Hip-hop: X7 - Tropixx (2017)

78 / 100

Tropixx feels like a well-crafted, atmospheric debut that succeeds in blending Brazilian bossa nova, lo-fi hip-hop, and tropical ambience into a coherent lounge experience.

Perhaps my main influences at this point are melody and atmosphere in music, so compared to Fiendish – Phonograffiti XX (2022), I feel far more optimistic about the debut release by X7, based in Fort Worth, Texas. This is Tropixx, a 20-minute, nine-track album released independently in May 2017.

The interesting aspect of this release is the mixture of bossa nova music plus tropical field recordings to reinforce a lounge atmosphere. Although primarily instrumental, X7 also incorporates vocal samples from this style, further enhancing the Brazilian tropical vibe. For example, on the songs “AguA,” “Vacay,” and “Beach Loop,” while the opener “Sad Summer” uses a rather melancholic sample of someone grieving.

Meanwhile, “Seaweed,” “Cactu$,” and “Night.rider” mix jazzy bossa nova with piano notes in the fashion expected from lo-fi hip-hop, while “Tropicflames” offers trumpet lines that trap the listener in a relaxed lounge mode. The closing track, “Amazon,” is filled with natural sounds like bird chirps and more, with tightly packed beats that almost lean toward house. But speaking of beats, “Sad Summer” holds the most striking rhythm in my ears.

Although independent, X7 demonstrates skill in composition and production, so the output for this debut already feels just right, with no noticeable flaws from what I can tell so far. That said, it doesn’t mean I personally like every song, since I’d still need more careful consideration before adding them to my favorites playlist. Therefore, there are no clear “best” or “worst” tracks I can single out at this point — aside from the three lo-fi hip-hop songs I mentioned earlier. Lol. \:v