![]() While Rjd2 inarguably brings the heat with "The Chicken Bone Circuit," the track's breakbeats-on-steroids drums and haunting, minimalist piano sample too closely approximate DJ Shadow. as I stare at the ceiling." It's a rare display of emotional transparency in hip-hop, although it would be a bit unfair to classify Deadringer as strictly hip-hop. A smoky yet smooth vocal sample declares, "You are gone, I'm so all alone. The brief, simple sample that anchors the track is both melancholic and resilient. ![]() While hidden tracks tend to be gimmicky clunkers, this is a diaphanous slab of soul. And how the music drops before Copywrite comes with his second verse is a minor but brilliant touch.īut Deadringer's real jewel comes after the album is officially over. The interplay between the flamenco guitar, ringing synth, and shuffling breakbeat is transporting. ![]() But the symbiotic dynamic between producer and emcee is most evident in the incredible "June." The production seems understated and almost ordinary as Copywrite spits his verse, but in the long break between the first and second verses the hypnotic brilliance of the track crystallizes. Unlike other producer wunderkinds, Rjd2 never allows the production to overwhelm the vocalist, and as a result, both tracks are highly effective. "Final Frontier" and "F.F.H." prove that Rjd2, who got his start doing the production work for the MHZ crew, can still back up an emcee. The song's final joyful burst is so sublime that it alone justifies purchasing this album. "Ghostwriter," with its light, shimmering guitar work, alternating samples of 'mmms' and 'ahhs,' and chorus of triumphant horns, recalls the joyful loopiness that defined the best psych-pop of the mid-60s. Other strains of psychedelia can be heard throughout this album. maybe it'll bring my love to me." And while the track initially comes across as simplistic and retro, the subtleties of its execution are complex, transcending the genres that inform it. After a raucous intro, a throaty voice pops in and sings, "Who knows what tomorrow will bring, maybe sunshine, maybe rain. It's bluesy, eerily reminiscent of the cold psychedelia laid out by early Pink Floyd. It's time, time, time to understand the monster." These light, almost teasing moments, which are liberally sprinkled throughout the album, keep Rjd2's soundscapes from veering too closely into Shadow territory and help this album overcome the generally monotony of most music being labeled 'cinematic.'īut if you think you've got this record's number already, think again: "Smoke and Mirrors" totally flips the script. A flanged voice declares, "It's time, time, time to understand the horror. Opener "The Horror" kicks off with a jolting chorus of horns before quickly fading into a grandiose, cheeky sci-fi sample that sounds more playful than menacing. That's not to say that there aren't dark moments on Deadringer, but that Rjd2 maintains a stylistic consistency while oscillating emotions and moods at the drop of a hat, and that its ability to capture the various hues that comprise life's mosaic is a rare thing to find in today's music. It's funky, soulful and seems to draw more from The Beatles than it does Skinny Puppy. While the Shadow influence is evident throughout the album, Deadringer sounds absolutely nothing like anything else on Def Jux. Perhaps you should brace yourself before sliding this particular slab of vinyl onto the decks.
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