Stream: Lex (of Kalhex) – Full Cycle

After a few days of having the latest Akromégalie Records release spinning on my turntable, I’m beginning to think there might be some kind of adhesive involved in the limited edition vinyl pressing.

Lex, one third of the French group Kalhex, has found some kind of underground gem stone mine underneath the sewers of Paris. From his lair, Lex forged jewel after instrumental jewel with deep jazzy samples and adamantine drums.

This album is his second solo instrumental LP and shows Lex exploring darker textures than his previous effort, Perfect Picture. Overall, the sound on the new Full Cycle album is more refined and contemplative. In addition to ten brand new instrumentals, the very special guest Shing02 blesses the mic on two tracks with a unique poetic style.

The introduction to an album is always crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the record, and Shing02 and Lex on “Fast Forward” happens to be one of the most intriguing intros in recent memory. Reminiscent of Gil Scott-Heron, the two combine for a jazzy slam poetry styled jam that wouldn’t be out of place in the 1970s.

Continuing through the LP, the instrumentals exude a mature sound and coax the listener through a series of pensive soundscapes heavily soaked in jazz. Once again, Akromégalie have produced a superb piece of art that is available on limited edition vinyl, a must have for any vinyl junkie and beat head.

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