Ghostface
"Fish Scale"

His passion for classic-soul sounds intact, the Wu-Tang Clan's bizzare lyrical mastermind should have no problem extending his impressive streak of stellar solo albums to five. Thrilling first single "Be Easy" is only the beginning of this wonderfully strange odyssey, which features first-rate sample-based production (from underground hip-hop vets Pete Rock and MF Doom) and a claustrophobic deep-sea tale ("Underwater") on which Ghost likens himself to "Sponge-Bob in a Bentley coupe". (Dec.6)