This is not your father's De La Soul. A decade ago, this Long Island trio reinvented hip-hop with their CD Three Feet High and Rising, a psychedelic collage of daisy-petal optimism, pop smarts and kleptomaniacal sampling. But that was then and this is now. Posdnous, Dave and Maseo are older, wiser and all grown up. So is their sound, which has darkened and deepened over the years. Their fifth CD, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump is their hardest, funkiest affair so far. Gone are the light-weight, bouncy grooves and rhymes about magic numbers; now, on thumping, pumping tracks like Thru Ya City, U Can Do (Life) and Declaration, De La discuss urban violence, racial tension and politics with the seriousness of the elder statesmen they've become. It's not all a downer; hooky tracks and brainy, smooth rhythms are still their calling cards, and the skits (a practice they introduced) and guest spots from Busta, the Beasties and others lighten the load. Still, AOI:MT can be as weighty and impenetrable as its title. We're glad De La are back, but we'd be happier if they were having a little more fun.

Track Listing 01.Spitkicker.com/Say R.
  02.U Can Do (Life)
  03.My Writes - Featuring Tash & J-Ro Of Tha Liks And Xzibit
  04.Oooh. - Featuring Redman
  05.Thru Ya City - Featuring D.V. Alias Khrist
  06.I.C. Y'All - Featuring Busta Rhymes
  07.View
  08.Set The Mood - Featuring Indeed
  09.All Good - Featuring Chaka Khan
  10.Declaration
  11.Squat - Featuring Mike D And Ad Rock Of The Beastie Boys
  12.Words From The Cheif Rocker - Featuring Busy Bee
  13.With Me
  14.Copa (Cabanga)
  15.Foolin'
  16.The Art Of Getting Jumped
  17.U Don't Wanna - Featuring Freddie Foxxx