DJ Shadow - The 4-Track Era Collection (1990-1992), 3xCD

Armed with just a Yamaha MT-100 4-Track cassette recorder, a stack of vinyl and an overwhelming belief in the progressive emergence of Hip Hop music, DJ Shadow stitched together hours of musical thought. Some sketches were elaborate and articulate, others brief and oblique. The common thread is experimentation, but not without adhering to the basic principles of what made Hip Hop so revolutionary, ie: Have fun. Say something important. Add on to the culture, but let your own voice be heard. Th ese volumes reveal what Shadow was saying at a time when only a few could listen... until now.

Volume 1: Best of the KMEL Mixes (1991). These were among the first all-rap (no R&B, no crossover) mixes to ever air on commercial radio in the Bay Area. Recorded in 1991 on Shadow's Yamaha MT-100 4-Track cassette recorder and mastered to DAT.

Volume 2: Best of the Remixes and Megamixes (1990-1992). Culled from the Reconstruction tape series, these tracks sh owcase Shadow's blitzkrieg cut-and-paste style utilizing the best music of the era. Everyone from Eric B & Rakim to Cutty Ranks and even TKA receive the Shadow treatment, to varied and remarkable effect. Previously heard only by a handful of A&R men, and specially mastered for this release via Yamaha MT-100 4-Track cassette recorder.