Pre-Emptive Strike [VINYL]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
This set compiles much of DJ Shadow's pre-major label material in one convenient package in an attempt to foil bootleggers and bring new fans up-to-date in the curriculum. The results are naturally varied, but all point to a marvellous evolution of talent. The collection is kept together primarily by its propensity for jazzy beats and psychedelic loops. Shadow (né Josh Davis) moves through everything from old school funk ("In/Flux") to grungy 1960s-style guitar rave-ups ("High Noon"). The centrepiece of the set, however, is a four-part composition called "What Does Your Soul Look Like", which is likely to be the first ever entirely sample-driven rock opera. It's a brilliant piece of work, laced with intriguing sounds, sound bites, and a detectable set of motion. It is also quite possibly better than anything on the critically -acclaimed Entroducing. --Aidin Vaziri

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Description
PREEMPTIVE STRIKE is less a second full-length effort from the Bay Area's finest hip-hop-minded deconstructionist DJ Shadow, than a sextet of older odds patched together with a pair of newer ends. All of these songs have previously appeared as import Mo Wax 12"s, but only two ("High Noon" and "Organ Donor [Complete Overhaul]") have come in the wake of Shadow's debut.
It is easy to distinguish the old from the new. Pieces like the four extremely different parts of 1995's hip-hop symphony "What Does Your Soul Look Like?", which takes up about half the album, are spacious; the myriad of samples breathing in between fluid, husky beats and melodies liftthe music out of any pre-conceived sampledelic morass. Whereas "High Noon" is tight, edgy and fiery; all psyche guitar groove, tribal drums and preachy voices. So it seems that what Shadow's music may have lost over the years in zen-like meditation it has gained in intensity-per-measure, an important trait for a dance-floor-commanding DJ.

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Customer reviews

review by: fozma date: 2005-11-04 rating:
Buy Entroducing and Private Press first.
Im pretty new to DJ Shadow, though i had quite thoroughly listened to Endtroducing and Private Press before obtaining this. Personally i found the centerpiece "What does your soul look like" a little dull, a fleshed out version of "What does your soul look like, pt4." on Endtroducing.
However, everything else is hugely entertaining, the highlights for me being the unforgettable "Organ Donor" and the sublime "High Noon"

My advice however is: Buy Entroducing and Private Press first.

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review by: date: 2002-01-24 rating:
Great Tracks but we've been given this before!
For those of you who don't already have Endtroducing, stop now, click off this page and buy that now.

For those of you who are still here I can tell you now this album is more shadow, which is a VERY good thing - however, I personally feel just a touch "fobbed off" by this release - you ownly really get 5 new tracks (Two parts of "What does your soul look like" are simply mirrored from Endtroducing) and the remix of Organ Donor is nothing too new and groundbreaking. However, there are three tracks on this album that are up there with his best - High Noon, an upbeat guitar driven track and What does your Soul look like parts 2 & 3 are nothing short of amazing...

Worth it for these three tracks alone but shurley this is an EP relase rather than a full album?

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review by: date: 2001-09-13 rating:
Another excellent Dj Shadow release.
Though more of a subtle and moody album, and as such less commercial that Dj SHadow's first album proper, this compendium of vinyl releases is utterly indespensible to a fan. The songs meander and rely more on phrases evolving than on making the trip-hop tunes of 'Entroducing', but it's more emotional and, you suspect, more honest than that ever was. If you thought 'What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4)' on 'Endroducing' was good, wait until you hear all of it. The only downer if the lack of the 'High Noon' b-side 'Devil's Advocate' and the other lost Dj Shadow gem 'Third Decade, Our Move', but these would probably throw the mood out anyway. All in all an excellent album from one of the greatest musical minds of the past ten years.

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review by: a traditional modernist date: 2001-06-13 rating:
What is it about this?
This album probably has a hidden meaning its so deep. I dont know what hidden message their might be, perhaps something religious judging from WDYSLL. Hidden meanings aside, it is a fantastic album, less disjointed than Endtroducing. It flows so well, offering an unbelievably chilled style, finishing with Organ Donor. Whilst Organ Donor is probably the "least good" track, it is an absolute classic, as has been said, it is a more exciting track. But all the tracks are exciting once you have got into them. All his tracks get better the more you listen to them. My advice, listen to them, and listen to them in their entirety. If you dont think its boring, listen harder... you hear what I mean? Listen a few hundred more times. Right, now you will enjoy the album like I do.


review by: nixey date: 2001-02-02 rating:
Reflective shadow
As you've probably already heard/read, 'Endtroducing...' is the place to start if you're new to Shadow but if you already own that LP and enjoy it (which, frankly, you most likely will do if you own it) then I highly recommend Pre-emptive Strike. If you could select four-and-a-half stars then I would but as it is I would judge this album as falling nearer the 4-star category. The upbeat, dominant breaks of High Noon and Organ Donor (think the original with much needed beats and scratching) aside, the tracks are generally less "commercial" (ie mass-appealing) than 'Endtroducing...'; they explore the depth of Shadow's more pensive side, reflective hip-hop through and through. Stand-out tracks for me are WDYSLL Part 2 and Organ Donor Extended Overhaul. Go buy!

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