Deep Concentration 4 is something of a departure from the formula, however, expanding beyond the denser and somewhat choppier textures of turntablism in favor of lyrical flow and more accessible rhythms. San Francisco producer J-Boogie's dubby beats match nicely with the easy flow of L.A.'s People Under the Stairs on "Movin to My Beat." Planet Asia's bombastic lyrical jabs meld with Mista Sinista's jarring beat transformations for "Sinista Scratch," and Sparo's "Bullit" is a hip-hop homage to Marvin Gaye's funky blaxploitation classic "Troubleman."
But even more remarkable is when American artists get together with their brethren from the U.K. From the Next Men and J-Live on "31st February," to King Kooba's matchup with the raw stylings of Roots Manuva on "Callin' Mr. Tate," to Jurassic 5's Chali 2na riding the raw funk production of DJ Format's "We Know Something You Don't Know," this trans-Atlantic crossover is an encouraging sign of a return to hip-hop's original promise: style and substance without compromise.
