DJ Shadow Personally Delivers 12" to Eastern Europe Record Stores

DJ Shadow has personally delivered two new tunes, 'Def Surrounds Us' and 'I've Been Trying,' to record shops in Eastern Europe while on tour there.

It is part of a plan to release music by limited vinyl runs and downloads while the producer works on a new album set for release in 2011. A limited number of 12" singles has also been given to select stores in the UK and US, with artwork hand-drawn by Shadow himself.

The artist described the idea as "shop-placing." He said, "It's the opposite of shoplifting. You go into a store, and leave your record in the racks to be discovered later," he explains. "It's not about being cute, it's about passing the music along in the most unobtrusive way possible. No hype, no shouting, no shot-in-the-void online campaign. Just, 'Here you go... I'm glad you found it and I hope you enjoy it.'"

Shadow added every cover is different, "an ongoing series of cartoon doodles," and states he would rather give away free vinyl than downloads. "[They] are so impersonal and soulless. In 2010, it has become akin to sending your dad an e-card on his birthday; no personality, no class. And from an artistic point of view, I think it sends a negative message about the worth of the music."

His new tunes are also free to download from his web site, and will be available to buy from retail sites from Monday, Sept. 20.