Infinite Sounds UK: Album Review: Lunar Lounging by Jakk Dexx

Lunar Lounging

Jakk Dexx

Lunar Lounging is the debut album from UK DJ and Producer Jakk Dexx and is released through Weaponize Records on 30^th May this year.

Now, I’m not gonna say too much about this before we get into it but, it promises to be an album that is a huge introduction to his unique style of futuristic, electronic and experimental sounds that are rooted in the boom bap vibe. Dexx has also brought in a huge line up of talent from the UK, Australia, USA and more, making this a debut that is truly international offering.

With all that said, lets sit back and strap ourselves in for a trip beyond the confines of our planetary body.

As you slowly lower the needle onto this one, there is a brief respite before the rocket motors engage, and we are on our journey with Shelling. This one features a massive line up of Tenth Dan (AUS), Stinkin’ Slumrok (UK), Caesar Crow (AUS), Tanglemandan (UK), and DJ Grazzhoppa (Belgium). Lift-off seems to be from a boost of a different kind, and we transition from this earth in a mind-bending way as the drumbeat gets our heads nodding and the background deep electronic vibes carry us along with a sound that seems to have an air of trepidation. The wordplay and lyrical dexterity here bring us, not just a demonstration of skill, but opens our minds ready for the journey’s continuation, and all the while the bridge is full of cuts that hit like a lightsabre, slicing deeply into our awareness. Probably True takes us beyond the atmosphere with a beat that has you sitting back in your seat, chillin’, while the plethora of electronic vibes and other sounds drift though your mind like the stars as they pass by. Jack Jetson (UK) and Citizen Nuggz (UK) bring us a couple of verses that make us realise that the fuel for our journey is not just liquid, but a tightly packed herbal fuel that helps the mind transcend the physical. Here the message is pretty simple, you might have heard things going around and if you have heard them then are probably true. No need to think too hard here just let the music and the words carry you and speak to you on whatever level you need. Formi (UK) joins the journey here for The Guy, where the beat takes on a more classic boom bap funk fuelled feel with horns, keys, bass guitar and more, giving you a bit more adrenaline to get you moving to the groove. This one has this vibe that seems to speak on those who make themselves out to be more that they are, they might think they are the guy but, right here and now, there is just one guy, and he is dropping the flavour right here.

As our interstellar journey nears the moon Wundrop (UK) joins us for Bricks & Mortar where a melodic beat and orchestral vibes draw us in and the electronic elements first make you feel like you have been transported underwater before switching to a rapid sound that tweaks the nerves, these sounds switch back and forth, testing the limits of our mind. Wundrop speaks frankly on life and how it goes around him as he prepares himself for the next stage of his journey, constantly working and remaining focused on what’s important and pushing forward. Warheadz has plodding drum beat that is backed by keys, strings and electronic elements that seems to sit between a sixties funk vibe and outer space futuristic vibes. As your mind drifts on this, Adam Koots (AUS) steps up spinning metaphors and similes that twist and turn in your mind, giving us a look just who he is and how he conducts himself and that’s all you need to know really but, you get the feeling you could sit and listen to him speak for the rest of the journey if needs be. An outtake from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas gives you some idea, or perhaps no idea where we are on our journey as the beat drops in and the bells and electronic elements have our minds realising that we are just floating through the cosmos, In The Bag. Citizen Nuggz and B Wun (UK) open the bag and school us to all the things we need to help us make the most of this journey as we move beyond space and time and slide more into the mind and where that takes us when it is given the space to be truly open and tap into other realms. Brew Break brings us to the halfway point of our trip. This is a classic cut n’ paste style interlude that puts us once and for all into orbit around the moon. Giving us time to enjoy all those elements and have a chill while grinning all the while; Oh, and its up to you if you chose to enjoy this with a real brew or not…

As we float around that celestial body, looking back down on the earth, out mind cast back to bit of Summer Madness, where the beat takes a more uplifting sound with an up tempo beat and fresh sounding horns, bringing you the kinda beat that just makes you wanna move. Mysdiggi takes the mic and spins us some fun stories that we have no problem in visualising and enjoying. Mashed Potatoes keeps that upbeat sound going with a head nod beat and keys that just bring a highly enjoyable sound. Jack Jetson and Sublingual spin us bars with more food related similes than you can shake a stick at. At this point of our journey there is a good chance that this one is gonna give you the munchies if nothing else. Tenth Dan returns for The Meg, where beats drops in a little harder while the electronic elements bring a light-hearted sound, and that sound works so well with the lyrics that come with more than a hint of bravado and maybe a sprinkling of braggadocio too as Dan looks at how you don’t have to look a certain way and have certain things to be better than others. Those that look good and have all the expensive things are not necessarily the best at what they do, they just have things that make them appear that way, while others have a natural talent that stands them on the shoulder of giants.

As we float through the cosmos, we realise that we have broken free of the moons orbit and are now getting Carried Away with a proper head nod sound and electric guitar vibes that are both energetic and chilled at the same time. Citizen Nuggz steps up, telling us how it is for him and how he gets carried away gripping a page of paper and allowing his imagination to run away with him and the places that takes him to. It seems that we are now fully Space Trippin and the sound for this one is a full on banger with cuts and the kinda sound that gets the adrenaline pumping and the head nodding. Prev Marco (USA) is our captain for this leg of the trip, laying the cards on the table and giving us a reason to trust him as rap pilot, as the cosmos is just another step, another place to conquer and he has the skills and the dedication to do it. The final track of the album brings to Lesson One, this is a more relaxed affair with a heavy beat, electronic elements and a classic piano break, giving us another banger that has you thinking that this trip never needs to end. Lemon Larry (AUS) drops us a solid display of just who he is and the skills he has but, there is a little more to it than just a display of wordplay and lyrical dexterity, there is a lot here about respect, something that, once you have listened to this album, you will have a great deal of for Jakk Dexx and all the guests.

At this point you will be thinking that we are just going to be left here, floating through space until perhaps we float by earth, once more, and maybe we that float back down to solid ground? But no so fast, if you grabbed the digital download, then your trip ain’t over just yet. Because you now have Astro Travelling as a seven minute bonus track. Here we have Jakk Dexx dropping a chilled drum beat with organ and synth sounds that carry us along on this journey out to the moon. We are treated to a wealth of answerphone messages from the guest artists, all trying to get hold of Dexx, who is clearly away from his phone enjoying the serenity of the moon while Lunar Lounging, no need to come back to earth now…

What is clear here is that we need Jakk Dexx to return from his Lunar Lounging because this is one wicked debut that is screaming out for a follow up already.

Overall, this is a truly impressive debut offering. The beats are all between 72 and 94 BPM, so they are chilled enough to allow to sit back an enjoy but, also there is enough energy in the sound to fire you up at the same time. It might not have you jumping around but, it will definitely have you chilling on the dark side of the moon, wishing you could be float through the cosmos for eternity, viewing all the wonders that exist beyond our atmosphere. Jakk Dexx has created a smoked out sound that seamlessly incorporates these electronic and experimental vibes with a solid grounding in the classic boom bap Hip Hop sound. I see no reason why you could not completely trip out to these tracks as instrumentals, as much as you do to the vocal versions.

Bringing in the international line up of emcees is top notch. It is heavy on the UK side of things but, with those from Australia and the US too it is a perfect display of just how Hip Hop can unite us across borders and seas. Every emcee here looks to be on top of their game and I was as impressed with those I was not familiar with from AUS, as I was with everyone else. The quality of wordplay and lyricism on display here is a credit to all involved.

I could not finish up this review without mentioning the use of cuts. Jakk Dexx and DJ Grazzhoppa bring that final element of the Hip Hop music to bear here. I always feel that a Hip Hop album is lacking a little without cuts, so it good to hear proper cuts used to such good effect. Recently I have seen many people talking on how the DJs within Hip Hop seem to be treated as a secondary element. But the DJ was one of the founding elements within the Hip Hop sound, so the DJ is more than just back up, the DJ is Hip Hop, let’s not forget that.

Lunar Lounging is not just an experimental Hip Hop album. It shows the quality of what can be done by a DJ / Producer who is willing to step outside the box and bring in elements that do not fundamentally change the sound but, give it extra depth and dimension that allows the listener to truly experience the concept or vision that is the core of the project.

Lunar Lounging drops on Weaponise Records on 30^th May 2025. I suggest that you don’t sleep on this but tune in and take a journey alongside Jakk Dexx.

Time for me to come back down to earth,

See ya next time.

Steve.

LINKS

Grab a copy of the album Here:

https://weaponizerecords.bandcamp.com/album/lunar-lounging

Jakk Dexx on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/jakkdexx/

Jakk Dexx Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/jakkdexx

Weaponize Records Website:

https://weaponizerecords.bigcartel.com/