Cloud 9 Lounge

Cloud 9 Lounge is all about having a good time and getting blunted. But, like that stoner who can’t make it off the couch, it takes a while for this local hip-hop collective’s CD to get off the ground. The disc’s second track is remarkably grooveless: “Hydrophonix,” underpinned by a cheesy synth, sounds like someone rapping over a soundtrack nicked from the Microsoft computer game Age of Empires. But “Awwright,” with its duck-call riff over a loping track, sets the disc’s mid-tempo pace. From there, the lyric flow is channeled over some nice instrumental textures, with an emphasis on a Quiet Storm vibe over hard funk. It’s not quite Quannum Projects quality, but it’s promising. Funny, though; the live “Smoke Something Drink Something” demonstrates an aptitude for groove not apparent elsewhere.