Cruel Summer Good Music/ Def Jam***

Whatever about Kanye West’s dalliances with the fashion industry and other side projects, his quality control when it comes to music is remarkable. You’ll find his name attached to very few duds, and this collection, featuring acts signed to his Good Music label, packs a tough punch. While Yeezy cedes the microphone to a large cast (Pusha T, Common and Raekwon are the best of the bunch, with Jay-Z and R Kelly contributing bracing lines), Cruel Summer still carries his distinctive stamp as producer and agitator.

There are valuable contributions in the beats department from Hit-Boy (Clique) and Hudson Mohawke (who has a hand in three tracks). The best line on the album, however, belongs to the main man, as West blasts a would-be US prez with shades of his post-Katrina dig at George W Bush: "Mitt Romney don't pay no tax." kanyewest.com

Download tracks:To the World, Don't Like