Median: Median's Relief

Median's conversational flow has long been a welcome addition to just about every album and mix-tape from Little Brother's Justus League crew. Median makes an assured leap from valuable role-player to solo act with Median's Relief, a stellar album-length debut that finds a nice, relaxed balance between brainy introspection and light-hearted playfulness. Dependable Justus League beat-wizards 9th Wonder, Nicolay, and Khrysis contribute luscious soul beats on elegant anthems like "How Big Is Your World" and "Powershift," while Median's active imagination runs amok on the anthropomorphic-crazy "Personified." Fans of Little Brother in particular and of quality hip-hop in general should find Median's easygoing charm hard to resist.