Various

The latest in a series of compilations featuring selections from the most recent URBNET releases and some of their friends, Underground Hip-Hop Volume 04 highlights label stars Eternia, DL Incognito and Classified. However, it’s opening track "Two Bars,” Red Ants’ verbal bashing over a rowdy sci-fi beat, that is the stand-out track and a perfect choice to kick the album into gear right from the get-go. The energy continues with DL Incognito’s "The Masses,” a fist-pounding pondering of what it takes to attract the masses to the music, but after that the energy level drops dramatically with a series of dark, introspective tracks that are better played in headphones than at parties. OK Cobra’s "Child In Rhyme,” an autobiographical analysis of why "I gotta rap,” is one of the most upbeat of these tracks, while other highlights include the "herstory” of Isis on "Ask a Woman,” the organic old school sounds of Dragon Fli Empire and Mindbender on "Tight Spot,” Birdapres’ one-take on the jazzy "Not What You Think,” and about halfway through, Classified — along with Jay Bizzy, J-Bru, Spesh K and Mic Boyd — provides a little bump of energy with "Problemz.” While unlikely to get your party bumping, UGHH No04 is still a good selection of thought-provoking music.