The Kool Crue

On its latest mixtape, the Kool Crue has wrapped all of its influences into one ball of stellar production and creative lyricism. American Dreams is thirteen tracks strong, and each cut is unique and diverse all on its own. From the intro, "Hello, Hello," through to "10k Watts," the trio combines mainstream beat patterns with lyrics that lend as much to the songs as the beats themselves. The mixtape is charming and sophisticated. "High on Life" is easily the most cohesively produced cut here, with its laid-back drum pattern and high horns, and the guys get nostalgic on "7 Days," which contains a Kid Cudi-style melody. Overall, this joint is impressive, and from a production perspective, it's in a league of its own.