If you haven’t already gotten on-board with Roots Manuva, the original savior of UK hip-hop, now’s your best chance. Predating The Streets, Dizzee, and Merry Ol’s latest export, the foul-mouthed firecracker known as Lady Sovereign, Roots has been on a steady roll since last year’s 'Awfully Deep.' That album, his fourth, was hailed by critics and fans as his best; 'Alternately Deep' contains 12 songs originally slated for 'Awfully' that didn’t make it and ended up here instead. But rather than a handfull of throwaways and remixes, 'Alternately' bounces along on the same rails, comprising a full-fledged album that maintains the dark, ominous, often hilarious momentum of its predecessor. In some ways more fleshed out (the loose, skanky “Double Drat” sizzles with electric organs, a rubber-dub bassline, and a sliver of wiry guitar; “Nobody’s Dancing” is almost waltzlike in its singsong melody), and in others more raw (the remix of “Colossal Insight” by grime producer Jammer is all spooky, off-kilter industrial kick drums), 'Alternately’s production offers a channel-spanning platform for Roots’ neurotic, psychotic introspection. Here’s a self-described “black George Clooney” who loves hating his life -- something about the sonorous quality of his voice makes lines like “The don’t know my name but they know my pain cuz I’m the dude in the corner getting steadily ‘cained” both sad and slick. Awful, alternate, whatever -- Roots Manuva goes deep once again, and comes up with another funky treasure.