Speakerboxx / The Love Below [2 CD]

As is to be expected, the Big Boi disc is less arty, more gangsta and worldly, and features the less-progressive guest raps of ATL crunk purveyors Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz ("Last Call") and Jay-Z, who rhymes the hook on "Flip Flop Rock". Unlike Big Boi, Andre keeps his collaborations to a minimum, once crooning alongside Norah Jones on the cool yet sappy "Take Off Your Cool", and once with Kelis. Boi fulfils his Dungeon Family duty with flying colours by flipping some dirty southern up-tempo raps over electro beats on "GhettoMusick". By the time Cee-Lo sermonises on "Reset", Speakerboxx and Love Below rate mostly as majestic and inspiring, with the remaining 23 per cent being just plain incredible. --Dalton Higgins