Consistently dope but also unpredictable, the Bay Area duo Zion I isn't afraid to mix up its sound from record to record. On its 2000 landmark debut, Mind Over Matter, the duo hit the scene with a crazy mix of hip-hop and electronic music; in the years since, Zion I has morphed its approach with the times, embracing live instrumentation, the local Hyphy and Go styles, and most recently, on 2010's Atomic Clock, reggae and dub. Shadowboxing is the duo's ninth full-length, presenting all of the above with tremendous results. As usual, Amp Live's production is amongst the freshest in today's hip-hop: a wildly freaky, futuristic no-holds-barred attack that keeps listeners on their toes and touches on multiple genres from track to track. Zumi's high-pitched flow and positive rhymes still sound great, and we also get features from D.U.S.T., Goaplele, The Grouch, Eligh, and Collie Budz. There are a few missteps, but the vast majority of songs here are awesome, especially "Float," "Life's Work," "We Don't," and "Human Being."