Hudson Mohawke Skillfully Inter-weaves D.J. Rogers' "Watch Out for The Riders" Sample Into J Dilla-esque "Ryderz" (Warp Records)
"When myself and Lunice did the TNGHT project, it was not even intended for release. That's basically why we decided to put it on hiatus for a while, because we felt like — without wanting to sound too arrogant — what that record spawned became kind of a parody genre," Scottish Electronic producer and Kanye affiliate Hudson Mohawke recently lamented to Pitchfork's Jeremy Gordon in their newly-published This (and This... and That Too) Is a Hudson Mohawke Production spotlight featurette. "That's why we wanted to refocus on our own projects. So we haven't quit the project, but there won't be anymore TNGHT music until both of our solo records are released," he continued, seemingly alluding to his soon-to-be-released "solo" album, Lantern. Unlike his typically borderline clustered Hip-Hop-tinged productions, on HudMo's latest "leaked" Lantern single, "Ryderz" he's managed to dial it back a few notches, giving all of its complex, masterfully layered elements sufficient room to breathe.
"It sounds like a Marvin Gaye show in space... It sounds like getting f*cked up with a robot Prince [or] a bubble bath in a hot-tub full of champagne," Thump wordsmith Angus Harrison wrote in his ecstatic Monday track review. Hudson Mohawke appears to have sampled the buttery smooth vocal refrain from D.J. Rogers' Soul-drenched 1973 Shelter Records crate-diggin' cult classic, "Watch Out for The Riders." Although before "Ryderz" reaches its mid-point, HudMo boldly decides, for whatever reasons, to viciously rip and shred Rogers' vocal into a million jagged, self-destructive little pieces; but as okayplayer fittingly notes, "were "Ryderz" any longer, it would probably reach some sloppy, sad demise, but as it stands in perfect beauty." Thus, if "Ryderz" piques your interest whatsoever, I'd strongly recommend checking out Lantern's Irfane-featuring first single, "Very First Breath," as well as Hudson Mohawke's gritty critically-acclaimed Hip-Hop-laden posse cut "CHIMES RMX" (which sadly, won't end up re-appearing on Lantern when it arrives this upcoming June 15-16th).