Search - X Ecutioners :: Built From Scratch

When the momentum behind turntablism shifted from east to west, the X-Ecutioners (formerly the X-Men) maintained New York's continued relevance, helping to bring scratching back to conventional hip-hop. With their second album, it's not just their hands that do the talking: guests such as Large Professor, Pharoah Monche, and metal heads Linkin Park help balance the album. But while these MCs might give lyric fans something to listen to, the focus is still on sound manipulation. One of the album's highlights is "Genius of Love," a stitched-together reworking of the Tom Tom Club's club classic. Likewise, frenetic scratches complement Kenny Muhammed's blistering beatbox on "A Journey into Sound." The X-Ecutioners root the album in intricate scratching and sound play, stretching themselves thin at times, but ultimately they've produced an album that's well worth a listen. --Oliver Wang