The Less You Know, the Better by DJ Shadow

The Less You Know, the Better is the fourth studio album by American hip hop producer DJ Shadow, released on September 30, 2011 by Island Records. As with his previous efforts, it relies extensively on samples, which span different genres and time periods. The album sees Shadow exploring many genres and production styles, from fast-paced tracks prominently featuring guitars and scratching to slow tracks featuring pianos. Contributions came from a wide range of artists, including Talib Kweli, Afrikan Boy, Posdnuos, and Tom Vek. The album received mixed to positive reviews, with critics being divided over its mix of styles. General consensus among critics was that despite its shortcomings, it was an overall solid effort and an improvement over Shadow's previous album The Outsider (2006). The album's release was preceded by the singles "Def Surrounds Us" / "I've Been Trying" and "I Gotta Rokk", as well as the EPs Scale It Back and I'm Excited.