He doesn’t necessarily have swagger, but Crossword hits a sweet spot with his dense rhymes, dynamic flow and fresh yet familiar beats. There’s nothing particularly flashy or daring about the overall production on XW. In fact, it sounds a little cheap and scrappy. On some level though, that minimalism helps Crossword’s considerable talent rise to the surface.
As a first impression, Realate is an awkward and ultimately odd choice to bat at the top of the order – the opening salvo just doesn’t have a lot of power, and Crossword sounds like he’s finding his feet during the song. PK, on the other hand, is a true masterwork. A dreamy hook separates rapid-fire verses from dizzying raps that, by the second set of bars, recall Eminem.
There’s a sense of political urgency on Breathe and also Reconsider, and a general sense that Crossword is hyper-aware of the world around him. XW possesses these flashes of engagement and intrigue, but not always quite enough style to match its substance.
Top track: PK
