Every once in a while something comes out that really makes people stop for a minute. This is one of those releases. Originally released on Def Jux back in 2002, Deadringer was RJD2’s full length debut. By this point he had already made a name for himself in the underground circuit as producer for Megahertz/Mhz, but I don’t think many people fully expected Deadringer to be this much of an accomplishment. The first three tracks are a pretty good gauge for where the album stands. It begins with the giant sci-fi scope of “The Horror,” followed by the mellow soul of “Smoke + Mirrors,” and finally the arena rocking “Let The Good Times Roll pt 2.” All of them are expertly constructed pieces of sample-based production, working with big themes while maintaining that elusive soulful element. Most importantly, the tracks have movement: rolling through beat changes, hook driven choruses, tastefully placed vocal samples and skratch sessions. For further evidence check out “Ghostwriter” and “2 More Dead.” Its pretty hard not to make the knee-jerk Shadow (Endtroducing) connections here, but that really isnt such a bad thing. 16 tracks total, three with emcees including “June” with Copywrite.
- double vinyl repress
- music label: Def Jux 2002 / RJ’s Electrical Connections 2015