Who's Diggin' J Dilla's "Donuts"?

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by the way, i think this is better than avalanches. it kind of misses the peaks but it's much better in the low points and overall.

vahid (vahid), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:16 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm not sure I follow the Avalanches comparisons, it seems like they're both going in different directions or something; it seems like the much better comparison is madlib. But then I like the Avalanches a lot and while Donuts sounds nice in short bits I really have trouble following the whole thing. Beautiful moments just seem to even out when they follow each other so quickly and incompletely.
I think I just like Jay Dee's rap beats better.

deej.. (deej..), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:33 (eighteen years ago) link

avalanches comparison = 1 minute loops of soul/funk/old school samples arranged into a 1 hour mix.

vahid (vahid), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:45 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah I mean it seems logical but they sound so entirely different; its like two artists using the same instruments but one makes funk and the other, I donno, salsa or something. Because the Avalanches has this forward momentum, this sense that you are listening to a 'dance set' where it picks up speed and *goes* somewhere. But Dilla sounds like he's enjoying the moment, I guess? Less dance-oriented, certainly. I'm going to have to think about this more to express what I mean effectively. I enjoy both of these, but Dilla's album is like idea, new idea, new idea, etc. and the Avalanches had some sort of flow and a better sense of uniting ideas into songs.

deej.. (deej..), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:52 (eighteen years ago) link

Avalanches was a collection of moments united into songs, Dilla is just the moments with no effort to contextualize. Does that make sense?

deej.. (deej..), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:53 (eighteen years ago) link

yes i recognize the distinction. on a formal level, i think the sound is very similar (esp in the stretch from tracks 15-25 on jay dee's cd), but i agree that mood and vibe-wise it's very different.

vahid (vahid), Sunday, 12 February 2006 04:27 (eighteen years ago) link

should i listen to the avalanches?

team jaxon (jaxon), Sunday, 12 February 2006 06:17 (eighteen years ago) link

also, vahid, do you have any of these major force mixtapes you were comparing the album to upthread? i'd love to hear one. what are they like?

team jaxon (jaxon), Sunday, 12 February 2006 06:18 (eighteen years ago) link

how did he die? that's sad...

M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Sunday, 12 February 2006 15:41 (eighteen years ago) link

three different causes are being reported: kidney failure, liver failure, and some bone marrow condition...I'm not sure which is correct

Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Sunday, 12 February 2006 15:50 (eighteen years ago) link

He had his heart broken by this thread, and just faded away.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 12 February 2006 16:44 (eighteen years ago) link

RIP Dilla! u the man

one of the best producers in the game - these guys dont know what there on about. Cant wait for your other stuff to be released that you were workin on before u passed!!

if u guys dont respect dilla as a producer im sorry u dnt know what ure talkin bout!

Miniface, Wednesday, 15 February 2006 16:19 (eighteen years ago) link

is that the first time a googler has directly addressed the subject of a thread that was deceased?

Alex in Baltimore (Alex in Baltimore), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 17:00 (eighteen years ago) link

is this the first time youve aloofly commented on ilm?

,,, Wednesday, 15 February 2006 17:06 (eighteen years ago) link

if anyone's interested, i uploaded two cdr beat tapes that were passed around for a while. they're like 50 tracks each of sketches. some of the tracks from 2004 ended up on Jay Lib, some from 2005 ended up on Donuts & the new spacek. they show how incredibly experimental he was. so many commonly used samples (dee lite, was a dog a donut) that he flips so hard they're almost unrecognizable.

http://rapidshare.de/files/13365085/Beat_CD_2004.zip.html
http://rapidshare.de/files/13365373/Beat_CD_2005.zip.html

team jaxon (jaxon), Thursday, 16 February 2006 00:08 (eighteen years ago) link

also, i listened to donuts this morning on the way to work and it sounds like a hip hop version of Akufen

team jaxon (jaxon), Thursday, 16 February 2006 00:09 (eighteen years ago) link

Thanks a lot – 2005 is great.

Orange (Orange), Thursday, 16 February 2006 23:25 (eighteen years ago) link

two months pass...
Finally listening to Donuts and it's just a joy. Everyone who walks by asks for a copy.

Jax, if you'd like to pass along those Beat CD's, I'd be mighty appreciative.

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 15 May 2006 21:22 (seventeen years ago) link

I was listening to this album over and over again last month

Chris Bee (Cee Bee), Monday, 15 May 2006 21:28 (seventeen years ago) link

Only a small handful of mediocre tracks

Chris Bee (Cee Bee), Monday, 15 May 2006 21:29 (seventeen years ago) link

track #1, track #17 are standouts.

The Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Monday, 15 May 2006 21:37 (seventeen years ago) link

czech yr email, duder

jäxøñ (jaxon), Monday, 15 May 2006 21:51 (seventeen years ago) link

WORKINONIT is the song of the year! People shoud buy this album and support Dilla's kids! He was a visionary for sure!

Antonio Depietro, Monday, 15 May 2006 22:22 (seventeen years ago) link

ONLY ONE CAN WIN!

Chris Bee (Cee Bee), Monday, 15 May 2006 22:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Yr. a prince.

Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 00:58 (seventeen years ago) link

10cc - the worst band in the world >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> workinonit

and what (ooo), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 01:04 (seventeen years ago) link

for those in Canada that haven't picked it up, HMV has it as part of their 2 for $25 deal. Everywhere else I've seen it has for $21 or so.

pinder (pinder), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 02:43 (seventeen years ago) link

three months pass...
No one's talking about "The Shining" right? I like it a lot. I wish Pharoahe Monch would steer clear of Dilla-style beats though. I find Common's adult contemporapping a lot more bearable. Best song might be the Dwele remix, but I think I just secretly wish Dilla only produced R&B

deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 20:56 (seventeen years ago) link

The production is really beautifully lush and labored over, although part of that is his rep talking the production really does sound terrifically layered and gorgeous in a way that implies very intentional, non-accidental craft.

deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 21:02 (seventeen years ago) link

im loving the shining. on the same tip is some new kid i heard today named FLYING LOTUS on stones throw that was totally kick ass.

chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 21:11 (seventeen years ago) link

but I think I just secretly wish Dilla only produced R&B

He should've done a lot more.

Andy_K (Andy_K), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 22:50 (seventeen years ago) link

the shining hasn't stuck with me the way other jay dee albums have. i need to listen to it more i guess.

my friend just sent me this email: yo, chris has an ipod playlist of originals from Donuts. It's crazy because that album is fraught with hidden messages. They're all messages from his death bed. when you go back and listen to the original songs they're all ominous like "Fruitman" by Kool & the Gang about the importance of good food (he got sick by not eating right), and "When I die" by Motherlode. Real real deep. It's really apparent when you hear the originals.

also the new qtip album kinda sux. i really liked Kamaal and this is more of the same live band funk/soul/rock type shit, but it's way jammier and just doesn't do it for me. my favorite track on the album is a jay dee produced number.

jaxon (jaxon), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 23:50 (seventeen years ago) link

sorta related - said friend from the email said the De La Soul mixtape of unreleased cuts and stuff is one of his favorite hip hop albums of the year

jaxon (jaxon), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 23:55 (seventeen years ago) link

New Q-Tip album? Tell me more. I just saw ATCQ the other night. Great show.

Am I the only one that likes the similiar Madlib album that came out a few months ago better than Donuts?

Post-Rodney (But no one called it that at the time) (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 7 September 2006 02:30 (seventeen years ago) link

Whats this 'new qtip' - you don't mean the jazz album from a couple years back? His first all-dilla album was pretty underrated.

The Shining is sitting real well with me right now.

He should've done a lot more.

No doubt. How is the rest of the Steve Spacek album after "Dollar," and did Dilla do any more beats on it? I've been going to this club lately where they use that song as an end of the night wind-down thing, I love it more each time.

deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 7 September 2006 02:32 (seventeen years ago) link

the new qtip is called Live at the Renaissance here's an article/interview about it
http://www.allhiphop.com/features/?ID=1171

i love the first jaydee produced one. the 'jazz' one you're talking about is called Kamaal the Abstract. i think it's pretty great, and this new one is pretty similar but just not as good to me.

jay dee only produced 'dollars' on the spacek album. spacek produced most of it himself. i think it's pretty good. here's a thread i started about it. The new Steve Spacek album is really good...

jaxon (jaxon), Thursday, 7 September 2006 02:56 (seventeen years ago) link

Pet peeve time: Having those little links that pop up is like having a mixtape DJ shouting over your article.

Post-Rodney (But no one called it that at the time) (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 7 September 2006 03:36 (seventeen years ago) link

The last track on the Shining uses a break thats a deadringer for the beatnuts' "We got the funk"

deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 7 September 2006 03:49 (seventeen years ago) link

"Footsteps in the Dark," no?

Andy_K (Andy_K), Thursday, 7 September 2006 07:09 (seventeen years ago) link

loving the shining, and the dilla tracks on the new roots. donuts is still the best thing i've heard all year, and i would love a peep at the playlist of sources.

i am not a nugget (stevie), Thursday, 7 September 2006 07:57 (seventeen years ago) link

i like this better and better over time.

deej was right: this isn't so much like the avalanches record.

the art ensemble of chicago house (vahid), Friday, 8 September 2006 06:59 (seventeen years ago) link

one year passes...

i've been listening to this album a lot the past couple days, and i just can't believe how great it is. things i like about it:

1. the anti-cohesive cohesiveness, i came to really enjoy the abrupt track changes, there is definitely a flow to this album that isn't apparent at first
2. the different textures of the static in the background of the samples is a very pleasing sound to me, especially on the more relaxed tracks. that combined with off-kilter unusual melodies and sample choices, such an awesome sound.
3. the sentimental part of me hears it as a kind of nostalgic montage that was meaningful to dilla, like his life flashing before his eyes
4. the brevity of each track pulls me into listening to the whole album instead of skipping around. one track just makes me want to hear the next one because i can already hear the transition coming up, but at the same time i don't get bored of the transitions because they're still so suprising. it also just gives the album a really unique "shape" (i guess that ties into #1)
5. tracks: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 (a good example of the static-y textures thing that i like), 15, 16... i guess listing tracks is kinda pointless, i pretty much love all of em

i've been listening to the shining and welcome 2 detroit, but neither have grabbed me as much as this one. any recommendations?

later arpeggiator, Saturday, 9 February 2008 20:22 (sixteen years ago) link

i cant believe this thread. the avalanches? dilla sounding like madlib? what were you guys smoking? Donuts is the man's masterpiece, i like much of his shit but 2 years later that album still gets mad plays from everyone i know. that shit has enchanted people i know who arent even really hiphop fans.

only the post above mine has really hit the nail on the head, and it took 2 years. when i first listened to Donuts, it was the day it came out. i skipped through the tracks on vinyl, and i wasn't feeling it. i listened to it the next day on CD and realized that this was the obviously superior method for listening to it and i bought it immediately. it's now one of my top 10 albums of all time in any genre. the ebb and flow of emotions over the record is outstanding. it is so sad, beautiful, dark, happy, sexy, dirty, and deep, all at the same time.

for me, the guy was the greatest man to rock a sampler. but i've loved him forever, been rocking Welcome 2 Detroit since that shit came out, a total classic as well. between those two records and Fantastic Vol 1 alone, the guy is the greatest hiphop producer of all time. when you throw in other singles of his like "fuck the police" and shit he did for other cats, he just cant be topped.

also, i saw someone upthread ask if he had been listening to theo parrish records before making donuts. id assume it was quite the opposite, though im sure dilla heard theo as well. if you look on youtube, there is a video of Waajeed (who was dilla's boy) going record shopping in Melodies and Memories and he talks about the classic detroit records by Moodymann and Carl Craig. those cats know about detroit shit for real.

pipecock, Sunday, 10 February 2008 03:52 (sixteen years ago) link

this is a good record

BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 10 February 2008 04:09 (sixteen years ago) link

the ever-emerging herbish newjackness of rap critics

-- ,,, Thursday, February 9, 2006 6:55 PM

BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 10 February 2008 04:10 (sixteen years ago) link

"someone"

moonship journey to baja, Sunday, 10 February 2008 04:18 (sixteen years ago) link

those cats know about detroit shit for real.

there was a really old benji b radio broadcast w/the slum village cats talking about music and they said in detroit there wasn't really a differentiation between listening to techno and listening to hip hop. it was all just good music to them.

jaxon, Sunday, 10 February 2008 06:22 (sixteen years ago) link

that shit has enchanted people i know who arent even really hiphop fans.

ahh yes the sign of a great hip hop producer

deej, Sunday, 10 February 2008 17:23 (sixteen years ago) link

i prefer reading a forum where this album's perfection is in question because the obligation im supposed to feel to call this the 'a love supreme' of hip-hop when i read soulstrut or wherever else is real obnoxious to me, even tho i do like this record

deej, Sunday, 10 February 2008 17:24 (sixteen years ago) link

here i was thinking that alex posting old fennessey columns on the graduation thread was a landmark event :(

J0rdan S., Sunday, 10 February 2008 19:04 (sixteen years ago) link


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