Twiztid – “Echoes from Dimension X” review

Twiztid is a hip hop/rock duo from Detroit, Michigan consisting of Jamie Madrox & Monoxide. Both of whom originally started out as part of the House of Krazees alongside childhood friend The R.O.C. in 1992 before their initial disbandment 5 years later. Almost immediately after, the Insane Clown Posse took Jamie & Mono under their wings by signing them to Psychopathic Records as the demented duo they’re known as today. They would become the label’s 2nd biggest act being their mentors off projects like Mostasteless, Freek Show, Mirror Mirror, The Green Book, W.I.C.K.E.D. (Wish I Could Kill Every Day & Abominationz. Shortly after the latter was released, Twiztid left Psychopathic to form Majik Ninja Entertainment in 2014. Since then they’ve released 7 albums & 7 EPs on their own label, my favorites of which being Revelashen & even their last full-length Glyph that they dropped over the fall. But as Jamie & Mono hit the road with Static X for their Rise of the Machine Tour, they’re celebrating by surprise dropping their 15th EP fully produced by Stir Crazy.

“I’m Dead Now” is fascinatingly morbid way to set things off as Twiztid hops on top of a piano/boom bap instrumental vividly portraying themselves as if they were actually deceased while the song “Chops & Sweeps the Leg” delves deeper into a more uncanny vibe sonically as the Multiple Man & the Monoxide Child talk about taking the advice from the millions & millions who’ve told them not to take shit for granted ever again with. The penultimate track “A Demon” has this raw, grungy guitar lead throughout to discuss enough being enough & truthfully feeling stuck in this Hell they’re trying to leave prior to “Slip/Trip” finishing the EP with a trap/rock crossover continuing to spit the wicked shit as a reminder to those who like to lie to themselves that they turned their back on juggalos.

Mirror Mirror has always been my favorite EP from the demented duo, but Echoes from Dimension X is already creepin’ up with Electric Lettuce as the best EPs that they’ve dropped since leaving PSY to start MNE. Stir Crazy’s production is interestingly detailed ranging from the opener kinda throwing it back to the boom bap Mostasteless days to preluding their upcoming album with Zeuss by refining the predominantly rock-oriented direction Unlikely Prescription took during it’s 2nd half in the form of blending the rap rock qualities of both Mutant & Generation Nightmare with their horrorcore roots. At this rate, Planet Z’s bound to give us a wicked shit rap rock classic & the best rock album Twiztid has ever done.

Score: 4/5

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Jaysin Logik – “Soundcheck” review

Jaysin Logik is a 39 year old MC from Milwaukee, Wisconsin came onto my radar a couple years ago when The DRP signed him to his rising independent hip hop label Force 5 Records. I’ve only heard Jaysin on features up to this point, but now we’re finally getting a debut album from him & he’s tapping in Majik Ninja Entertainment in-house producer Stir Crazy to hop behind the boards for a good bulk of it.

After the intro, the first song “That’s My Story” talks about how you can’t tell him shit because he’s been through it over a high-pitched soul sample while the track “Stop Trying to Wake Me” with The DRP finds the 2 talking about how you can find them in between reality & a dream over a cinematic boom bap beat. The song “Anger Management” talks about being as sporadic as an addict over a lachrymose instrumental & after the “Poetic Justice” interlude, “The Toast” with Skribbal & Prolifik finds the trio getting celebratory over a boom bap beat with some hypnotic background vocals.

The song “Easy” gets in his shit-talking bag over a heavy, old school instrumental while the track “Kickin’ Rocks” is a full-fledged country rap ballad about the old days & following the dirt road right to your heart. The penultimate track “Talking About You” gets romantic over a rhythmic yet charming instrumental & then the closer “Never Walk Away” is his profession of love for hip hop culture over chipmunked-vocal sample.

Man I was waiting for this album all month & it didn’t disappoint me whatsoever. Stir Crazy cooks up some of his best production yet whereas Jaysin Logik reveals himself as one of the most skilled lyricists that Force 5 Records currently has to offer.

Score: 4/5