A collaborator with artists ranging from Mos Def to 50 Cent to (reportedly) Dr. Dre, Hi-Tek has proven one of the most diverse and capable producers of the past decade. Regrettably, as is true with many of his peers, he has thus far been unable to produce a consistently powerful album on his own. His new third installment in his Hi-Teknology series contains some excellent moments, as on the dramatically ornamented collaboration with British soul singer Estelle (“Life To Me”) and the fierce, focused pairing with eternal comrade Talib Kweli on “Time.” However, a glut of MCs from Tek’s hometown of Cincinnati fail to really thrill over his spacious arrangements, and the record frequently loses steam.