominous spoken word. The ’70s-inspired ‘This Timeâ?� mashes corny Matt Monro-styled vocals against a nervy shuffle beat and swinging strings; ‘3 Freaksâ?� combines bouncy breakbeats with an Eminem knock-off; ‘Artifactâ?� rages like some Korean punk band circa 1980 and ‘The Tigerâ?� could be an outtake from Thom Yorke’s The Eraser. DJ Shadow sounds more scattered today than yesterday, but the artist, or The Outsider, always reflects the culture at large.

This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2006.