At the completion of this album I doubt that Count Bass D or Insight would have felt that releasing this album was risky. The end result of their collaboration is nothing short of a great hip hop album from start to finish. Possibly the biggest risk was that the album doesn't seem to have received much promotion or hype.

Insight produces all but three of the tracks, covering a large variety of sounds and styles (a risk if you will): the classic hip hop sound on 'Which One', the snake charming 'Snakes' and the cinematic 'Second Ambush'. Count Bass D produces the interlude 'King of Life' and the track 'Seem Phoney'-neither of which take any risks to veer away from that Count Bass D sound that you might be familiar with and enjoy. The third and final producer is France's Doc Singe, he supplies the computer-centric 'Leverage of Combat'. The track is perfectly suited to Kool Keith and his excitable space rap flow.

Vocally Insight's assailing and energetic style generally polarises Count Bass D's relaxed and at times borderline mumbling flow. This contrast works well, but does result in Insight standing out as the more dominant MC on this album. The three guest spots make for a good addition to fill in the difference between the two main MC's styles. Surprisingly Kool Keith's verses are very un-risqué.

The Risk Takers is not the experimental album that I had first imagined-rather the definition of risk takers is explored. Regardless of this initial misunderstanding, the end result is one of the year's best hip hop albums. From start to finish it is an engrossing ride with no filler to be seen. Here's hoping for another collaboration from Count Bass D and Insight in 2012.

9.0 /10

Track Listing

1. Which One

2. War

3. In Charge

4. Risk Taker

5. Not My Style

6. Sight Boom Blam

7. Snakes

8. King of Life

9. Seem Phoney

10. Seize the Moment

11. Dinner is Served feat. Dagha

12. Be Rocking it feat. Pacewon

13. Break Suckas

14. Second Ambush

15. Leverage of Combat feat. Kool Keith

16. Which One (remix)