‘The Outsider’ is a record that will confound those who believed they had DJ Shadow pigeonholed. Working with several vocalists in styles spanning everything from hyphy – the Bay Area's newest hip-hop hybrid – to folk, from aggressive hardcore rock to left-field alternative dance, the album promises to be a wide-ranging affair.
“There's been a lot of speculation as to the vibe of the new album,” says Shadow. “It’s very diverse, and reflects the fact that I don't fit comfortably in any one genre. My critics see that as a problem, but I don't. I've never really fit into any one clique. That's why the album is called ‘The Outsider’.”
Long-term fans will see Shadow’s fingerprints all over the album with his trademark collage samples, voices and fragments of long-forgotten recorded dialogue front and centre. But there’s also something new in the mix.
“In some ways it's a risky record,” says Shadow. “It's going to turn some people off. And I think I'll lose some fans. On the other hand, I know I'll gain some new ones. That's a fair trade in my mind. Besides I can't see playing it safe at this point in my life".
‘The Outsider’ was put together over nearly three years and features collaborations with Q-Tip, Keak Da Sneak, Turf Talk, Kasabian, Chris James from Stateless, and David Banner. Expect many of these folk to accompany Shadow on his world tour, which has already passed through Asia and is now heading towards Europe and North America.
And it promises to be a real feast for the eyes as well as the ears. The RA review of his Melbourne date last month says the show boasts “some of the most amazing visuals ever seen at a gig in this country”.
