dusty and delicious
RJ is on tour now (I'll be at the show at Northsix tomorrow night, in case anyone else is going), but he released this LP on both CD and wax containing instrumentals from some of his best work, as well as a slew of instrumental b-sides and unreleased cuts. even though this is entirely non-vocal and mostly non-album, and the CD looks pretty bootleg (even though it's supposedly on his own Bustown Pride label), the whole thing gives a solid listen, and has held up as well for me with repeat listenings the same way his albums have.
as far as I can tell, this track is the instrumental from an Aceyalone collab that showed up on a compilation called Disco Pogo For Punks In Pumps Vol. 9 on Jockey Slut records. and I know nothing about any of that. but the song itself stands out from the collection in that is takes a softer, more synth-y approach to production that RJ often seems to shelve in favor of his dusty sampling obsession. furthermore, the two drum tracks compliment each other nicely, and the whole thing emerges as distinct and somewhat refreshing when you stack it up next to his tried-and-true formulae for sample-heavy hits. not that I have anything against those, I just enjoy seeing another side to his work. I have to say, I was nervous about where he was going post-Deadringer, and after the phenomenal Since we last spoke and this collection, I'm convinced that he's in this for the long run. he's one to watch the way everyone watched Shadow back in the early 90's.
you can buy this and all of his other releases at the Turntablelab, so [buy some already].