Sometimes, people can’t see the forest for the trees. Shifting Gears is Z-Trip’s first major label CD release and people can’t get over the fact that it is not the second coming of Uneasy Listening Vol. 1 (with DJ P) or a duplication of Future Primitive Soundsession, Vol. 2 (with Radar). Z-Trip has decided to forgo the mash-up formula that worked so well on those previous CDs and has instead turned out a solid but unspectacular rap CD with Z-Trip still mastering the wheels of steel.

There are some good cuts include on the disc like “Listen To The DJ” with Soup (Jurassic 5), “Walking Dead” with Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) and “Shock and Awe” with Chuck D. (Public Enemy) as well as some fine displays of turntablism with “About Face” and “3rd Gear”. But the parts just don’t add up to an entirely whole CD; it’s more like three quarters full. “All About the Music” with Whipper Whip just doesn’t seem to resonate a party atmosphere like the title implies. And Supernatural feels like he mailed in his two raps on “For My People” and “Breakfast Club” (with the help of Murs).

Overall, Z-Trip’s CD pleases more than it disappoints. If you are looking for another mash-up by Z-Trip, this disc is not that. But if you’re looking for a disc that has some good hip-hop break beats, decent rhymes and interesting samples, this is the one.

You can purchase this CD from Amazon.com by clicking the link below.

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