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| tracklisting |
| 1. Alive-A-Cation |
| 2. Falcon Gentle |
| 3. Only As Good As Goodbye |
| 4. The Return Of Fernandomania |
| 5. Grandmother Moon feat. Xololanxinxo |
| 6. Baby I An't Joking feat. Awol One |
| 7. Ghost Memo |
| 8. Chillaxing (That's Chilling And Relaxing) feat. Boca Floja & Jr. |
| 9. Dreaming Under Pressure |
| 10. Escape The Toyota Matrix feat. LMNO |
| 11. Treesun (Leave Her To Fall) |
| 12. 0101111001010- 10010000100010010-01011010010101111- 101001001101001-0010011101001010 |
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| His name is Alex. But you can call him 2mex. With a figure and charisma that's bigger than life, he's sure to attract your attention. But he's the well meaning giant. And he's a giant in more ways than just his physical shape. 2mex is one of those unsung heroes in rap. While there
are many minnesingers and griots that chime about his heroic accomplishments, they are still more legends than mainstream knowledge. |
| Swimming against the current of 'rent-a-producer', 2mex teams up with überproducer Omid and fellow LA Bayou and shapeshifter Liferexall to give us "2mex". And that's all. Two producer, one emcee and a handful of guests that 2mex really knows, rather than got from the
rent-a-guest mail order catalogue. |
| It's a toss up where to start, just like it's a toss up which one of these 12 tracks is your favorite this time around. But "Ghost Memo" really stands out amongst the standout tracks. This is a magical moment, and you're unlikely
to hear anything much better in 2004. Omid puts interesting reel tube sounds over a wide and atmospheric carpet, mystical singing and an overall dreamlike cloud impression fitting 2mex' poetry. Listening to him, you can tell he's a humble guy, who talks but never in a demanding way. Instead there's
a shy and almost apologetic undertone with every word he utters. With many verses concerning someone he's addressing, almost as if he himself is not worthy of taking the center stage. 2mex rather thanks someone else. And we thank 2mex for this selflessness. |
| Alex again makes someone else the main focus on "Only As Good As Goodbye". This is a phonecall slash email slash letter to a love jones, where 2mex explores the relationship between him and her, again kinda shy, never requesting
things, but again starting with a 'thank you.' Awol One croons the chorus and Omid gives a beat that used to be the instrumental "Shreem" (off "Distant Drummer") to 2mex, a sparkling one, that progresses like the sunlight reflected in a small, pure stream. |
| And while we have discussed two Omid beats right now, it does not mean that Liferexall is lagging behind with his ones. Actually he offers a louder balance to Omid's elaborate melancholy. What however is false separation. Sure, a "Falcon
Gentle" by Liferexall is pushing. But he also does "Grandmother Moon", a song where 2mex discusses reality, along with his Of Mexican Descent partner Xololanxinxo. At the same time, Omid shows how he can get rowdy on "Alive-A-Cation"
and especially "The Return Of Fernandomania". And the latter is a song where 2mex remembers that he's a b-boy and so he steps up with some braggadocio as well as repping verses. |
| Liferexall then gets 2mex - and with him Awol One - into love mode again on "Baby I Ain't Joking" (another ladies song is "Treesun (Leave Her To Fall)"). With a guitar this is pure spring fever, a vibe that's carried "Chillaxing (That's Chilling
And Relaxing)" which features Boca Floja & Jr., Spanish rhymes, as well as a really nice flute. Plus not just careless rhyming, as 2mex is always mixing in the conscious verse here and there, whatever he's talking about. Another great sample and example of 2mex' mix of world watching verses
follows on "Dreaming Under Pressure", while the team up with LMNO - "Escape The Toyota Matrix" - puts the technology angst into letters and syllables. Which contains a lot of un-comfort, what in many ways is also part of the
seriously titled "0101111001010100100001000100100101101001010111110100100110-10010010011101001010". This is a nine minute plus track. It's separated in three parts, with shapeshifting entities like Die and Existereo appearing. |
| So allow this review to be a verse of fair and deserving praise, to that the unsung hero 2mex, as well as his compadres Omid and Liferexall. And have it find the attention of the common people. 2mex is a giant. |
| review: tadah |
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