In an industry that is often overshadowed by heavy production and strong instrumentation, music that focuses strictly on vocals is a rarity at best.

In the spirit of old school doo-wop and new school Take 6, comes Three 5 and 6 with their debut effort aptly titled, Urban A Cappella.

This West Coast quintet features the vocals of Dave Enns, Todd Halverson, Jason Isaac, Steve Pearce and Maximillian Reynolds. Each brings their own distinct flavor to the project, allowing for a merging of diverse styles ranging from pop to hip hop...all of which are reflected on the album.

Reynolds perhaps has the most industry experience of the group. With a solo project under his belt, along with a partnership with Minister RMB as part of Deeper Than Most, Reynolds brings a strong hip hop vibe to this project. One of his strengths is his ability to supply the human beat box, which he freely adds to this effort. In fact, all of the music on this project is a product of the human voice, which is significant once you listen to the strength of the accompaniment on this project.

You get a stellar view of Reynolds' skill on "Universal Beat Box" where he drops some serious fire on you. It'll take you back to the days where beats were all about the beat box.

Hitting you with that great range of diversity, the opening track, "Intro", begins with a doo-wop feel, reminiscent of the old school barber shop quartets. It smoothly flows into "Radiant Love", a song that is a great example of a strong blending of styles. Reynolds' beat box is heavy on the urban side while the vocals and the ensuing harmony have a stronger pop feel. The blend works and it doesn't hurt that the subject matter slickly speaks of the beauty of God's love.

The group also does a nice job with the Stevie Wonder classic "Higher Ground". The acappella feel really does work for this one.

It's the number of the nuisances on this project that keep it flowing. For instance, "Just a Minute" is perhaps the most thought-provoking track on the project. In sixty seconds, the group explains a number of things that can happen in a minute, stressing the importance of making proper decisions and the power of time.

"Cold Turkey" serves as an altar call of sorts as the group shares how they've been changed by God's power. It speaks to how salvation moves you from sinfulness to freedom from sin.

The quintet then adds some new school flava to an old school cut with "Stand Up, Stand Up". The revival of this hymn is really neat —it gets a well-placed facelift while remaining true to the melody of the classic.

Add a polished four-minute hidden track and you've got an enjoyable project on your hands.