With members of the North Carolina collective Justus League, The Away Team features Sean Boog on the mic and Khrysis on the beats. Besides appearing on joints from Little Brother and The Foreign Exchange, they've dropped several indie albums since 2005. Scars & Stripes is their fifth release, following up last year's Independence Day. It's their first project with Khrysis rapping in addition to producing all 17 tracks. Rocking a style that's not gangster, not conscious, not overtly Southern, and not hyper-experimental, they serve up straightforward, high-quality hip-hop. They're assisted by a clutch of guest emcees including Phonte (the breezy closer "See U Later"), Evidence (the headbanger "What Is This"), and Talib Kweli (the jittery "Set It Off"). All throughout, Boog and Khrysis show off their easygoing style, smart wordplay, and knack for good beats.