RJD2 is one of the biggest risk-takers in the business. Over two albums he has proved his mettle in the studio, making eclectic, soundtrack-worthy melting pots of sleazy lounge, indie rock and 70s funk, while maintaining his status as a hip-hop producer with an ear for leftfield samples.
Third time round he's not so lucky. Here he abandons hip-hop altogether for a less sprawling style that can only be described as chaotic, clumsy and vague. He probably meant to create something moody and texturally diverse; instead this sounds as haphazard as a classroom of keyboard players all trying to outdo each other. It's no surprise to know that everything was written, produced and performed by RJD2 in his home studio. He probably barricaded himself in.
If the melodies were fully formed, that multiple-layering, one-man-band approach might work but the songs mostly skitter along on the premise of an edgy idea that never quite realises its full potential.
Work it Out is a perfect example of his control-freak approach. It's as though he was determined to lay down all the vocals and guitars, then stick in as many gimmicky electronics as would fit over the top.
It's not all frustrating. The gangster-rock groove of Get It sounds more like classic, DJ Shadow-era RJD2; Have Mercy and Law of the Gods, though awkward, are his most vivid musical ideas. Elsewhere his meandering vocals (Beyond the Beyond) stretch the songs beyond their natural capacity. RJD2 is an adventurous man but here it seems he has moved too far away from his strengths.
Verdict: Production overwhelms tunes on muddle of an album
