Wu-Tang ringleader RZA faced mutiny last year in the wake of the Clan’s latest album, 8 Diagrams. Group members dissed his production publicly, and instead of touring with them, he played solo shows with his band and continued work on his latest CD under his alter ego Bobby Digital.

Per usual with these projects, Digi Snacks is a more experimental, less unified effort than the Wu-Tang albums, but it succeeds because rather than descending into metaphysical, sci-fi mumbo jumbo (as he has in the past), RZA keeps the emphasis on clean, jazzy sounds and tight rhymes. It’s easy to think of Digi Snacks as 8 Diagrams II, considering he worked on it before—and after—wrapping that critically lauded (but poor-selling) Wu-Tang effort. “You Can’t Stop Me Now” (featuring Wu member Inspectah Deck) was reportedly considered for 8 Diagrams, and “Creep” and “Drama” evoke its slow atmospheric texture.

While the album features plenty of Wu affiliates, including Beretta 9, Black Knights and Stone Mecca, they are not, obviously, worthy substitutes for Method Man, Ghostface Killah and the like. Further, RZA’s deep, slow flow is often unsatisfying. But the album nonetheless works, thanks largely to RZA’s production. Highlights include the slow piano romp “Up Again” and the album’s opener, “Long Time Coming,” a dreamy banger that’s practically (gasp) radio-friendly.

Wu-Tang tension appears to have inspired RZA in the past year, and with Digi Snacks he appears to be peaking creatively yet again.

The bottom line: ***1/2