"I make Google money, that's a lot of clicks/ So tell me who the dummy and who the genius?" will.i.am asks on 'Geekin''; one of the few songs on his fourth solo album that finds him going it alone without a chorus aid. The star has made no secret about his obsession with newfangled technology - nor his willingness to endorse it - so we suspect the web giant didn't mind one bit when he posted his new LP online ahead of its official release earlier this week.

But as with all will.i.am releases sans Black Eyed Peas, the songs on #willpower are as much about the guest features as the man himself. Britney Spears - for all of her three looped lines spoken in a faux British accent - was as much a part of the success of 'Scream & Shout' as its clubby earworm production, while we suspect many flocked to current single '#thatPOWER' simply for a glimpse of the supposedly troubled Justin Bieber.

That's not to say he's solely reliant on his star pulling power. Another rare solo moment 'Hello' contains a chorus which derives its addictiveness from its simplicity, while Nicole Scherzinger-assisted 'Far Away From Home' - on which he takes sole production credits - proves he is more than capable of turning out solid pop hooks when left to his own devices. Then there's 'Ghetto Ghetto', which hears tweenager Baby Kaely rapping about the antics of her pop idols with surprisingly affecting results.

However, in between such moments, will.i.am all-too-often slips into generic dance territory. The only exciting aspect about the Chris Brown-featured 'Let's Go' is the controversy surrounding its alleged unlicensed sampling, while club ballad 'Love Bullets' fails to reach the heights it's aiming for. With a bulky 18-song tracklist to work through, sifting out the best bits requires a degree of patience, but it's worth it.

Tracks to download: 'Hello', 'Scream & Shout', 'Far Away From Home'
If you like this, you'll like: Black Eyed Peas, Pitbull, Flo Rida

Listen to #willpower below: