Solo Debut only in Name. (***1/2)
Jude Smith | Brisbane, QLD Australia | 11/10/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"When I first heard Move Somethin fire up on Train of Thought from Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek as the duo Reflection Eternal, I knew I was hearing a Producer and MC that would continue to do big things.
With Talib breaking away and concentrating on solo releases (that have never really lived up to the standard set on Train of Thought) Hi-Tek also furthered himself by doing beats for a myriad of different players within the game such as No Thang On Me from Snoops R & G to It's Going Down from the Blackalicious album Blazing Arrow and also beats for the likes of The Hieroglyphics to name but a few.
It was only a matter of time before Hi-Tek took the opportunity to use the, no doubt, expansive contacts he's created during his time on the production circuit and Hi-Teknology is that in a nut-shell. I always find that it can be very hard for a producer to create an album that will be looked on in years to come as something that represents or expresses a period of time, or an album that gives us an underling story, concept and or feeling that they may in particular wish to portray when they work with a wide gamut of Mc's of varying talent. The album has it's highs and lows it's lowest being jinx da juvy, I'm not even sure that's how you spell it but honestly it's not even worth the effort or research to get it right, that would be giving the man too much. His song seems completely lost in what are generally much more introspective and relaxed rhymes and I would have to ask myself what was Tek thinking, however viewing his movents on the circuit as of late i.e. working on The Game album Documentary and Snoops Pop-Hop R & G I should be surprised there isn't more of this general nonsense. Still the album shines past these brief moments to give us Tracks like Sun God & The Illest It Gets. Teks production is as always unmistakable however in the long run for me it would of been more exciting to see Tek step away from pushing other artists up and let himself take the spotlight. He deserves it.
***1/2
One.
Pj."