Musician insists on "scratching his own itch", even if that alienates fans, writes Andrew Drever.

DJ SHADOW (aka Josh Davis) realised about four months ago that many long-term fans were panicked by his much-touted "new direction".

The first taste of his evolution (and of his third studio album, The Outsider) came when 3 Freaks, a collaboration with hardcore rappers Keak Da Sneak and E-40 that celebrated a twisted Bay Area hip-hop style called "hyphy", was posted on his website.

3 Freaks, a dirty, oppressive club banger with x-rated lyrics, was a surprise to those more familiar with the lush instrumental hip-hop of his classic 1996 debut album, Entroducing, or the eclecticism of 2002's The Private Press.

Internet chatter went into overdrive. Davis so incited further hysteria when he wrote on his website that the new album would see him "clean house" that he was forced in May to call for calm.

"There's been a lot of speculation as to the vibe of the new album," he wrote. "Some have predicted that the whole album is in the hyphy vein of 3 Freaks. To those people I say: RELAX . . . YOU'VE ONLY HEARD ONE SONG. The album is very diverse and reflects the fact that I don't fit comfortably in any one genre. In some ways it's a risky record. It's going to turn people off. And I think I'll lose some fans. On the other hand, I know I'll gain some new ones. That's a fair trade in my mind . . ."

Two months later, Davis is sitting in a hotel bar in South Yarra sipping tea. It is the day after the first of his three shows at the Palace in St Kilda. He looks healthy and fit but is in a very serious mood. He knows that he needs to explain the music on The Outsider, as it will shock a lot of people.

Although the album kicks off warmly with the upbeat soul of This Time (I'm Gonna Try it My Way), the first half is primarily consumed with hard-edged rap: the aforementioned 3 Freaks and the David Banner-fronted Seein' Things (a track that takes aim at President Bush's response to the hurricane Katrina disaster), the tense, antagonistic lyricism of Turf Dancing (featuring the Federation and Animaniaks), the claustrophobic Keep Em Close (fronted by hardcore rapper Nump), and the rollicking blues-rap hybrid, Backstage Girl.

But from there, things just get weirder. A baroque piano and a plucked harp duel on the Morriconne-ish Triplicate/Something Happened That Day, and then we're led through the tedious psychedelia of Tiger, the overwrought folk-pop stinker Erase You and the semi-mystic meditation tape rot of What Have I Done, before rapper Q-Tip and E-40 round proceedings out on a high note, with the Latin-flavoured Enuff and the fast-paced hyphy of Dats My Part respectively.

Davis admits that the intensely devoted cult fandom he has attracted will struggle with his new approach but after grappling with massive expectations since Entroducing, an album regularly cited in Top 10 all-time lists, he is defiant.

"I feel very comfortable with the music I'm making right now," he explains, "because I see where it fits into the continuum.

"I actually feel like this album is much closer to Entroducing than anything I've done since . . . because when I made (it) there was no public opinion of my music really, so I didn't feel any need to contribute to a broader legacy."

Davis is determined not to worry about whether his changing tastes in music is costing him fans.

"It seems like there (are) a lot of people who need 10-15 years to understand how everything falls into line," he rails, "and I just don't have time. I don't really feel like I have time in my life to keep connecting dots for people. This is what I do. This is what I like.

"I only make music to scratch my own itch, and I don't want to alienate fans but I would rather do that than alienate myself."

The Outsider is released tomorrow.