The Red Fox

While he isn't the most groundbreaking hip-hop artist to come out of San Francisco, The Red Fox should still be on your radar for 2008. He combines straightforward, but poignant, lyrics with gloomy production to create the fittingly sleepy atmosphere he was going for on Waking Dreams.

After a few lackluster cuts, the album truly comes into its own during the melancholy and phenomenal “The More I See You.” It’s at that point when the tempo picks up and everything just comes together. The first three tracks – “Somebody Say Yeah,” “Around the World” and “Everyday Life” – might not be memorable, but they aren’t exactly throwaways either. If anything, they make you appreciate the rest of the record more.
Waking Dreams‘s smoky, sometimes lo-fi feel is highlighted by several other tracks that The Red Fox himself pointed out in his self-written press release. The lost-love song “Dead. Dreaming” is ghostly and addicting. “We Dream In Color” and “Monday Morning,” which is produced by the The Red Fox, sound like they were crafted by MF DOOM. You can blame the dirty strings and horns samples for that comparison. The songs also match the Bay area artist’s whispery, gruff flow.

As you can imagine with that type of voice, The Red Fox’s vocals have a tendency to blend together. There is also little variation in his delivery, other than his minimalist flow on “Monday Morning.” Some of the production by Hunchback Esquire, The Red Fox and others hits the same bumps as well. Many of the loops sound very similar, except of course on the aforementioned songs. Simplistic, ear-catching beats like those are not easy to make and they’re typically hit-or-miss.

While Waking Dreams has its flaws, it ultimately shows The Red Fox’s potential. I know that word is thrown around too often, but it’s the truth in this case. With several projects in the works for ‘08, this west coast MC is one hip-hop artist to watch for.

Also, I have to give props to S. Maharba, who designed the album layout and artwork. Whoever you are, keep at it. Your art will not just help The Red Fox, but whomever else you work with.

- Andrew Martin - Okayplayer.com

Oakland MC The Red Fox's appeal isn't so much in his lax, Atmosphere-esque flow - though the elongated, half-sung verses may seal the deal for some folks - nor in the moody, low-impact beats over which he delivers his life story. What truly elevates this debut from ordinary to noteworthy is his confident sampling of every flavor in the indie hip-hop rainbow.

-Nate Seltenrich - East Bay Express