We've been following the Toronto-based collective, IXXI, for only a couple of months now, but even within that short time, we've seen IXXI break through Toronto's music scene with a stronger force than we ever imagined. Today, ringleader and MC of the camp, Sean Leon, released his much anticipated sophomore mixtape, narcissus, THE DROWNING OF EGO, a follow up to his debut effort, Ninelevenne, The Tragedy. There's no question this epigrammatic rapper has some things to get off his chest, but what really caught our attention was the amount of precision IXXI puts toward every creative outlet they bestow, from graphics to sonics, especially on this project. Tracks like "City 2" and "Elephant Graveyard" prove those 2 AM studio hours really pay off. It's not easy to transcend the art in your mind to create a sonic reality in someone else's ears, but with production help from Jordan Evans, Matthew Burnett, J'vell Boyce, and more, I think it's safe to say this is as close as we'll ever get to that becoming an unquestionable reality. Seon Leon and IXXI singer Daniel Caesar will be performing at the Hillydilly CMW showcase in Toronto this May. And if you're in the Toronto area, you can catch them next weekend for their three-day event, IXXI WEEKEND, hosted by VSOP. Find out some more information about it all at http://ixxiweekend.com/.
Sean Leon