Even when he doesn't have the microphone, Timbaland often overshadows whoever does. He's not one of those musical therapists who make singers sound more like themselves. On the contrary, he prides himself on challenging his clients. They have to find a way to work around his weird beats. (Many of his productions don't really make sense until you hear them a few times; he loves songs that sound wrong at first.) His music isn't predictable, but it's definitely recognizable. In that sense he's among the most assertive pop producers of all time.
"Shock Value" includes a track called "Bounce," featuring Ms. Elliott, Mr. Timberlake and Dr. Dre. There's a heavy downbeat that almost sabotages the rapped verses; you can feel some syncopation, but you can't quite hear it. And then, at the end, everything stops. All that's left is a looped hiccupping sound — the syncopation you thought you had imagined. It had been there the whole time, pushing the track forward, mischievously throwing the rappers off balance. And once you've heard it clear, it's impossible to ignore. Everything else about the song seems like an afterthought; that tricky little rhythm is the star.
