In his previous life as a bassist, living and working in London, Charlie Tate played with jazz/funk greats like Neneh Cherry, Gil Scott Heron, and James Brown. Now based in Oakland, California, Tate -- aka Colossus -- is putting out some of the nicest, most soulful hip-hop since Digable Planets and A Tribe Called Quest.

, coming from San Francisco's Om Records, is split over two discs: the first for you jazz cats, the second remixed with heavier, dirtier beats.

Those pining for the '90s vibe, the comfort zone where jazz and hip-hop commingle, will get with this. Consistency and depth are your confidants for this two-disc set. [Straight No Chaser]

On the jazzier tip, Colossus recruits London MC Roots Manuva for the dub-influenced track You A Grown Man Now . Manuva's carefree, singsong lyrics over this jam-session instrumental make for a winning collaboration. And for a taste of the second disc, one of the highlights is Lil’ Sally (remix) , which is exactly that laid-back '90s sound Straight No Chaser is talking about.

So throughout this album, there's no question that -- although he's a relatively new arrival to the hip-hop circuit -- Colossus has a wealth of experience to his name.