Review: "Southern Wonderland" Mixtape by Troy Lux
Houston based rap artist Troy Lux brings fantastic flows on the lush luxuriant sound of “Southern Wonderland”. Bass rumbles with such physicality to it. His ear for melody reigns supreme. Emotionally, Troy embarks on an emotional rollercoaster.
Yearning, desire, chilled vibes, celebratory atmospherics, all of these filters into the wild mix. Genre-wise, Troy skips across multiple scenarios, from downtempo hip-hop to intense electro industrial frenzies. By refusing to be pigeonholed, he keeps the listener on their toes. Full of so many surprises his flow’s range varies significantly. Lyricism has a precise profound quality to them while they at times cascade at a breakneck pace.
A great deal of references flies on by throughout the “Southern Wonderland” mixtape. Troy’s at times furiously fast paced delivery recalls the greatness of Busta Rhymes’ incredible speed. The wordplay proves to be profound for it unfurls in unexpectedly psychedelic ways. The dreamy elements recall the heavy beats of Boards of Canada’s early work, as does the occasional turns into yellowed nostalgic. On the flipside, the heaviness of some of these tracks has an urgency not unlike that of Tyler, the Creator at his most furious. When taken together what results is a fully realized coherent whole.
“Pray (Intro)” sets the tone for what follows. Glistening jazz keyboards take hold on the stylish “On My Way”, feat. Nikiajnae. Such a joy to behold, it proves to be a mysterious sophisticated piece of art. Beats hit hard and furious on the fiery “Burner Phone” where a sense of unease prevails. On “Dirty”, the groove becomes a colossal beast with the right level of physicality.
Warped, woozy sounds are broken down on the weird toy box melody of “Glitter Boy”. An assault on the senses emerges on the highlight of “Movers & Shakers”, which possesses a tremendous intensity to it, with the sample twisted and distorted beyond recognition. Elastic rhythms emerge on the driving power of “Dance for It”. A distinctly worldly affect takes hold on the flamboyant funk of “Like Me”. Neatly tying it all together is the finale of “Albino”.
The “Southern Wonderland” mixtape shows off Troy Lux’s mastery of the mix, proving to be an incredible storyteller with narratives that linger in the mind.