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The standout track from Weeknd producer DROPXLIFE.  Off of ALLXLEGENDS.  The track exemplifies perfectly the two elements that jump forth from DROPXLIFE's music.  With its big, bouncing basslines and a atmospheric female vocal that snakes throughout the melody, "THEXPOTENT" is a fantastic instrumental.

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DROPXLIFE - ALLXLEGENDS

DROPXLIFE was the producer of the Weeknd's "Initiation", a pitch-shifted standout from Echoes of Silence.  If one hears past the novelty of Abel's manipulated vocals, the genius of the instrumental becomes evident.  As the drums beat faster and faster, "Initiation" could very well be the melody of a heartbeat as adrenaline proliferates throughout the body, matching precisely with cocaine-induced lyrics.  Tracks in the style of "Initiation" are not present on ALLXLEGENDS.  What we hear instead are instrumentals that are slowed down, with earth-shaking basslines and layered female vocals.  The tracks are reminiscent of those of Clams Casino, not necessarily a bad thing at all.  The adrenaline from "Initiation" is gone, replaced by a puff of marijuana and a shot of tequila.  However, the black depression seen on the album cover shines through and through.

The two best things about ALLXLEGENDS are the basslines and the sampled vocals.  The basslines, in this album's case, are not only the backbone of the tracks, but they are the tracks.  The bass is what gives the album that dirty, dark feel, like pushing through a dark dance floor, continuously colliding with sweaty bodies with the stank of alcohol.  The low fidelity nature of the music crackles the bass at just the right spots, giving the music an underground feel, akin again to the music of Clams Casino.  In "SHANGRIXLA", the bass is melodic monster trying to escape its cage.  The skittish drums and the ragged guitars can only hold it back so much.  The female vocals are another highlight.  They take on different shapes within different tracks, keeping the reader guessing as to which form they will morph to next.  In some tracks like "ROLLXPLAE", the vocals are just merely in the background, swirling around because the guitar has the main role.  But in other tracks like "FARXINN", the vocals take the stage, eliminating the instrumental nature of the track completely.  When the vocals and the basslines come together and allow each other to breathe, the results are simply extraordinary.  The sublime, standout "THEXPOTENT" is the main exhibit.  The vocals weave in and out of the bassline, giving the track the potent kick the title suggests.

Repetition is a killer.  Many of the tracks sound the same after a while.  I know I got deja vu a couple of times on this mixtape, like "haven't I heard this already?"  There's really nothing fresh, nothing new to add into the mix.  In Clams Casino's Instrumentals, at least for every characteristically Clam's track ("Motivation", "Numb"), there was something fresh and exciting ("She's Hot", Brainwash by London").  That variability is absent here.  The atmosphere also becomes suffocating at times.  This was a common criticism with the Weeknd's albums and it applies to this mixtape as well.  Each track conveys the same atmosphere, and by the last track, the listener is just being buried alive with the despair spurred on by alcohol, drugs, and sex, all subjects the instrumentals touch upon wordlessly.

ALLXLEGENDS is a worthy listen.  There are elements on these tracks that are noteworthy and should be taken down by future producers, the usage of bass being one.  THEXPOTENT is one of the best tracks of 2011.  However, to join the upper echelon of producers where Clams Casino and araabMUZIK reign as gods, DROPXLIFE must be willing to go off the paved road.  "Initiation" was the first step.  Now what's next? 8/10 

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ScHoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar are a deadly duo in this track from ScHoolboy's newly released Habits & Contradictions.  The socially conscious lyrics in this track are especially poignant, examining the nature of optimism in face of tribulations and setbacks.  The beat is expertly produced, with a dreamy synthesizer and a kick drum that only comes in to provide emphasis to the lyrics. 

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ScHoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions

ScHoolboy Q exploded into 2011 with his critically-acclaimed album Setbacks.  The debut was mostly excellent; ScHoolboy’s fluid flow matched the fantastic production.  The only setback was ScHoolboy’s lyricism, which was formulaic with equal parts drugs, street violence, and women.  With his sophomore effort Habits & Contradictions, or more simply, HnC, ScHoolboy has crafted an album that is almost completely superior to its predecessor, almost entirely avoiding the sophomore curse that so often plague rappers. The main problem I had with Setbacks was its subject matter.  Luckily, HnC showcases a more introspective ScHoolboy, evident with the entry track “Sacrilegious”.  Whereas Setbacks’s first track was about hustling for money, “Sacrilegious” examines ScHoolboy’s relationship with God, asking himself if God would accept his sin-filled soul.  It’s a fascinating look at the “hood” images rappers must often sustain, when in fact, they feel much different inside.  ”Blessed”, the best song on the album, is another example of deeper lyricism.  Maybe spurred by the forward-thinking Kendrick, ScHoolboy raps about the blessing of existence, that whatever the tribulation, life is something to be thankful for.  ”Oxy Music” details ScHoolboy’s past as a oxycodone dealer, a refreshing take on the reoccurring crack and weed dealing stories that rappers so often tell.  However, there are still retreads from Setbacks that are not pleasant.  ”Sexting” and “Sex Drive” are two duds about the same topic, casual sex.  The lyrics are shallow and trivial (Really, a song about sexting?), composed of groan-inducing come-ons (‘Let me give you life / No CPR’) and overtly sexual braggadocio (‘Get your pretty ass in the car / Don’t get your pussy on my seat’).  These tracks could be easily be cut from the album since the superior “Druggys Wit Hoes Again” suffices the obligatory track about women. The beats on this album are top-notch.  The highlight is again, “Blessed”.  Similar in nature to Kendrick’s lauded “A.D.H.D”, “Blessed” has a beat floats like a cloud, the saturated synthesizers creating a soothing euphoria.  The drums don’t disrupt this alternate state, only coming in to provide emphasis for the powerful lyrics.  Perfection.  Another highlight is the second track, “There He Go”, masterfully sampling the indie rock band Menomena.  Another successful sampling job is with the A$AP Rocky-assisted “Hands On The Wheel”.  Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness” is not changed much, but with added sampled vocals and a better back-beat, the track becomes an upbeat canvas for ScHoolboy and A$AP Rocky to paint their fun lyrics.  The Lex Luger-produced “Grooveline Pt. 1” is a far cry from typically Lex fare but the beat effectively induces a trippy trance that is perfect for the weed-fueled raps to come from ScHoolboy, Dom Kennedy, and Curren$y. To touch on ScHoolboy’s flow and meter, all one has to do is listen to the swagger track “Gangsta In Designer” where ScHoolboy effortlessly spits like he’s possessed, a performance that almost matches his performance on A$AP Rocky’s “Brand New Guy”.  ”NiggaHs.Already.Know.Davers.Flow” is another track that demonstrates ScHoolboy’s able skill in rhyme. HnC is first great album of 2012.  With mostly well-written and well-produced tracks, the album is quality, pure quality.  I can’t believe I was listening to the same rapper only a year ago on Setbacks.  In only a year’s time, ScHoolboy has improved as rapper considerably, an achievement that is as fantastic as his music.  It will be exciting to see where ScHoolboy goes next. 8.5/10