SALON

Wednesday, Feb 4, 1998 8:00 PM UTC

DJ Shadow

Sharps & Flats is a daily music review in Salon Magazine

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Topics: Music,

This is what DJs do to themselves: They erase the specific features of their own form and give life to the turntables, the mixing board, the vinyl. What remains of the DJ is a silhouette that floats behind the tables and flows out onto the dance floor, where people cry out its name. Not that the DJ is anonymous or lacking in personality. There will always be DJ superstars — the Larry Levans, the Red Alerts, the Dr. Dres. But the personality is in the music. When you call out their name in the midst of dance-floor ecstasy, you don’t want them physically — you want their music, you want for them to respond with more of their magic. You want to see the shadow.

Josh Davis of Davis, Calif., aka DJ Shadow, trusts in the allure of the shadow, which is why he’s so comfortable letting his sample cut-and-pastes spiral with no visible axis besides an erstwhile beat. Shadow uses no vocalists in the traditional sense, no singers or rappers on which to hang his works. And working in his studio, he’s freed, too, from the rhythmic consistency that the dance floor demands. In this freedom, he fuses hip-hop break beats with forays into soul, funk, jazz, New Age, classical and real-life-whatnot — whatever catches his ear. The results, collected first on 1996′s “Endtroducing” and now on the new “Preemptive Strike” (which compiles the singles he released in England on Mo’ Wax prior to “Endtroducing”) are long, winding rivers of sound that flow unceasingly toward beauty and revelation: chaos-theory tone-poems, sample symphonies and po-po-mo concertos.

The songs on “Preemptive Strike” don’t vary widely from those on “Endtroducing.” They are equally exceptional and boundary-free: If it makes sense to Shadow, then it makes sense — any sound can fit with any other sound. “In/Flux,” released originally in 1993, floats flute trills and quiet soul-synths over a laid-out break beat and some high-pitched scratching, before switching gears into anxious vibes. For vocals, he samples people speaking and reading poetry, testifying to revolution and change. “What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 2),” which came out in 1995, opens with horns and a Celtic-sounding hymn and morphs into a slow, dark guitar line buoyed by a rickety-snare, which becomes a full-kit crashing over organ and flute. And it goes on and on, with scratching, distorted vocals and synth washes.

The two newish songs are “High Noon” and “Organ Donor” (remixed by Q-Bert), which were both released as singles last year. They are manic, action-filled tracks, with organs, synth fuzz and a fun-house, comic-book aesthetic. It’s a step away from the dreamy, laid-back funk of the past, toward a sillier, faster groove that vibes on drum ‘n’ bass while also freaking out on it. It’s weird, but it works. The Shadow may be elusive, but he’s always true to form.

Natasha Stovall

Natasha Stovall is a regular contributor to Salon. More Natasha Stovall.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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