Exile is a sonic pilgrimage and a return to the roots. Eight years after his last album, there had been much speculation about where Chronixx’s musical journey might go next. After collaborations with Joey Bada$$, anaiis, SAULT, Wizkid and Yussef Dayes, much seemed possible. Yet with Exile, Chronixx gives us a classic roots reggae album, shaped by a warm vintage riddim sound from the 1970s. The guitars move between discreet skanks and funky licks, while echo and reverb effects give the songs the depth one hopes for from a roots album.
On »Survivor« things get funky; »Hurricane«, through its intimacy and vulnerability, goes more than just one layer under the skin; »Genesis« creates a soulful vibe; and »Saviour«, with its hypnotically psychedelic dub aesthetic, opens up the album’s deepest sonic spheres. The warm production bears the signature of Inflo, while the diversity of the sound worlds is shaped by Chronixx, who plays instruments himself on several songs. Just as characteristic are his lyrics about connection, family, everyday life and Rastafari. Exile may be a rather reduced and unsurprising album for many critical fans, but that is precisely where its strength lies. It does not demand attention – it lets its effect unfold quietly, but all the more lastingly.
Exile
