Pharrell Williams is hot. And Chad Hugo rocks. If you haven't already fallen for their considerable allure, you ought to sign up for Urban Culture 101. The duo, otherwise known as The Neptunes, have helped shape dance floor grooves during the past three years by producing hits for pop darlings from Justin Timberlake to Britney Spears, Kelis, No Doubt and Jay-Z.

The pair also excel in their side project N*E*R*D, with their rapping high school pal, Shay.

N*E*R*D's 2002 debut, In Search Of, was embraced by fans of the eclectic, but left others wondering what the rap-rock-pop mish-mash was all about. It was experimental, but defied categorisation, and the only thing for the urban culture student to do was listen and learn.

And that's what they must do again with Fly or Die, as N*E*R*D embark on another abstract adventure. They fuse clipped drums, funk rock guitar licks, psychedelia and Beatles-esque pop with varying degrees of success. The tempo is lifted with enthusiastic hand claps, light beats, cheers and melodic whistling. It's a unique sound that will leave funksters high, particularly the most radio-friendly of the 12 cuts, She Wants to Move, an electrifying booty-shaking romper.

Now that's a N*E*R*D experience.