Slum Village want their new album to take listeners on an historical tour of sorts. Scheduled for an August 13 release, Trinity (Past, Present and Future) represents the three musical schools of the Detroit group, whose sonic brethren include the Roots and A Tribe Called Quest.

"We broke the album into three segments," group member T3 said of the follow-up to 2000's Fantastic, Vol. 2. "The 'Past' is the old school, the Slum Village sound from like the Vol. 2 album. The 'Present' is more in your face, clubbish-type joints. The 'Future' part of the album is like futuristic soul, but with a retro type of sound. We were trying to give you three different feels for the album. We wanted to give people what Slum Village was, where we're at today and where we're going."

Unlike groups that feature indistinguishable rappers, Slum Village has distinct roles for its three members. The sage Baatin holds it down for the past, spokesperson T3 represents the present and newcomer Elzhi reps for the future. (Jay Dee, the group's primary producer, left the group to pursue a solo career, though he did produce three Trinity tracks as alter ego Jay Dilla.)

Wanting to pick up where Fantastic, Vol. 2 left off, Slum Village return with "Tainted," a mellow cut that encourages people to take command of their own circumstances. "It's a good soulful joint, a feel-good joint that's definitely romantic in a sense, too," T3 said. "You have all those elements, and then there's a positive message behind it, too."

Other cuts on Trinity showcase Slum Village's diversity. Party-starting Scott Storch sizzler "Get Live" and fellow club cut "Slumber" generate excitement while "Harmony" represents the "Future" portion of the collection.

This new diversity comes courtesy of a multitude of producers handling the beats. Jay Dee produced all but two of the Fantastic cuts, but is joined on Trinity by Storch, Hi-Tek, Waajeed, Karriem Riggins and Nottyhead.

This rotating cast also includes the introduction of Elzhi, whom T3 has known since 1996. The two met at Detroit's Hip-Hop Shop, which was also frequented by Eminem, D12 and Royce Da 5'9''. T3, who was looking for an artist to manage, started recording with Elzhi but was so impressed with his work that he took him in as a full-time Slum Village member.

Elzhi, who earned his MC stripes in rhyme ciphers, brings a new element to Slum Village's sound. "Before Elzhi, we were more like witty, freestyle, just feelgood, in-the-pocket type of guys," T3 said. "Elzhi brings more of an intellectual way. He speaks more directly. Slum Village, we always speak indirectly. It's for you to put the pieces together, for you to figure out what we're trying to say."

Many Slum Village fans were trying to figure out what the Slum Village Dirty District album was when it arrived in stores at the end of June. Rather than being the new Slum Village album, as it appeared, the album was a Slum-sponsored compilation that showcased Slum associates Phat Kat, Mu, Fuzz and others.

"There's a lot of stuff coming out of Detroit," T3 said. "There's so much talent here and the diverse part comes from everybody being cliquish. That makes us develop our own sound, and I like that. I don't want people to identify Detroit as one sound. I want people to say, 'These guys are creative as a whole 'cause you don't know what you're going to get from Detroit, but it's going to be tight in its own way.' "