Chronixx ADD

Review

Album Review: Chronixx - Exile

10/12/2025

by Gardy Stein

A blessed Earthstrong to you, Chronixx! Marking the beginning of his 34^th circle around the sun with an extraordinary gift to himself and his fans, the artist just released his long-awaited sophomore album in a surprise move on his birthday (October 10, 2025). Exile is the name of this new musical feat, and somehow it feels indeed as if the artist has returned from an eight-year exile. Many rumours were spun around his absence from the music scene, but he was probably only avoiding the noise and distraction that comes with spotlight.  

Whatever he did, he was definitely searching his soul, deeply, to come up with the wealth of music that forms this new opus. It consists of an impressive 17 tracks, executively produced by Dean Josiah Cover aka Inflo, founder of the releasing label Forever Living Originals and the mysterious British formation Sault. Letting sonic influences of the latter flow into this project, he assured a consistent, warm and cozy soundscape that even integrates the two tracks co-produced by LA-based Roger Rivas.

With its swelling instrumental onset and the prominent guitar skank, the opening and title track Exile is strongly reminiscent of Bob Marley’s Natural Mystic, albeit a bit faster and using different melodies, of course. Another striking similarity between the two masters is their voices, especially in songs like Survivor, a decidedly funky piece in which Kelissa is singing backing vocals.

Back to the essentials: drum and bass, a few guitar notes, and clever lyrics is all it takes to create a boom track like Market, in which Chronixx takes us on a shopping trip to his local peddlers. Subjects addressed in the casually delivered flow include his baby mother, the different stalls (shout-out to Mrs. Margery!), inflation, and respect for those who laid the foundation to food and music, such as Nicodemus, Burro Banton and Super Cat: “Big respect to all farmers, seen, and all original DJs!”

As in those olden days, live dub and toasting are a major component of Saviour, another heartfelt homage to the reggae veterans, vocal harmonies and all. Scheming likewise sounds as if its master reels had just been recorded in 1970’s Studio One, complete with a layer of faint white noise in the background. So good to have this classic sound back in a modern recording!

Some of the earliest tracks revealed and presented to the public during Chronixx’ celebrated live show at Reggae Land were the uplifting Don’t Be Afraid, the gospely Love Is On The Mountain and Family First. The latter comes on a buoyant riddim dominated by drum and bass once more, and its lyrics are sung in such a heartfelt way that it creates several waves of goosebumps upon first listening.

“Now this one livicated to all woman dem, seen, jus call…” Sweet Argument! It’s a fine example of the strong thematic focus the album places on love, this eternal and universal emotion. Next to the one just mentioned, in which Chronixx' father Selvin "Chronicle" McNaughton is credited as co-writer, there is the tender I Know What You Feelin’ and Pain In Your Heart, at the same time questioning and reassuring his loved one. Speaking of reassurance: while I And I speaks of faith, both Keep On Rising and Never Give Up deliver encouragement and comfort to anyone who might be struggling with something at the moment. The 2022 single vinyl release was remastered to fit with the overall nostalgic album feel, but wasn’t altered much otherwise.

Did I mention goosebumps before? Hurricane hits more than skin-deep, going straight to the heart and (in my case at least) bringing tears to the eyes. Very personal and thus directly relatable, it talks to and about the powers that rescue us from the ranging storms of life, that help us to stand firm, that provide peace of mind – a prayer of gratitude! Chapeau to everyone involved to create such a powerful hymn, with nothing else but an acoustic guitar and Chronixx’ velvety voice. Resilient is woven with the same golden thread, to which an angelic choir (The Music Confectionery) is added that rises into a surprisingly powerful crescendo at the end.

The quiet Genesis, finally, would have been the perfect closing track (had this position not already been taken by Love Is On The Mountain). Although it seems to be another love song, the words expressed can be understood as a communication with the audience, too, because with you, dear Chronixx, “our journey is like poetry. Here’s to new memories!”

This isn’t just another album by a great artist, no. Exile is music at its best, a living, breathing organism, in which Chronixx strikes up a conversation with his listeners. He does so by the street scenes captured in the beginning of the title track, by the “come again” at the end of Sweet Argument, by the studio vibes we are allowed to share in Genesis and Resilience as well as by the chirping of cicadas in Hurricane… and by the simple yet powerful cover. The album vibrates with talent, with real instruments played by real musicians (in many tracks, Chronixx himself picked up bass, guitar, drums or keys, and in Love Is On The Mountain he even plays all instruments!), with real voices in all their splendid abilities and, yes, also small imperfections that make it so damn authentic; an antithesis to the growing number of slick AI-produced material, a reminder what humans are able to create when like-minded souls meet. Thank you, team Chronixx, Inflo and all the musicians who were part of this amazing production!

The thank yous expressed by the artist himself on his Instagram channel read as follows: "Thanks for the Human Spirit and for the victory of peace and good over evil (...) Thank you Kelissa for your creativity and love. This album is also livicated to my cousin Tj Hibbert who was such a light for us in the world and now you are a light in Zion. (...) Give thanks to my brother and friend inflo and his Family."

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