Layover
Encore bears one of hip-hop's greatest weapons--a booming baritone that sounds menacing without even trying. That signature sound has armed past legends likeKRS-OneandRakim, and Encore's flinty flow benefits immensely from his gravelly tone. On his sophomore CD, this Bay Area rapper leaves a stain on the brain with muscled verses for songs like the fast-moving "Essentially Yours" and the steady-thumping title track. The bulk ofLayoveris dedicated to mic deconstruction, but he shows some range on cuts like the love song "The Schizm" and an ode to his family, "The Way Home." Among his guests are some you'd expect, like fellow verbal bruiser (and label mate) Pep Love ("City Livin'"), but he also finds the long-lost Ladybug Mecca (fromDigable Planets) for the playful men  vs. women tussle "Real Talk." Longtime production partner Architect mans the boards alongside Seattle's Jake One and Chicago's Vitamin D for a sound steeped in a mix of soul and jazz aesthetics. As he brags on "Traditional Slick Talk," "I'm state of the art, not for the faint of heart." Consider yourself warned.--Oliver Wang