Since he's known for working the boards for Mos Def and Talib Kweli, you might expect Hi-Tek's first solo effort to feature the kind of eclectic sounds and thoughtful lyrics that make hip-hop a better place. And so it does -- mostly. The Cincinnati native maintains his celebrated underground reputation on Hi-Teknology, mixing funk, jazz, soul, and reggae instrumentation with hard breaks that flow with vocals by the usual suspects: Kweli, Mos, and Slum Village. But like any true artist, Hi-Tek, aka Tony Cottrell, switches up for a little variety. He gets a little harder and less conscious with songs like the thugged-out yawner "Where I'm From," featuring Jinx Da Juvy, and "Suddenly," on which Hi-Tek's group Mood brags about pulling "pretty hos with shitty toes." Still, the album has what you want: Common's smooth meditation on city living, "The Sun God"; Mos and Vinia Mojica's mellow ode to disco love, "Git Ta Steppin'"; and Cormega's gifted poetics on "All I Need Is You." Hi-Tek himself even busts a cool little solo. "Man picture this / Put it in a frame / Who woulda thought / Young Tone doin' thangs," he muses on the title track. Despite a few missteps, Hi-Teknology hits the high mark. - Vibe Magazine, July '01. You should dig into Hi-Tek's Hi-Teknology album below...
Full album review in Vibe, July 2001, below...
