Shadows latest LP ‘Mountain Will Fall’ has most certainly divided opinion with some lauding it as a statement of Picasso esque risk taking and creative brilliance, whilst others have lamented its lack of crate digging samples and offish attempts at two modern day Goliath’s, Trap & EDM. Two genres that like the Philistine forces facing Saul’s Israelite’s have seemingly over powered the competition. However as we all know, just at the point of the Israelite’s inevitable surrender little old David turns up and slays Goliath, and with it all the pumped up posturing and presumed power of the Philistine forces. And this is perhaps were as an LP ‘The Mountain Will Fall’ ironically falls, choosing instead to side with the competition, where as perhaps like David it would have been better off taking a shot at them…
Now some will argue, well times, trends, and musical tastes change and those that aren’t willing to embrace change will ultimately get left-behind. A statement that most certainly should be heeded, especially in Business, however in Business it is equally well versed that you should endeavour to stick to what you now, your core strengths. In Shadow’s case that would be the traditional hardware cut and paste aesthetic of Hip-Hop – MPC’s, drum machines, crate digging and perhaps if he had combined these with his determination to explore new sounds we may have had another classic on our hands – imagine a Trap tune made exclusively on an MPC with crate dug samples! That said, despite its flaws, ‘The Mountain Will Fall’ still has it’s moments, one of which, ‘The Sideshow’, is about to get it’s own personal 12″ press and to borrow an RA comment on this track – it “is as ill as hell”.
Limited to 300 copies Worldwide ‘The Side Show’ is perhaps the closest we get to a forward thinking and traditionally rooted ‘DJ Shadow’ as he combines modern day techniques – Ableton, with his traditional core strengths of crate digging and scratching. Pre-Order your copy while you can [Click Here]
DJ Shadow feat. Ernie Fresh – The Sideshow
