Hi-Tek

The cover shot, with its grainy blue and black photo, is cribbed from classic jazz LPs, and the music has a similar reference point: haunting, minor chord strings and hypnotic piano lines snip at delicate female vocals and down-tempo beats. The 4 A.M. ambience is reinforced by contemplative verses from guest rappers (among them Ghostface, Talib Kweli and Young Buck). H-Tek's second solo album is for those who like their hip-hop languid and sophisticated.