It’s evident that Elusive’s development as a producer has progressed from release to release. Once plagued with a low-end monotony that missed more than hit, his recent work with Murs and The A-Team on top of this EP reveals a more flexible producer. His usage of drums has become more captivating and there is a noticeable tweekage of samples to better accustom the given emcee. Scarub  helps exemplify this on the infectious “Itz Uz” . While The Grouch and Elusive shine the brightest together on the standout, “Speak It Like A Prophet” . It’s here that Elusive seems to find his niche, while short-bar loops are his specialty, its the selection of samples that make the simple into the powerful (also noticeable on The A-Team’s Who Framed The A-Team). Aceyalone makes his presence felt on the eclectic “Organic Energy” . A slow burning oddity of sorts, the robotic vocalization of Acey grates on the ears after a bit, but gets the nod for its attempt. Possibly it would of worked with a different beat behind it, but it comes off like his previous “The Jabberwocky” except on 50 BPM’s.

There are a few instrumentals included, but an Elusive track seems better driven than driving. His simplicity provides a platform that can put any emcee to the test of carrying its weight, but when successfully accomplished the results are infectious to say the least . I’m anxious for the rest of the full length.

Elusive Audio teeters on the slickness of 2000′s Elements Of A Prototype all the while roughed up a bit with roguish basslines and dust laden sample traces, providing a sometimes off-balance to the album as a whole. “Tapping Out” focalizes Murs at his fiercest aside a rolling bump-a-lump, heating up verse from verse. Cooling off, Abstract Rude makes his presence felt, more subtly yet equally captivating on “Just Lounging”. The two craft an innocent ditty of bachelor life at the local pub, so much you can almost taste single-man’s treat of “celery sticks and hot wings” with the smokes and green bottles of beer. The result is too buttery and quite fitting for your average hardworking hip-hop head.

With no a rapper atop, Elusive finds sanctity on the calming “Immortality” with his trumpet playing brother Josh Koslow (their second effort, “The Night Scan” gets the nod as well). Even the simplest utilizing of Bob James’ “Nautilus” on “Heaven Scent”, a surprisingly addictive R&B jammy by Arima Azul, makes good and proves one of the album’s more attractive slabs. Notable appearances are made by Aceyalone (surely a taste of their collaborative album set to drop soon) on “Shooby Dooby” and Basik MC’s oddly-bubbling “Can’t Have It Back” to round things out. And while various others come through for the event, not all leave the listener begging for more. Elusive is consistent, he hasn’t shed his skin too far from the 6 Degrees Of Separation days. He stays true to his moniker; smoky, dusty, and in the shadows.