Dj Shadow’s new album finally lands towards the end of this year and he’s just released another EP (entitled “I Gotta Rokk”) to give you a wee sneak peak of what to expect. While the original tracks on the EP are ok, tucked away at the end is this absolutely brilliant remix from Various Production.

The original of “I’ve Been Trying” is a fairly run of the mill melancholy acoustic number, but in the hands of Various it takes on another life. Stripping the vocal back and utilising just the main hook, it’s a moody chunk of electronica with a minimal approach to the drums. Percussion drops in and out with an old skool break wandering into focus every now and then while eerie atmospherics float overhead and a growly synth stab drops in occasionally.

Pick the EP up at Dj Shadow’s online shop.

Dj Shadow – I’ve Been Trying (Various ‘I’m Done Trying’ Mix)

The title track isn’t too bad either…

Dj Shadow – I Gotta Rokk

Dj Shadow’s new material arrived in a whirlwind of hype with free downloads being available for 24 hours, when the dust settled after all the commotion, this amazing Neil Landstrumm remix appeared without much fuss.

Landstrumm must be honoured to be the only official remixer allowed to touch Shadow’s new material and he’s done an amazing job. Brilliant bleepy electronica and dubstep rhythms wrap their way around some doomy pads and atmospherics and there’s a nice big crunchy bassline present throughout. It’s a brilliant remix and hopefully hints at some new Landstrumm material soon.

Available now at Dj Shadow’s online shop.

Dj Shadow – Def Surrounds Us (Neil Landstrumm rmx)

Another friday, another classic- this time in the shape of DJ Shadow‘s instrumental hip hop masterpiece “Endtroducing…..“.

Released to critical acclaim in 1996, on James Lavelle‘s Mo’ Wax label, the album was created solely using samples from other records put together on a Akai MPC60. Whilst nowadays there’s a glut of artists using computers to try and achieve the same result (not always successfully!) Shadow’s debut album legitimised turntablism as a genre in it’s own right.

I’ve put two of my favourite tracks below, but if you haven’t heard the album in its entirety I recommend you do.

DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World

DJ Shadow – The Number Song

Not more than 2 weeks ago we brought you a superb free LP “Best Laid Plans” from Glasgow based producer/turntablist Ronin. Well we have done it again with access to the free “Battledrums” EP just brought out on Nerve Breaks label.

After rave reviews it didn’t take long for Paul Reset, label boss of resurgent Scottish imprint Nerve to snap him up. Here is what Paul had to say about this excellent new exclusive free EP. (yes I did say free!!)

I was delighted when he agreed to put together an EP for Nerve Breaks and off to work he went! I’m very very proud to present “The Battledrums EP”. Taking a harder route than his debut album but keeping up the epic factor, this serves as a taster for his second album “Remixes From The Field”

1: “Quarantine”

2: “If You Fear Dying”

3: “Vicious Tradition”

4: “My Own Summer”

5: “The Battledrums EP (Seamless Mix)”

We thought the best thing would be to allow the man himself to give us the lowdown on “Battledrums” EP and its influences…..

These tracks are a taste of things to come, they represent the harder edge of the album. Trying to show as much variation in style as possible to reflect my range of influence, so the album ranges from the downtempo ways of the first LP to 190bpm efforts like the My Own Summer remix. Composition is a big part of what I’m doing so I like to think some songs span the whole spectrum within the same track.

The song choices for this EP are amongst the heaviest on the album to contrast with my previous stuff.

In making this new effort I set out to make what I was feeling, regardless of what genre any given track might then fall into. With any luck they’re still all very much “Ronin” tracks, so not to fret – there’s still all the dreamy, cinematic stuff pulling these tracks together. The tripped out, spaghetti western shit is still very much a part of my M.O, I just like to think I’ve got a bit more in there aswell now!

So down to the specifics, Quarantine samples primarily “In a Heartbeat” from the 28 days later soundtrack, the vocals are scratched and cut from a Thom Yorke acapella. On “If You Fear Dying” that is indeed Zach De La Rocha (RATM being one of my all time favourite bands) The track remixed is from his One Day As A Lion EP. Vicious Traditions is a rework of a track by The Veils, and My Own Summer I assume speaks for itself, that track just deserved a remix that took it in the opposite direction from the downtempo NIN remix!

I’d also like to add that although in places it might not sound it, I think this is very much a hip hop album, using “old school” hip hop techniques. 99% of it is still MPC work, filters & turntablism, its just used to different effect in parts.

In my (humble) opinion, the original hip hop of old sampled and remixed soul & funk records because that was the music of the time. I’m just doing the same thing with the music that I love from MY era. It just comes down to trying to be as honest as possible with the music I create.

Now that we have heard from him we thought you might also want to see him in action.