Connect the Dots.

A New York producer who's been steadily building his rep since the late ‘90s, J.J. Brown is best known for his work with genre-bending zany rap specialist Louis Logic. He's also released dozens of 12-inch singles for a vast assortment of underground acts, and dropped a few high-profile mash-up mixtapes, pairing Ludacris with the Jackson 5, and Gym Class Heroes with Hall & Oates. Finally, after a decade in the game, he steps up with his debut "solo" album. His beats are rock solid as usual, clearly rooted in the style of the good ol' days, but not overly retro. Sharp cuts and neck-bending drums abound, alongside golden-era-esque horn squeals and stuttering snares. J.J. also gets loose on the mic, (for better and for worse), though he leaves most of the rapping to guests like Poison Pen, Block McCloud, Craig G, Travis McCoy, Reef the Lost Cauze, and various unknowns. A few tracks blur the line between upbeat and straight corny, but there are definitely some winners here; check out "The World's a Stage," "Froze Prose," and "Watch the Star Shine."