Following dozens of limited vinyl releases as well as a 2010 CD-R (The March to the Stars) on
Legowelt's Strange Life Records, You Exist is the first
DMX Krew album to be given a proper, widespread CD release since 2010's double CD Wave Funk, his last recording for
Aphex Twin's now-defunct Rephlex label. As with much of
the Krew's post-millennial work, this album is a far cry from his early discs; these are not songs made for breakdancers, nor are they retro pastiches of new romantic synth melodies and self-consciously cheesy lyrics. In fact, vocals are nowhere to be found on this album. It's also not quite as experimental as some of his later releases like Standing Stones or Reith Trax, which offered some of his most downtempo, moody material. Instead, the nine cuts on You Exist are streamlined, straightforward dance tracks with expressive but not over-emotive melodies. The acid and electro elements present aren't quite as brash as they were on previous recordings. While songs such as "The Glass Room" and "I'm All Alone" on '90s-era
DMX Krew albums contained lyrics about isolation and heartbreak, in some ways the downplayed emotions of the more reserved You Exist seem to express those feelings better. "Hard Copy" sneaks in a wistful woodwind-like melody through its galloping
Kraftwerk/Italo-disco-inspired rhythm, and "Dark Rider" similarly has a tinge of melancholy and uncertainty lingering throughout its glittery, shimmering pulse. Standout track "Woolly Hat" increases the tempo a bit, but still seems a bit reserved, and "Parallel Universes" manages to sound spacy yet contained. Closing track "Black Poppy" lets the cracking electro beat do most of the talking, as its melody seems to disappear into thin air. The album might surprise longtime fans who are used to
DMX Krew being over the top, but it's still a solid effort. ~ Paul Simpson