Rjd2 - A Time to XL (Web)

Given the disparate critical plaudits piled on top of his first two albums, some might say that it's high time for Ramble John Krohn (AKA RJD2) to make a serious move for the mass attention that his innovative psychedelic grooves deserve, but which way will he choose to play it?

Having amicably departed from hip-hop label Defjux with the recent realisation of an LP that even they found off the wall, The Third Hand quite appropriately sees RJ taking a substantial gamble, with poppy compositions riddled with subtle soul, funk and piano rock textures. The Skinny recently asked which other cards the virtuoso producer was holding as he settled into his new spiritual abode beside the likes of Thom Yorke, M.I.A. and Ratatat at XL Recordings.

Big changes are evident on The Third Hand, but in which ways do you personally feel your style has evolved – excuse the heinous pun - Since We Last Spoke?

"(Laughs) I've built a studio, so I now have a lot more tools at my disposal. There are certainly a lot more elements to this record, and I think it's more cohesive, not jumping around completely. But ultimately that's for you to decide, I think."

With the unconventional song structures you use, how do you deal with the potential for a track to lose its way? Is it simply a matter of trusting your gut?

"There is an episode of The Wire where one of the cops says she needs to look at a scene with "soft eyes". That's exactly how I look at song structures. There's some gremlin in the back of your brain that knows how the song needs to go, the hardest part is accessing that voice."

As you continue to record, there seems to be more of a leaning towards a traditional song structure and a firmer reliance on live instrumentation. Have you had any inclinations to go the way of say Dan "The Automator" Nakamura (see his recording relationship with JSBX) and produce a full on rock record?

"I actually think of this as a full on rock record, in a way. At the end of the day, I just see any element as a tool, just like I did doing sample-based music. I think once these things all get summed up in a setting of live instruments, it maybe starts to seem like a huge turn. I try not to think about it too much, just do my thing, you know?"

Humour us for a minute though; say you found yourself in a situation where you were expected to extract an extra element from a band that you're fond of, who would you want to record? Remember, you're on the same label as the White Stripes now…

"Hmm, I think being in the studio with the White Stripes would probably not be the worst thing in the world? Maybe? There's a lot. I would LOVE to just sit down with the dude who writes all the Dungen stuff and do a record. Im a huge fan. There's an r&b dude in Philly that I may get to work with, he's a singer/songwriter guy that's really great. I'm sure there's tons…"

Lets address the label movement for a minute, do you have any comment on your departure from Defjux? Did EL-P let you fly the nest without a fight? No ego waxing intended here - ok, maybe just a wee bit - but it's no big secret that you've been one of their most successful acts…

"(Laughs) Thanks for the wax! I don't have any misgivings with 'jux or anything, I just wanted to be in a position where the label really understood what I was doing and recording, and my guy at XL really, genuinely had an appreciation for the record, more than anyone I had considered, and that was the deciding thing for me."

From a recent blog on your personal homepage, it seems that, given the promise of exceptional sound quality, you have embraced the download era, even deeming it "the way to live." However, as a DJ, do you feel at all concerned - even in some old romanticised sense - by the potential for a tangible piece of vinyl to become yet more marginalised as digital music takes over?

"I don't want to be the guy bitching about what's changing in the world of music, and how everything isn't the way that it used to be, because you've got to take the good with the bad. I think there are ups and downs to downloading; if people don't want a big 12" piece of cardboard and plastic, then there's no point in lamenting its marginalisation. I do worry about one thing, which is the potential for young people to appreciate the full length album as an artistic medium, but I don't think it's going to stop. There are too many people that are already in love with the experience of a good full length album, so I don't think it's going to die out or anything."

So you don't waste time stressing over the whole manual vinyl scratchwork vs. advancement in digital sound manipulation debate?

"Not really. Once I realised what Serato do (that is, to ostensibly transfer the time-stretching and pitch-shifting sensibilities of vinyl scratching to digital audio), I signed up immediately. I'm using it this week at my club gigs. Besides, how hilarious would it be for young kids to be digging through piles of CDRs at a flea market in 2050? That will be funny as shit."

A mate of mine was unable to listen to Deadringer for a couple of years, after an encounter with it during a few puffs of the 'philosopher's blend' sent him temporarily delusional. Throughout your time as a recording artist, has it been a conscious intention to produce layered compositions or is the aim of your music more finite than that?

"(Laughs) The ultimate buzzkill is what I was going for at the time. No problem, you know, in a funny way, the process of making music - Deadringer included - killed my interest in smokables! What's really fucking my head up is that I now have to choose between layered compositions and accessible pop - the whole time I thought they were the peanut butter and jelly of life…"

Your music has recently been used on numerous advertising campaigns... most notable of which is with Levis. That's a dangerous game in itself, remember Babylon Zoo? Even as a fundamental part of an artist's trade – to push music out there - a move like this is always inevitably perceived as "selling out" by some. What are your thoughts on that age old notion?

"I laugh my way to the bank… just kidding. Sort of. Seriously? I think that we are moving in a direction where fans accept those kinds of things… I see a change in peoples' reaction over the last few years. Maybe people realise that they have no right to bitch when they downloaded the record in the first place?"

The RJD2 sound has changed significantly since the first LP and your vocals have become a prominent feature. In what way has your vision changed since you started?

"I still truly completely love the pursuit of a good song. It's very addicting. In a way, I think it's the same pursuit that I've always had, I just have more techniques, tips, and tools available to me now."