Often, mix tapes can't even be referred to as such anymore, as they are not on tapes, but on a CD. And that means that you are more likely to listen to them at home too, and not just in the walkman. It also means that the DJs don't get a break after 45 minutes, but that they need to fill a 74 minutes CD, and shit better be in one go. Unless you are one of those cheating DJs using 4 tracks or a computer, and not just the two trusty 1200s. Now DJ Paceone and DJ Ragz probably used a little more equipment than just the two Technics direct drive machines, but there's enough reason why we still like this effort.

First, this is another case of the talents not being fairly shared amongst all human beings, as these cats don't only have the DJ skills down, naw, at least Paceone also knows how to use the magic markers, as this guy has the dope tag logo, and the whole cover work shows an eye for the graphical pleasing. Second, the selection of songs show an ear for the sonically banging. To put it into a short summery: you are getting plenty of dope underground cuts, with always mixed in scratched offerings by the two DJs, that are similar to the patchwork intro of "Dope Fiendz Intro", done by DJ Paceone, who starts this offering.

He uses all kinds of sources on this mentioned opening, ending with the borrowed line "my tape's so dope it should have came with two syringes". True. We then go into Benefit's "So Sick", that nasty feller that has more than whole message boards erupt in an excited frenzy. Moving on to Mystic's more sung "The Life", the continuation to D12's "That's How" is not the easiest, but gets done with a pace adapted blend, before we get into some double timing and looping, and some other beat gets intertwined into this, and prove it, Pace takes it off after a while. Mr. Lif's "The Nothing" is chopped into the mix next, and his opening line gets looped in a precise manner. Moving on we get into bouncier regions on "5th Element" by Akbar, before Eyedea's & Abilities "Techniques" is brought in rather unspectacularly. The blend into Esau's "Underground?" works much better, and we are very happy that Pace opted to give some more shine to this dope artist. Moving on, there's still Sound Providers' "Fresh Rhymes" and finally Paceone's own "Watch Out Now 4 Ragz Juggle", a distorted adaptation of the previous effort, to then move on into a looped drum.

Then Ragz is taking over, with the "Muzik Fiendz Interlude", who seems to be starting a more calmer section of the mix, not taking away anything of the scratching though. The first cut he puts on is Kskills "Patience & Persistance", that's followed by DJ Vadim and Moshun Man's "Terrorist". This dope track with it's space humming makes way for "Battle Royal" by Esoteric & Akrobatik. The two Bostonians remember the Brick sound, continuing with the science fiction feel, before "Tribute To Paceone" is another Ragz turntablism offering. Here he scratches the name of his co-conspirator over the beat of the next track: "C'mon Dude" by Skitzofreniks. Moving on from this group's effort, Ragz now opts to scratch his own name on "Ragz Doesn't Like To Read", that makes sure to let us know that he likes to pick dope beats to scratch over though. Again the beat belongs to the track coming on next, here it being "My Library" by Defined Print.

Next up is Kazi's "Wake Up", and Defined Print's song is made to disappear rather briskly. Staying in the same area and on the same label, Quasimoto's "Basic Instinct" is put on next, but this more relaxed and jazzier offer is made to stretch hard to fit over Kazi's track. The blend to Amad Jamal's "S2Finish" works better, with this song simply overpowering the helium emcees cut though. Still the selection is having us not complain, especially as one of the best tracks that has seen the light of day this year comes on next: J-Live's "Them That's Not", it being introduced after the stopped Amad track. It's still incredible how J settles, changing from going quicker to suddenly going steady. Brilliant. Storm The Unpredictable's "Stop Lyin" is following next, and this is a gem that we have been unfortunate enough to not yet having heard, and with the funny lyrics, this is something we will be searching for to get.

With the end of the CD coming closer, DJ Ragz opts to end this with two of his own contributions, one being "DJ Ragz Like's Barney", a track full of heavy scratching, and the second being "Better Watch Your Step Juggle", that's somewhat separated from the rest, and just does that: juggle a beat. And with these two offering being very well executed, we have to give praise to the selection of songs, that is giving us a host of hot tunes, and we give props to the juggling, the scratching, two crafts the DJs seem to have mastered. We'll check on the next Muzik Fiendz mix CD.