This year has shown a marked elevation in the quality of compilation albums. The whole movement was started by Rawkus Records' Soundbombing II, continued on Sway & Tech's This or That, and now continues with Subtext.

The artists showcased on this album are mostly lesser known, but highly skilled. There are offerings from Aceyalone, Lootpack, Del, Dilated People, Rasco, Rob Swift and the Bumrush Brothers J-Rocc & Babu of the Beat Junkies.

Lyrics are this album's biggest strong point. You can tell right away as "Rappers, Rappers, Rappers 12 for 10" by Aceyalone starts. A member of the original Freestyle Fellowship, and now Project Blowed, Aceyalone is one of the most underrated emcees in hip-hop, and here he shows why. Star lyrical turns are put in by the aforementioned Aceyalone, Del, Dilated Peoples, Rasco, Motion Man, AWOL One and Abstract Rude.

Production is also, in general, very strong on this album. There are a few stumbles, but for the most part is very coherent throughout. Most of the beats have quite a minimalist feel to them, but still manage to progress through the songs without getting too repetitive. Some of the major producers present include Madlib of the Lootpack, Evidence of Dilated Peoples, Del, Peanut Butter Wolf, Kut Masta Kurt, Rob Swift, Jay Biz and the Bumrush Brothers.

DJs aren't forgotten on this album either. DJ Design, Romes, Babu & J-Rocc, Kut Masta Kurt, Peanut Butter Wolf and Rob Swift all step up to represent on the 1 and 2s.

Unfortunately, most of the songs on the album are separated by interludes. Produced by Madlib, muscially they're fine, but sometimes they can get tedious, especially when the time is just used for gratuitous shouts.

Tracks to check for: Almost all of them, but particularly "Rappers, Rappers, Rappers 12 for 10," "Level Five (The Disc Jockey)," "Strength," "Umbilical Cord," "How Many Rimes," "The Earth's A Turntable," "Clearing the Field," "Eye Am," and "The Prose."

The final verdict: A very strong album, and a great addition to underground heads' collections. For those who haven't yet been exposed to many of these artists, here's a chance to pick up a strong compilation with many talented artists.