Back in form...4.5 stars
DJ Benny (AKA Ben A.) | Boston Burbs, MA | 01/23/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I don't know what other fans are hearing, but what I'm hearing is RJ's best release since deadringer. I think that he does want to be a singer/songwriter, but he also knows his strong suits with multi-layered sampling and does it well. "Let there be horns," "giant squid," and "the stranger" sound like they could fit right onto deadringer, and that alone is worth the purchase.
One of the things that was a pleasant surprise about this album was that even the singer/songwriter style tracks RJ pulled through on are miles better than the third hand in terms of energy, general structure, and especially the SOUL involved.
Throughout the album, whether they be the multilayered sampling compositions we're used to or not from RJ, you can still listen and tell based on his choice of instruments and arranging that its definitely his style.
If you were disappointed by the approach on the third hand, this new release should definitely satisfy you. It's a very refreshing approach to an album that I needed to hear very badly."
A Very Nice Progress/Regression
W. Hockaday | 01/20/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'm very pleased with this new album. From the start RJ grabs the listener and you're committed from that point forward. I love the Kenna track which has a very RJD2-style R&B synth to it. The track with Illogic gives you a verse, though short, that is packed to the brim with pure style. I had never heard the other two artists before this but though they were good pairing in quality to the Weightless MC. In the later part of the album RJ jolts you back to his love of the introduction coming mindfully late in the recording and sends a good reminder to the listener that he has only gone higher with this one. An album well-worth the awful $16, 18, or 20 you occasionally see tacked on to a CD, but at 10.99 - seriously, this is the definition of a steal."
Headphone Commute Review
Headphone Commute | 03/23/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Producing for over a decade, Ramble Jon Krohn, aka RJD2 is back with his fourth full length studio album, and all of the hype lives up to its expectations! With intricately cut up samples, funky percussion and original soul vocals, Krohn crafts an album full of tracks that have originally captured my attention back with Deadringer (2002, Definitive Jux). Two years later, Krohn has absolutely swept me away with his original take on instrumental hip-hop with Since We Last Spoke (2004, Definitive Jux). In 2007, Krohn got signed to XL and released The Third Hand, which is also available as an instrumental-only version. Getting signed on a major label landed Krohn on the road, touring extensively for two years. The mixed reviews and the constant performing must have been tiring... In 2009, he decided to take it easy, launch his own label, RJ's Electrical Connections, and get back to his original sound. This move is definitely welcome. The Colossus is the first new album for his label, on which he already re-released the extended version of The Horror EP, enhanced with a second disc full of live footage and the making of the music video; and a boxset of 12", reissuing Deadringer, The Horror, Since We Last Spoke, and Tin Foil Hat. The latter is a super nice limited release for all the collectors, titled 2002-2010. The Colossus is immediately solid, fresh, and welcoming to an audience looking for those soulful sounds and laid-back beats. Featuring vocals from Kenna Zemedkun, Phonte Coleman, Aaron Livingston (as well as a few of his own), and the raps of The Catalyst, Illogic and NP, the album lightly skips across songs and instrumentals, demonstrating that Krohn feels back at home, in his own studio, on his own label, doing exactly what he always loved to do! With The Colossus, RJD2 is back, and fans of instrumental sampled funkadelica will not be disappointed! Be sure to also dig up RJD2's obscure funky 39-track mix, Your Face Or Your Kneecaps, also known as Poorboy Lover Megamix, if you can find it in the archives. If you've never heard RJD2 before, prepare to fall in love if you enjoy DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Blockhead and Prefuse 73. And... start with his earlier output and work your way up to The Colossus."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1