- Yet another posthumous album by venerated producer/rapper J Dilla is due out this week, titled The Diary. Every year, more and more ‘new’ J Dilla surfaces. This unreleased material has come in various degrees of cohesion and quality. However, The Diary, a shelved vocal album made for MCA Records, has been carefully reconstructed with the late producer’s original concept in mind.

For fans of Jay Dee many may have heard these songs already (six of the albums fourteen tracks having either been bootlegged or released in some official capacity). However, as a complete statement, this veritable ‘missing piece’ aptly exhibits the expansiveness of his vision, contrasting his ultra-smooth songs with grittier tendencies.

The two versions of The Shining makes apparent the many sides of Yancey. The first version (Diamonds) is a light-hearted R&B track with a smooth sung chorus and a more conventional pop sound that could possibly get radio play.

Conversely, part 2 (Ice) is a dark, Madlib produced jaunt, with no chorus in sight, seeing Dilla riff on old N.W.A lyrics over a blisteringly short beat, a total departure from the previous track. Trucks is another fantastically murky cut that I’m familiar with, an askew, gangstafied version of Gary Numan’s classic Cars.

One of my downright favourite tracks is the Karriem Riggins produced Drive Me Wild. Riggins, who was a frequent collaborator with Dilla and an accomplished jazz drummer, produces another leftfield song that you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Drive Me Wild is undoubtedly funky, benefiting from live instrumentation, but it reminds me of a D.I.Y. new wave experiment (especially the outro).

Amongst the quality unheard material is menacing opener The Introduction, co-produced by Houseshoes. Pete Rock produced The Ex (feat. Bilal) and the bouncing g-funk of Gangsta Boogie featuring Snoop Dogg and Kokane.

On the whole it’s an interesting album, one that shifts the focus from Dilla’s capacity as a producer to that of a rapper. Although the instrumentals were composed nearly 15 years ago they still sound fresh as ever. Compared to his other posthumous releases, The Diary is well thought out, meticulously complied, and consequently makes for a good listen.

- Hill Folk.