The Evolution of RJD2 & The Perfect 3AM Album

Icebird | The Abandoned Lullaby (2011)

Since the release of his last album, The Colossus, it would seem that RJD2 has been slowly making the transition from beat maker to musician—an extremely tricky evolution. The hip hop community hates losing their new school pioneers to the limelight of mainstream. So, what to do? Take on a new moniker and explore possibilities—which is just what RJD2 has done with the help of Philadelphia singer Aaron Livingston (who also appeared on The Colossus). He has taken his signature sound of drum-chopped, sample-flipped beats and grown them into full-on songs under the name of Icebird.

The Abandoned Lullaby is an album that will reach a wide variety of audiences without stigmatism, thanks to RJD2. Songs on the album range from uptempo funk to what could be described as ambient funk, and Aaron Livingston’s voice suits the ranges quite well. Some key songs that you may want to check out are “Just Love Me,” "King Tut" and "Find Yourself." I recommend this album if you are looking for something new that's not so much genre bending as it is genre blending. Just don’t go into it expecting to hear what you may already know of one half of the collaboration.

MGMT | LateNightTales (2011)

If you are unfamiliar with the LateNightTales compilation series, that is understandable, but there is no way you don’t know the band MGMT. By now, you've probably found yourself dancing and singing to “Electric Feel,” at least once.

Established in 2001, the LateNightTales series allows artists to share their view of those moments in the after hours by compiling songs from various musicians to create the ultimate mixtape. The coolest part about the series is that you will often get covers of the songs the artist have chosen and, honestly, MGMT have done a great job of selecting the right tunes.

This addition to the series will transport you to that hazy hour when there's only a hint that the sun will be rising soon. The artists that appear on the album are fairly obscure—see them all here. Just pick this album up, throw a party with some close friends (along with the girl you’ve been trying to impress with how deep you are), let it get a little wild, and then throw this on at about 3 AM. Let the calm ensue.