Album Review - theCyberkrib.com Anonymous Twist - Through the Looking Glass op [soul.on.rice records/urbnet records] as reviewed by Who As a recent expatriate, I know firsthand that Toronto has a vibrant, innovative hip-hop scene. It is also starting to get some respect in other hip-hop markets. Artists such as Kardinal Offishall, IRS and Brassmunk have contributed greatly, but there are a number of other artists bubbling just under the surface including Theology 3, Kamau and the Pangea Project and Anonymous Twist. Twist began in hip-hop as a DJ in 1989. Since then, he has grown as a producer, DJ and MC and with the support of URBNet , is releasing Through The Looking Glass. "Lacing hot tracks/I'm self contained." Twist is a top notch producer, handling all of the production (including scratches) on the album himself. The bounce factor is extremely high on his beats, sure to keep your head nodding to whiplash proportions. Being a longtime DJ himself, Twist also has an innate feel for the music, knowing what works. His expert juxtaposition of dark and light sounds makes lighthearted songs that are dirty enough for the dingiest of backpackers. "I ain't saying I'm the best/I'm saying I never come with nothing less than fresh!" Anonymous is also worthy of respect as an MC. Twist has a lot of fun with his intricate, thoughtful rhymes and stays away from invented gangster stories. His understanding of the music shows itself in this element as well, as he weaves his way in and out of the beat most effectively. He knows that "being real does not equal being ghetto" and sticks to what he knows. One of the biggest strengths of Through The Looking Glass is its consistency. There are no filler tracks here. You could basically put this CD on random and be happy with whichever track plays next. That is a real achievement in a time when so many albums have one or two hot singles and seem to be lackluster otherwise. "Stepped On," "Rock, Scissor, Paper," and "The Fresh Shit" are straight up hip-hop hotness. The latter track in particular you can just see Twist on stage freaking. The fun continues as Twist is "Defecating" on the mic over a Primo-influenced beat juggle. On Lysol, he cleans up the game over a beat a little reminiscent of one of his other influences, Soul Assassin DJ Muggs. On "Rugged," he rides a staircase bassline to glory. "Respected" is an ode to strong women - a rarity in this game we called hip-hop. "Rambling Souls" closes out the album well with a simple, understated beat and Twist rambling his way out. Anonymous Twist has concocted a strong potion in Through The Looking Glass. Like Alice, his trip through a twisted world leads to significant introspection and personal development. Hip-hop fans, especially Canadian ones, should at least check this album out. We seem to have a habit of waiting for our artists to become popular somewhere else (south of the border) before accepting them. Why wait? Anonymous Twist's time is coming. Through The Looking Glass is available in more discerning record stores or at URBNet.com November 18, 2003. Beats: 4 Lyrics: 3.5 Originality: 4