The Unseen

The high-pitched alter-ego of the Lootpack's Madlib, Quasimoto concocts one of the most creative hip-hop albums in recent times. Sounding like a lost demo tape from 1992, and made under the influence of some serious mind-altering substances, The Unseen finds Quasi indulging in scattered, stream-of-consciousness rhymes and a collection of dusty jazz breaks and loops. Not only does the album sample the frantic vocals of '70s playwright Melvin Van Peebles, it also shares an affinity with Peebles's spoken-word albums, such as Serious as a Heart Attack. Both artists are most interesting when they take chances, risking alienation and/or ridicule. --Oliver Wang