I thought Ben Mono's latest full-length, "Hit The Bit" was going to be an easy one to review. It's a damn good electro hip hop record, so it seemed a simple affair to write all about it, but it was anything but. I mean, where do you start? As an inter-stylistic marriage of hip hop and electronic music, played slow tempo and inspired by classic 70s & 80s hip hop sounds with a head for the future, it doesn't get much better.

1. Intro (feat. Jemeni)
2. Beatbox (feat. Capitol A)
3. Hit The Bit (feat. Yo Majesty)
4. Binary Poerty (feat. Kerry L. Dooley)
5. Jesus Was A B-Boy (feat. Jemeni)
6. Listen (feat. Capitol A)
7. Pull 'Em Down (feat. Shane Fontane)
8. Midnight Sun (feat. Jason Todd)
9. Don't You Love It? (feat. Eddie Ruleclean)
10. Indonesian Interlude (feat.Jemeni)
11. Don't Stop (feat. Blizz & Main-Flow)
12. A+R Part 2 Vs. Studio R (feat.Capitol A)
13. Universal Unit (album version feat. Kerry L. Dooley)
14. Blindsweep (feat. Killa Kela)
15. Phoenix (feat. Kerry L. Dooley)
16. Transmission (feat. Capitol A)
17. Outro (feat. Jemeni)

If "Beatbox" featuring Capitol A doesn't make you sit up and say "damn Mono!", just press stop, because if you aren't feeling this one, Hit The Bit isn't going to work for you at all. "Beatbox" is by far the rockinest cut on the album, but as with all the songs here, it's tempered with just the right mix of analog and digital electronic music elements to keep it fresh in a throwback way...and those bass kicks! Damn!

"Hit The Bit" features raps and singing by Yo Majesty and this is where mainstream club hop can cop a cue. Take Southern female rap and R&B vocal style, analog electro synth keys and a dope beat, throw it all in a blender and once again...damn!

"Binary Poetry" has a more laid back vibe, but carries a similar flavor in its instrumentation. The vocal contributions by Kerry L. Dooley are a mix of vocode processed and straight recorded voice and really hold it down here. Another great cut.

There is so much to choose from here you just can't go wrong picking it up. Vocalists inlude Jemini, Shane Fontane, Jason Todd, Eddit Ruleclean, Bliss & Main Flow, and Killa Kela.

One way to think of the sound of Ben Mono's Hit The Bit is to take the slow tempo, analog senses of any number of Ed Banger releases and layer it under a hip hop style that throws back to Grandmaster Flash and 80s breakbeat jams, while it stands firm on futuristic ground. Or, if you're familiar with the work of Bola, think "Mauver" and you're in the realm.

This one easily makes it to the top of this year's hip hop list and is certain to remain one of the best in its class you'll see reviewed here this year. Don't let your ears and head be without!

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