Life is full of simple pleasures that we often take for granted. Little things that brighten our day, lest we give them a second thought or not. Finding a few slices of pizza in the back of the fridge...turning the T.V. on the find your favorite show just starting...a box of half-eaten donut holes on the table...
Donut holes. Small, simple, but so dang tasty. James Dewitt Yancey b.k.a. J Dilla, must've had this in mind when 31 of his lucid, surreal, pulsating hip-hop instrumentals were culled for his final album (of his waking hours.) "Donuts" is an album for the impatient, yet insistent. The lively, yet timid. The many, the few. This LP brings much to the table, and it does not disappoint. It has something for everyone. And that's really why this album comes in at #8 on my list...it's a jack-of-all-trades, and each track differs enough that each will have a different style and feel, and none of them ever overstay their welcome...
"Donuts" requires a very particular ear, and an explanation right off the bat: there are no lyrics to be found here. It's all about the rhythm, the music, the soul, the vocals, the vibe. Additionally, most of these instrumentals clock in at about a minute and a half, so don't expect a groove to be held for very long.
This is, however, a blessing and a curse. Mostly a blessing though. Dilla is able to keep your attention easily with the switch from track to track and mood to mood, but once you hear a great groove, don't expect it to hang around for very long. This, however, is not a big problem, as most of the instrumentals are absolutely addictive; miniscule tidbits of sound that rip your eardrums out and catapult you straight into the groove of the moment. This is a huge strength of Dilla's: his rhythmic sense is astonishing. As a producer, he does not fool around, and all his rhythms sound unique and detailed. No shitty mainstream production to be found here; live drums, raw sounds, wonderful samples, and eloquently-picked snippets of melody that grab you right away and never let go.
There isn't much I can really say about my favorite tracks because they are so short, but as an album, it doesn't take long to listen to each track, and you can go from there and pick your favorites. Best listened to in the car, relaxing at home, an after party, the possibilities are endless.
Here are a few of my favorite tracks...
The Diff'rence
Mash
Time: The Donuts of the Heart
Airworks
Lightworks
Two Can Win
Dilla Says Go
Walkinonit
Workinonit
In the end, "Donuts" does not play out like your average LP. Spacey, spastic, heavy, and even silky-smooth at some points, "Donuts" sounds like someone trying to play their favorite records through a broken, cut-up speaker, unable to decide what they want to definitively listen to. It's an exercise in patience, rhythm, and pure zoning-out. But I maintain that the beauty of the album lies in the grooves, and Dilla's ability to hold attention and never let go, finding a new way to do basically the same thing over and over again. And it sounds absolutely amazing.
Sorry I haven't been on lately. It's been a hectic month. Thanks for hangin' around if you did. -NL
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