Foxwitches – Chapter One
Fredericton’s Hip Hop community has some fresh new faces adding new flavour and dynamics to the scene. Along with Captain 111 and Foxwitch, there is something for everyone – the eclectic nature of the scene is encouraging.
Foxwitch brings two essential elements in what I believe makes a good hip hop album; phenomenal beats and engaging creative lyricism. Lets start with the beats. Are they fresh, ‘yes sir’. The beats are strong and confident, in fact, the obvious influences are apparent but the music is better for it. It’s the culmination of influences and the artists refinement of those influences that separates true artists from hacks or posers. Who do I hear in Foxwitch’s beats? I hear MF Doom’s influence, RZA, and some J Dilla production. Hey man, if those production elements can be found in your music you are doing something right. This is headphone shit. Get lost in it.
Foxwitch’s immediately hooks you from the first sample layered beat. With production levels this high, you have to be a damn good MC to match the imagination found in the beats. Lyrically, Foxwitch is engaging and unique, providing an authenticity that is rarely scene in mainstream hip hop. His personality shines in the lyrics; however, the delivery sometimes has a hard time catching up with beats and the flow can get a tad bit monotonous. This is a minor criticism in relation to the whole.
The glue that holds together the beats with the flow is in the strength of the lyrics. The lyrics are interpersonal thought experiments that shape into allegorical poetic imagery. With line’s, ‘Embrass the demon, become poetic medium’, Foxwitch perfectly encapsulates his stylistic vision. The hush vocal styles makes you feel like you are being let in on a secret that is being whispered to you by a lost subconscious ‘other’ you.
The beats are hard so the style of delivery works. Considering this recording is Foxwitch’s debut, I am impressed at the sophisticated vision that he brings to the table this early in the game. Bring up the flow and the rest will follow, because Foxwitch’s is nothing to ‘Fuk With’.
tim rayne
