The record’s title already suggests that Karriem Riggins has stayed true to his head-nodding approach on his second record for Stones Throw. While his most recent appearance proved his beat skills on Kanye West’s latest album, he now uses the »Headnod Suite« to present (almost) all of his working areas. What came out are 29 sketches and fully produced instrumentals from a rich sample-portfolio, in which especially the range of his drumkit sticks out, which remains underrepresented in many comparable settings. Of course, the trained jazz-drummer Riggins knows how to exhaust the spectrum – and knows when it is time take a step back or to turn up the snare for the club or to push the compressor to the max. What unites the different approaches and what is most noticeable on the »Headnod Suite« is the swing of a highly talented drummer, breathing life into the spaces with the help of the MPC and taking quantization to the absurd. Sounds are ranging from suitable skits, sampled soul train passages, intelligent chops and samples between krauty electronics, Brazilian jazz or library music. It’s a tough connection to draw – but Riggins is moving in the league of J Dilla here (when focusing on his BBE record) or Madlib (taking into account the Beat Konducta series). Hence, »Headnod Suite« is a convincing follow-up to »Alone Together«, whose single releases »4Es’J«, »Oddness« and »Bahia Dreamin’« could not do justice to the reord’s true character – better to have a re-listen, it’s sure worth it.
Headnod Suite
