DJ Shadow Endtroducing….. on Vinyl: the 30th Anniversary Half-Speed 2LP

Last updated: 22 September 2026

What the DJ Shadow Endtroducing vinyl reissue is

This is a new pressing, not old stock with a sticker on it. The catalogue number is PIASC1129DLP, and the album comes on two LPs. Norman Records and Sister Ray both list it under that number, so look for it if you buy anywhere else.

Endtroducing….. was DJ Shadow's debut album. Sister Ray's tracklist for this edition has no bonus tracks, so what you get is the album itself, cut again at half speed.

How the 1996 album was made

DJ Shadow is Josh Davis, a producer who grew up in Davis, California. The label's announcement, as reported by DJ Mag, says he made the album with an Akai MPC60 MkII sampler, a Technics SL-1200 turntable and an Alesis ADAT tape recorder. He worked between his home studio and The Glue Factory in San Francisco.

Every sound on the album came off somebody else's record. That is why Guinness World Records lists it as the first album made completely from samples. The sleeve photo is set in a record shop, with two people working through the racks and one of them carrying a stack of LPs.

What half-speed mastering changes

On a half-speed cut, the master is played back and the lacquer is cut at half their usual speeds. As a result, the cutting stylus has twice as long to trace each groove. That helps it keep hold of the fast, sharp sounds that trip up a standard cut. Those sharp sounds are all over this album: scratches, clipped drum breaks and cymbals lifted off old funk and jazz records.

Even so, the result still depends on the deck it is played on. A half-speed master will not rescue a worn stylus or a turntable with no adjustable tracking weight. Is the person you are buying for still on a suitcase player? If so, my guide to the best budget turntables in the UK covers seven decks from £119 to £249.

What is on the four sides

Sister Ray's listing gives the running order side by side, so you can see where each track falls before you drop the needle:

• Side A: Best Foot Forward, Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt, The Number Song, Changeling / Transmission
• Side B: What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4, Stem / Long Stem / Transmission 2
• Side C: Mutual Slump, Organ Donor, Why Hip-Hop Sucks In '96, Midnight In A Perfect World
• Side D: Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain, What Does Your Soul Look Like Pt. 1 / Blue Sky Revisit / Transmission

The Barbican night with the BBC Symphony Orchestra

DJ Shadow is also touring the album across North America this autumn. Then, on Friday 18 December 2026, he plays the whole of Endtroducing….. at the Barbican with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Jules Buckley conducts, and the BBC Symphony Chorus joins them.

The Barbican lists the concert as sold out. So if you still want to go, returns are the only route in, and the Barbican's own page is the place to watch for them.

Where to buy it in the UK

Norman Records is the cheaper of the two at £28.49. It also limits orders to two copies per customer and offers 45-day returns. Meanwhile, Sister Ray charges £29.99 for the same catalogue number. Both are independent UK record shops, and both sell online.

Norman Records, £28.49

Sister Ray, £29.99

DJ Shadow's own shop sells the 2LP as well, but it prices it at $40 in US dollars. For a UK buyer, then, the two shops above are the straightforward way to pay in pounds.

Why it works as a gift

• A known album: it is 30 years old, so a fan already knows the music and gets a new pressing of it.
• The price: a double LP for £28.49, which keeps it under £30.
• The sleeve: the record-shop photograph suits anyone who still buys their records in shops.
• The timing: the Barbican concert on 18 December falls a week before Christmas.

Would they rather have a different record? My page on the To Pimp a Butterfly 10th anniversary vinyl covers Kendrick Lamar's 2015 album, reissued on vinyl for its 10th anniversary.

FAQs

Is the DJ Shadow Endtroducing vinyl reissue worth buying?

If the person you are buying for likes the album and does not own a good pressing, yes. The DJ Shadow Endtroducing vinyl reissue is a new half-speed cut on two LPs, and it costs under £30.

How much does the Endtroducing 30th anniversary 2LP cost in the UK?

On 22 September 2026 it was £28.49 at Norman Records and £29.99 at Sister Ray, both in stock.

Is Endtroducing really made entirely from samples?

Guinness World Records lists it as the first album recorded using only sampled sounds. DJ Shadow built it on an Akai MPC60 MkII sampler, a Technics SL-1200 turntable and an Alesis ADAT recorder, with no live instruments.

What does half-speed mastered mean?

The master is played and the lacquer is cut at half their normal speeds. That gives the cutting stylus more time on each groove, which helps with sharp sounds like scratches and cymbals.

Is this the first half-speed Endtroducing?

No. Sister Ray also lists a 25th anniversary half-speed edition, catalogue ARHSDLP007, which is now out of stock. The 30th anniversary 2LP is catalogue PIASC1129DLP, so check that number when you buy.

When is DJ Shadow playing Endtroducing in London?

On Friday 18 December 2026 at the Barbican, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jules Buckley. The Barbican lists it as sold out.

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