DJ Shadow explains how "You Played Me" came together

DJ Shadow breaks down the Jan Jerome-inspired track "You Played Me" off Action Adventure. He plays the Concert Hall Feb 3rd.

DJ Shadow releases new album, Action Adventure

Writes DJ Shadow...

My new full-length album, ‘Action Adventure,’ is released today. There are 14 tracks, encompassing my most recent musical thoughts and ideas. The album has no guests, no collaborations, and no features. As such, it represents a wholly personal artistic statement, albeit one indebted to countless sources of inspiration: the samples I use, the artists I respect, the genres I admire, and those close to me, past and present, who have encouraged me and supported my journey. If there are to be more albums in the future, I’ll be grateful. But if this is to be the last…because indeed, one never knows…it would be a fitting end to a charmed life in music. I hope it finds a place within your own sonic tapestry. 

– DJ Shadow, Oct 27, 2023

Listen here: https://djshadow.lnk.to/actionadventure. 

DJ Shadow plays The Concert Hall in Toronto on February 3. Tickets on sale November 3 at 10 am right here.

DJ Shadow announces new album "Action Adventure" on the way

Shadow is eschewing big name collaborations for a more personal statement on Action Adventure. First single out soon.

Here's the scoop from Shadow...

I’m excited to announce to you that my new album is almost here.

Drumroll please…the title of the new album is…

ACTION ADVENTURE

…And I’m REALLY excited about it. There are 14 tracks, and all but one is instrumental. This, by definition, places it closer to Endtroducing and The Private Press in terms of personality and feel, but this is no throwback. The songs represent my continued evolution as a producer and songwriter, and I can honestly say that I couldn’t have made these tracks even a few years ago. Objectively, I hear maturity and growth. The arrangements are sophisticated but efficient, the programming more deliberate. As the title would imply, there’s a wide variety of moods and a premium on melody and texture, with the intention of maximum emotional impact.

Why no big-name collabs? I guess after my last two albums, which had a TON of guests, I needed to get personal and make music for myself again. I didn’t want to compromise or write music to give someone else a runway, I wanted to force myself to permeate every available sonic space and “own” the total composition. Time after time, I found myself writing songs that felt vocal-resistant somehow, so rather than fighting something organic, I embraced the challenge…and “Action Adventure” is the result. I can’t wait for you to hear it!

The album will be out in late October or early November, but the first single will be out THIS MONTH. Expect quite a bit of activity from me over the coming weeks, including more live dates (FINALLY).

As always, thank you for your support, and stay tuned for more announcements coming soon!

– DJ Shadow

For more info, visit DJ Shadow's site right here and check out his Rappcats pop-up on September 16 and 17.