*** Lateef & Lyrics Born

LATYRX

(SoleSides)

The much-lauded SoleSides label, based in the Bay Area and home to the obtusely entertaining Blackalicious crew as well as press darling/electronic-music messiah DJ Shadow, continues to slither around (and past) the hip-hop status quo. On their debut album, Lyrics Born's refreshingly bizarre vocalise and Lateef's more traditional lyric flow complement each other well, as the pair bask in the freestyle feel of what is actually more of a compilation of producers and scenarios than a stylistically coherent conceptual work. Standout tracks like "Latyrx," "Bad News," and the rocking live funk/rap of "Burnt Pride" (produced by DJ Shadow, Chief Xcel, and Lyrics Born, respectively) showcase the duo's storytelling range, which slides from semi-serious to completely bugged out. Pure imagination and the burning desire to stretch the defining borders of today's rap world fuel this effort. If you want to know more about the "next" aesthetic, look no further.

-- Brian Coleman