The Knux: Remind Me In 3 Days…

To say that The Knux is just another group riding the hipster bandwagon would be taking the easy way out. Well, the bandwagon is already full and Krispy Kreme and Rah Al Millio take their own route in their own whip. Remind Me in 3 Days… is their debut album and it contains a sound entrenched with their roots from New Orleans and their new place of residence, California. The live instruments are vital throughout the album along with the poppy claps and retrofit choruses. The listen is a refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable one due to the various tastes one can get from this flavorful dish.

Do you like rock music? Well, look no further than “Roxxanne”, which blends a powerful electric guitar in with a catchy vocal flow. Like hop hop? “F!RE (Put It in the Air)” delivers a treat with its unique production and easy to follow lyrics. Even though there isn’t much lyrical content to sink your teeth into, the way Rah and Krispy ride the tracks, whether they are singing, rapping, adlibbing, or conversing, is effective and unique.

“Cappuccino” is a song that led many playbacks over the last few weeks. It is a love it or hate it track, but damn, it’s catchy and it demands the replay button. If “Cappuccino” is the bounciest of the bouncy, “Wake the F*ck Up” is certainly the most eccentric and “Lights, Camera, Action” is easily the most retro.

While their sounds are refreshing, it is hard not to compare them to similar acts. “The List” sounds like something out of Prodigy‘s catalogue (not the Mobb Deep ‘P’) and “Bang! Bang!” is very Gorillaz/De La Soul-esque. That doesn’t take away from this experience and songs like “Shine Again” or “The True” contribute to the belief that these guys are much better than any of the other ‘hipster’ (I hate using this term, really, it is used for lack of a better term) artist doing their hip hop thing right now. They also have plenty more to offer. If only there were more of the aforementioned tracks, then this album would achieve beyond any expectations that they might have had. There are simply a lot of silly tracks, but they need to be taken with a grain of salt for the full enjoyment. Regardless, this album should last in your deck for more than 3 days.

Overall Score: 80/100

Standout Tracks:

“Cappuccino”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“The True”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“F!RE (Put It In The Air)”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.