A weh dah mixtape yah name?

Roots & Chalice!  

This is how the lyrical jockey kicks in the door to his newest mixtape. Linking up with Max Glazer and Kenny Meez, the masterful dub-plate duo of the vintage-dancehall Federation Sound out of New York, Chronixx takes us on a nostalgic journey back in time, teleporting us to the 1970’s – 1990’s reggae and dancehall music scene.  

With a visionary pairing such as this, one could not expect anything short of musical genius. Chronixx flexed his lyrical muscles while complementing the dense basslines  and punchy horns of old-time dancehall and reggae rhythms. In all, he created a tantalizing body of work, staccatoed with interludes, that will go down in the annals of reggae music history as a musical gem.    

Track 1 – Roots and Chalice 

With a roots tonic and steam chalice in hand, Chronixx invites us into the scenes of the quintessential Rastaman party. As he explains in the first interlude on the mixtape, the song is about “fulljoyment” within a conscious state. Chronixx weaves the punchy percussion beat with crafty rhymes and vivid verse, giving us a very ‘upful’ starter to the mixtape.  

Track 2 – Like A Whistle 

Chronixx takes it down a notch on this track, pouring earnest libations over groaning cornets and light drumming. He does a more funky rendition on his hit single

Like A Whistle, demonstrating his creative prowess at delivering one song on a variation of rhythms and sounds.    

Track 3 – Alpha & Omega  

In this prophetic canticle, we see a more familiar side to Chronixx, with his blunt social commentary and militant lyrics. The gritty composition grabs your attention with pounding trumpets and scratchy guitar strings, forcing you to witness the intended message. Chronixx’ gnashing bash of the status quo in this song flies in the face of political correctness.  

Track 4 – Puppy Nose ft. Dre Island  

Music producer and roots reggae DJ Dre Island, joins Chronixx in the political onslaught on this track. The skilled lyricist synchronizes his canny punchlines with each jab of drum, complemented by a thumping bassline. Chronixx then comes on the track with a style reminiscent of 80’s DJ Tenor Saw on the Sin Ting Riddim. One of the creative highlights of the mixtape, this track was real treat.  

Track 5 – Tenement Yard (News Carryin’ Dread) 

On this track, Chronixx draws inspiration from Jacob Miller’s

Tenement Yard, a musical staple that has been etched unto our memories. In this rendition of his single

News Carryin’ Dread, Chronixx cements himself as one of the most gifted reggae vocalists of contemporary times. 

Track 6 – Spanish Town Rocking 

In the interlude to the is song, Chronixx expresses nostalgic love for his hometown. The old romantic city of Spanish Town forms the backdrop and context for this next track. Chronixx’ breezy melodies waltz with the groovy beats of this song, referencing another of reggae’s treasures,

Prison Oval by Barrington Levy.  

Track 7 – Out Deh  

In this call to action, Chronixx turns his attention to the youth in inner city communities. He offers a lion claw of affirmation to his peers who have created entrepreneurial solutions to poverty in a harsh economic environment. This short but effective composition sees Chronixx showing off is lyrical astuteness overlaid on an energetic and punchy rhythm.  

Track 8 – Majesty 

Chronixx takes a surprising dip with this romantic serenade to his queen. With poetic rhymes and smooth melodies, he goes from militant to mushy, revealing dimensions to his love for this mystery woman. A charming song which accurately captures the majestic possibilities of true love.  

Track 9 – Iyah Walk  

Chronixx trods on into this next song in a meditative mood. Originally voiced with the Zinc Fence Redemption band, the song sits elegantly on the older dubs of yesteryears courtesy of Federation Sound. The song is a powerful testament of Chronixx’ resolve to stick to his earthly mission.  

Track 10 – Perfect Tree ft. Eesah  

In the interlude to his love ballad to marijuana, Chronixx contextualizes the song with commentary of the perceived improper use of the Rastafarian sacrament. Chronixx chastises the commercial peddling of certain parts of the cannabis plant for mere economic gain.  

The track features the gifted and upcoming DJ, Eesah who compliments Chronixx’ smoother melodies with impressive bars acrobatic similes and stylish rhymes. The song samples an old hip hop rhythm, originally used in

Respiration by the group, Blackstar. This delicate duet was yet another treat on the mixtape.  

Track 11 – Spirulina  

Chronixx introduces this next track with a reasoning on “ital” consumption, rationalizing that organic wholesome food and herbs should be our medicine.  

Referencing 80’s dancehall hits, namely Wayne Wonder’s  Joy Ride, Frisko Kid’s Rubberz and Lady Saw’s Sycamore Tree, Chronixx gives another masterful version of another of his popular singles.  

Track 12 – Smooth Operator  

Perhaps the most playful and fun tracks on the mixtape, Chronixx pulls out another surprise from his musical magic hat. Declaring himself the smooth operator aka master mixologist, not just in music, but apparently also in hearty juices and smoothies. Clever play on Sade’s song Chronixx. Kudos!  

Track 13 – 3D  

The title of this track hints at the tripping effects that comes with the oral intake of the holy Sativa. Hop-scotching on the punchy pangs of the piano, Chronixx overlays with rhythm with jocular verses, resembling Ninja Man’s style of deejaying.  

Track 14 – Thanks & Praise 

Chronixx shifts it up again, offering Thanks & Praise to Jah; giving us reggae fused with a dollop of calypso and a splash of gospel.  By this time into the mixtape, you could easily crown Chronixx as the musical don dadda for his skillful fusing genres across the sonic timeline.  

Track 15 – Best Love ft. Kelissa 

Treating us with a second “girl chune”, Chronixx is joined by the versatile songbird of the Reggae Revival movement, Kelissa. This romantic duet manifests a contemporary version of what a collab between Nadine Sutherland and Beenie Man would have sounded like. The two song birds did a respectable job of the playful back and forth, typical of dancehall’s romantic duets.  

Track 16 – Sell My Gun  

Chronixx teleports us forward to early late 90’s contemporary dancehall, addressing that section of the Youth population involved in crime. He reasons with them, presenting entrepreneurship as a better alternative to crime.  

Track 17 – Real Real  

The real microphone official got real on this one! Demonstrating his quick wit and excellent use of musical puns, Chronixx gives us his style of reggae-gospel-dancehall. He inserts a reference to the popular lively chorus Real Real that many of us would remember from prep or primary school days.  

Track 18 – Question  

Don Ital gears down on the second-to-last track on the mixtape. He gives us a soulful ditty that would swoon any empress. This disarming twist leads us into the atomic clincher of the mixtape.  

Track 19 – Chalice & Roots  

Chronixx comes full circle in reverse, with

Chalice & Roots.  How poetic!  On this track, Chronixx spews political vitriol, covering themes of mental slavery and state corruption. He’s joined by Kabaka Pyramid, whose incisive jabs abets Chronixx in his unabashed chastisement of the corrupted powers that be.  

Chronixx ends the mixtape acknowledging the growing anticipation for the release of a new album, urging us to ‘wait likkle longer’.

The appetizer will suffice, for now!