HXLT • 'HXLT'

What may go down as the longest rollout in recent history finally got an end point today as Chicago's own HXLT made his G.O.O.D. Music debut with the release of his self-titled project that hit the internet after a lengthy teasing. Having played on a series of different sounds that come together to form a sort of twenty-year-loop that manifests itself through the unique prism of HXLT's artistry. The stream on Soundcloud that went live today is a preview of the project that is currently available for pre-order on iTunes. 

First beginning as the rapper 'Hollywood Holt' damn near a decade ago, Holt has gone about touching on just about every artistic expression under the sun in the time since. The project's release was preceded by a long list of visual and audio releases and coincided with a very lit release party that had the excitement at an all time high. Currently one of the more interesting and intriguing artists to emerge from the streets in and around the city, it seems as though HXLT has been able to channel the multitude of different aesthetics and sounds that make up his unique style into a narrowly focused collection that is at once thought-provoking and steeped in aspects of everything from punk rock and ambient sound to new age rock and hip-hop, coming together to form something wholly new and interesting. At times it feels like the sound Cudi was reaching for on Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven albeit without all the sadboy inflection.

There's a lot of people in the world that make claims to creativity, but few can live it everyday. This project is essentially the manifestation of HXLT as true artistic expression. He kicked off his push to this album by jumping out a window, literally. Now we get to see when he tosses his whole self into the public arena.