The eclectic and revered producer DJ Shadow has always been on the cutting edge. His discography is built around innovation and a genuine curiosity about what instrumental music can become then stretching his idea of it to its furthest extent. His fearlessness has led him down a plethora of sonic paths, all lined with a deep love for hip-hop. On his latest outing, DJ Shadow sounds as curious and passionate as ever. In another stunning display of his diversity, the producer unleashes Action Adventure, his most ambitious work to date.
For 14 jaw-dropping displays of song structure, DJ Shadow builds a conflicting narrative that creates a palpable tension on the album with only one clear resolution; more chaos. Action Adventure has DJ Shadow asking the question “What are drums and how can I change them?” Seemingly, the producer isn’t looking for a linear answer, more of an abstract, metaphorical one as he puts on a clinic of drum patterns on his latest.
Action Adventure feels like it is visiting us from the future and DJ Shadow is its catalyst to get some sort of message out. This space-aged outing has the producer diving into a colorful array of tones and emotions for a hypnotic display of instrumental madness. Each song carries a different purpose but are strung together ever so carefully for an album worthy of your full attention. DJ Shadow cut the breaks on alien-like creativity and allowed his loftiest ideas to become a reality, making for an unforgettable listening experience. While the album feels immediate, it never rushes to its point. These tracks toy with convection, taking tropes of beloved eras and genres and manipulating them for a refreshing, uniquely experimental set of tracks. DJ Shadow pulls from his storied career while keeping a watchful eye on the future and landing on an album brimming with infectious drum patterns, pure electronic chaos, and hints of the artist’s signature sample stylings.
Action Adventure asks more questions than it does provide answers, but that’s the point. The album is seemingly meant to explore possibilities rather than provide surface-level responses to the current landscape. The album kicks off with the single “Ozone Scraper”, a synth-driven track with enough bounce to keep the intense drum patterns just light-hearted enough. This is only the beginning of DJ Shadow’s nose dive into the juxtaposing textures that drive his latest. His synth work only intensifies on songs like “Time and Space” and “Friend or Foe”, but the lush textures of his playing are constantly being cut in half by fiery drum patterns. “You Played Me” has DJ Shadow flipping a soul classic and transforming it into a neon synthpop track, a true testament to the artist’s ability to pick a genre and make it his own.
The real star of the show is the drumming on Action Adventure. DJ Shadow pulls from the underappreciated electronic eras of pioneering hip-hop cities like Detroit and Los Angeles, bringing an era lost in time to the forefront of this album. Songs like “All My” showcase neck-breaking drum patterns and a repetitive vocal sample, making a dance track that fits just as well in a dance club as it does on this LP. A moment like “Narrow Escape” has DJ Shadow adding an undeniable swing to this sonic realm while “Forever Change” has the artist implementing modern hip-hop drums and adding a layer of syncopation for a refreshing take on the genre’s modern sound.
Action Adventure allowed DJ Shadow to explore and implement new techniques and the results are simply gorgeous. All of the risks taken and experiments conducted melted into a single full-length from a veteran artist who still has a hunger for what is coming next. DJ Shadow’s latest might be one of his best yet although the sonics of Action Adventure tell us that the artist is far from done evolving. Action Adventure is a tidal wave of dense textures that wash over the listener for a full-sensory rollercoaster ride through the restless creativity of DJ Shadow.
