Few artists can successfully update the sound they helped create, but that’s exactly what Earth, Wind & Fire do on Illumination, nearly 35 years after their debut. Lushly arranged tracks like the sleek ballad "Pure Gold" push the boundaries of modern neo-soul, setting the group’s trademark old-school harmonies and horns in a modern digital mode. Cameos from contemporary R&B/hip-hop stars Kelly Rowland, Big Boi, will.i.am and Raphael Saadiq—as well as smooth jazz icon Kenny G—add to the album's awesomely dynamic variety.