But those less worried about accessibility will appreciate the fact that Cee-Lo demands a different aesthetic from his collaborators than what's typically expected. The soulful shuffle of "Passion Fruit" doesn't sound like a prototypical Neptunes beats 'n' bleeps offering. Instead, Pharrell Williams and Cee-Lo sing from the soul without concern for catchy hooks. Timbaland breaks out the marching-band horns and down-home country attitude reserved for artists he truly identifies with as he raps on and produces "I'll Be Around." And DJ Premier's sinister and tense backing for "Evening News" (which also features the distinctive country twang of a new talent named Honey Moon) sounds like nothing he's done before. Cee-Lo's also doing his part to smash the tempo bias in hip hop and soul music, which he does most competently through the gospel-house inflections of "Livin' Again" and the cartoonish rapid-fire pace of "Child's Play," featuring Ludacris. The end result is incredibly tasty and just as filling as his debut. Soul Machine goes down sweeter and easier while still managing to cross a few musical boundaries.
