Reach Out & Touch Someone...

I know it’s not the newest of releases, but The Foreign Exchange’s Connected has hardly left my CD player since I first purchased it. The collaboration between producer Nicolay and Little Brother’s Phonte was easily one of the best albums of 2004. Incredibly, the two never met during the entire process. Nicolay produced the album’s instrumentals in his home counrty the Netherlands, and the vocals were later added in the States.

“Raw Life” juxtaposes a simple synthesized melody with a heavy bass line. Lyrically, Phonte tears the track apart, and also gets some help from fellow Justus League member Joe Scudda. “Nic’s Groove” is a smooth, chilled hip hop beat that suits both of Little Brother’s emcees perfectly. “Happiness” is my favourite track off the album (although it changes quite frequently).

Overall, the album is definitely worth its price tag. I can even forgive Phonte for mentioning Toronto’s SARs crisis in “Brave New World”.



The Foreign Exchange - Connected