Ghostface Killah has been on a prolific run with his albums recently and with his latest collaborative offering alongside Canadian trio BadBadNotGood, Sour Soul, the Wally Champ meshes his golden era raps with jazz elements to provide a refreshing, but brief, 12-track LP.

Taking a page from Tony Starks' last two offerings, 12 Reasons To Die and 36 Seasons, the instrumentals provided by BBNG and producer Frank Dukes keep Ghost in pocket with the 1960s and 1970s sound while fusing jazz, soul, hip-hop and rock and roll. While Ghost is known for his remarkable storytelling skills and his portrayal of different characters on his albums, on Sour Soul the Wu-Tang MC is direct and to the point and at times laid back over the comfort of BBNG's instrumentals. Although the LP features 12 tracks, the project feels more like an EP due to the 30 minute run time and the short, punchy verses provided by Ghostface. Out of the 12 tracks, three are pure instrumentals that keep up with the tone of the album, while the rest of the songs provide a solid single verse from Starks that leaves fans wanting more.

On "Tone Rap," Ghost gives listeners a glimpse of his storytelling skills as he portrays a larger-than-life pimp unable to leave his criminal past behind. However, the track is short-lived and fades away into the instrumentation of BBNG. Another record on which Pretty Tone sets the bar high is "Food," the lengthiest cut on the album, in which Ghost feeds the the soul with his ferocious bars and breaks down the rap game nowadays. Feature-wise, BBNG and Ghost do a good job of choosing an eclectic cast for the project which counts with guest appearances from Danny Brown, DOOM, Elzhi and Tree.

One of those highlight guest spots is Danny Brown, who shines bright alongside the Staten Island rapper on "Six Degrees." Danny's high-pitched voice and insane delivery provide the right formula for the live band instrumentation of BBNG. DOOM's guest feature on "Ray Gun" is entertaining, but falls short of the previous material that Ghost and DOOM have collaborated on. The upbeat tone of the record feels out of pocket with the vibe of the album, but needless to say, a Ghost and DOOM collaboration is always welcomed in an era where beats often outshine rhymes. Surprisingly, the best feature on this project without a doubt comes from Detroit rapper Elzhi. The Slum Village affiliate outshines Ghost on "Gunshowers" with witty lines and a verse that can go down as one of the best of the year thus far.

The high level of production and the perfectly chosen features on Sour Soul are the high points of the LP. Ghost may not be on top of his game here, but the the Wu-Tang MC definitely provides some highlight moments of his own on the project. BadBadNotGood's performance leaves us curious to hear more collaborative efforts with hip-hop artists rapping over their jazzy tones. One thing is for certain: Ghost and BBNG set the tone for what could be the next trend in hip-hop and jazz. —Roger Krastz

More From XXL