Until very recently, Moodymann was nothing if not elusive. But since around the time of his Red Bull Music Academy lecture, he’s appeared to take a more public approach in promoting his music. Picture This, released in tandem with Scion’s A/V wing, continues this trend. Moreover, it shows the Detroit mainstay in a relatively hard-edged mode. He doesn’t eschew his lush, sample-laden signatures, but there’s clearly a raw, instrument-driven side at play as well. “9 Nites 2 Nowhere” and “Basement Party” are the kind of rough, smacking tracks that Moody explored on records like Dem Young Sconies, and it’s refreshing to hear him working in that realm again. At the same time, there’s plenty of “classic” Moodymann to be found here: “U Ranaway” finds him revisiting the drowsy grooves of “Runaway” and his last couple of EPs, while “Pray 4 Love” combines gospel-influenced yearning with grittier, more streetwise undercurrents. At any rate, eight tracks from a talent as enigmatic as Kenny Dixon Jr. is something of an event, and ought to tide you over until his next LP, which is apparently due out soon. We’d like to extend our thanks to Scion A/V and Moodymann for making this EP available for free.