Karriem Riggins and J Rocc (360°) – “Lightworks” and “E=MC²”

Ari Rosenschein: Are you kidding? Renaissance man Karriem Riggins slays on the traps over a medley of J Dilla tracks. Check it out on the youtube, man! J. Rocc’s subtle turntablism is just a 360° degree shot away. Seriously, though, this improvised mind meld would be just as compelling without seeing behind the curtain. The best things in life are free. [7/10]

Magdalen Jenne: A dynamic and sensitive reading of a pair of very different J Dilla tracks. “Lightworks” is especially satisfying — the drum arrangement really elevates the rhythmic ideas that, in the original track, are sort of hidden under sample. “E=MC^2” has a bit less to play with, since the original track is simple, allowing the music to take a back seat to the vocals, but Karriem Riggins really works around what he’s got. [7/10]

Jedd Beaudoin: Those drums tho. Totally hooked on the sounds these guys are getting here. It has that feel of being amateurish at times, but super brilliant at others. [8/10]

Chad Miller: Impressive drum showcase. Risks becoming a little tenuous at the beginning due to the somewhat sparse accompanying music, but moves into a funk-esque section at just the right time, which is where the track has the most success. [7/10]

SCORE: 7.25