words by BBG, photos by Bryan Reilly

RJD2, not holding an MPC or a turntable

[Rjd2] first appeared in a robot suit, introducing himself using voice-processing software before jumping to his rig of turntables, samplers, and computers for a virtuoso half-hour mix of hip-shaking beats and fist-pumping hooks. Beneath a screen showing clips from B-movie horror films, shoot-'em-up gangster flicks, and '60s mod-rock performances, Rjd2 seamlessly worked in bits from throughout his catalog, from Deadringer's "Good Times Roll Pt. 2" to The Colossus' "Let There Be Horns."

But when he brought out a band and picked up an electric guitar for a 15-minute set of funk instrumentals and soul jam songs, the show lost momentum. While perfectly adequate, Rjd2's guitar-playing and singing on songs such as "Work It Out" lacked the crunch and euphoria of his DJ set.

The rest of the 90-minute show fared better and moved less jarringly from solo turns to duo work with drummer Sam Brown to a pair of full-band songs with singer Aaron Livingston. It flowed from visceral beats to dubbed-out spacey interludes to focused songs while rarely losing the groove - until the encore. Rjd2's range is impressive, but it needn't include an acoustic guitar ballad. - [A review of the Philly date via Philadelphia Inquirer]

RJD2 played Highline Ballroom on Sunday, March 7th, with Break Science and Happy Chichester as part of an ongoing tour to promote his new album The Collossus on RJD2's own imprint RJ's Electrical Connections. Pick it up in various forms.

He recently dropped a video for the track for the very 2001-esque "A Spaceship For Now" which is in addition ot "Let There be Horns" which surfaced earlier this year. Both are viewable below, along with full tour dates and a more pics from Highline Ballroom...

Continue reading "RJD2 playing Highline Ballroom w/ Break Science & Happy Chichester (pics), continues on tour (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: RJD2 - Games You Can Win (MP3)

"10 years! My god, that is a LIFETIME! I can't believe I have been making records on a national level for 10 years. In 1999, I was just making these little beats in my bedroom for release on an independent label. Fast forward to 2009, and I'm . . . making these little beats in my bedroom for release on an independent label. Okay, to be fair, some things have changed -- a bigger studio, I OWN the studio, I OWN the independent label, and instead of driving 10 blocks to a gig in my hometown, I fly 10 hours to a gig in another country. But when it all comes down to its most basic level, the goal is still the same -- to make a piece of music that is going to hopefully rearrange your brain, or at least provide some relief from real life for a moment or two." -RJD2

The first single, "Games You Can Win" (featuring Kenna), off RJD2's forthcoming record The Colossus (due January 19th), is available for free above. RJ will be touring - with a full band - behind the album in January, February and even into March when he hits Brooklyn venue Music Hall of Williamsburg (March 6th) and Manhattan club Highline Ballroom (March 7th). Both shows are with Break Science and Happy Chichester. Tickets for both NYC shows go on sale this week (Music Hall on sale Thursday, Highline on Friday). All dates, the new album art and more info, below...

Continue reading "RJD2 - new album, MP3 & 2010 tour dates (2 NYC shows)"