Rating: NNN
Those expecting RJD2 to deliver Dead Ringer Part 2 or some dope collabos with Vast Aire and Aesop Rock will be sadly disappointed by Since We Last Spoke (out Tuesday). The Def Jux studio savant has turned his back on the beats ‘n’ rhymes basics of hiphop as well as the nerdy ambient breakscape schtick of his backpack producer contemporaries and instead draws on the dual inspiration of 70s prog rock and Windy City soul in search of the almighty groove. The sonic shifts are so radical, it seems like each song was recorded by a different artist. This makes Since We Last Spoke come off like a CD-R comp from a slouchy Ohio pal with some crackly Donny Hathaway and mid-period Led Zeppelin recordings he’s eager to share. It would’ve been a much more intriguing listen if RJD2 had a better record collection. Competent scratch DJ RJD2 drops his new shit and some vintage remixes at the Phoenix Monday (May 17).
