Tutankhamen (Valley of the Kings)

One of the few producers who has successfully transitioned from underground favorite to mainstream hitmaker, North Carolina beat maestro 9th Wonder continues to churn out high-quality music at a truly alarming rate. Giving his international fanbase something to hold them over until the release of his highly anticipated Buckshot collabo The Solution (the long-awaited follow-up to 2005's Chemistry), he hits us with Tutankhamen (Valley of the Kings). It's a massive collection of instrumentals that he's culled from his ever-growing discography (including "The End," "The Bodega," and "Barbershop"), plus several new, previously unreleased gems. His signature sound—supremely funky, finely chopped soul samples and neck-bending drum programming—is in full effect throughout the project, which is ideal for serious beatheads, aspiring emcees, and hardcore 9th Wonder completists alike. As usual, there are very few soft spots here, but standouts include "BaseForYourFaceSoul!!!" "WallaWallaJammin!!!," "ShooBeeDooSoul!!!!!," and the Bob James salute "NautilusChop!!!!!."