Experimental jazz, hip-hop trio BADBADNOTGOOD (BBNG) is back at it again with their newest release, III. Formed in 2010 by Matt Tavares (keys), Chester Hansen (bass), and Alex Sowinski (drums/programming) while attending Humber College in Toronto, they have done nothing short of keeping up a prolific profile. Releasing BBNG in 2011, featuring covers of A Tribe Called Quest and Waka Flocka Flame; then BBNG2 in 2012, featuring covers from My Bloody Valentine and Kanye West, as well as backing Frank Ocean at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival the same year, BBNG have shown they have no intention of slowing down.

Released on May 6th, 2014, III is the trio’s first all-original effort and, like the rest of their discography, is nothing short of inventive, creative, and amazing. Consisting of nine tracks spanning 48:28, each song showcases the tremendous talent of that of its members, be it individually or collectively, which can be heard from the first note of the opening track, “Triangle.” Jump forward a few tracks to “Kaleidoscope”, a smooth, flowing key line begins the track which quickly has you grooving along when the bass and drums simultaneously make an entry.

Always knowing how to balance each instrument just right and what it takes to cast a hook and line, the sinker comes at “1:40” where all you can hear is what is bound to be a future sample from a hip-hop great. Coming to a close with “CS60,” the second single from the album, creeps in with an eerie ethereal pulse that, once again, is met by the trio working together to a buildup that builds and builds, only to be dropped into a low, slow-locking groove, which circles back to the first verse only to be met by another buildup to the same low, slow-locking groove before the track atmospherically fades out.

The bottom line is, if you don’t know who BADBADNOTGOOD is by now, you must be doing something wrong.