I'm in My Own World by soce, the elemental wizard

He may be in his own world but he's more than willing to share it with us all. Who else wants in?"

- J-Sin, Smother.Net

"In his own world, indeed. The hook here is that Soce (pronounced so-say) is white. And Jewish. And, for good measure, gay. Take that, Matisyahu! The Elemental Wizard is all that, a fact he bluntly confronts in "I'm That": "I'm that rapper that you make fun of, right?/I'm that rapper you can take in a fight/I'm that rapper that you hate/'cause I'm white". Soce takes the joke seriously, and so rises above it. Helps that he's an agile, playful rapper whose frank outness ("He's hot but heterosexual/so delectible" he laments in the comically frustrated "H but H"); is matched by his creative skills behind the board. A prime example: the remarkable "Wistful Breeze," wherein Soce blends peppery beats with lush, jazz-tinged orchestration, achieving a cinematic setting in which he flows soulfully. You've never heard a hip hop record like this one, trust me."

- Demo Universe

"In My Own World is a title that holds true to this release as the album is about Soce's experiences, and definition. Soce dazzles listeners with realism; rather than, ice out rhymes that gas up the talk, and say absolutely nothing. In the record store this album may be over looked as hip hop due to the tranquil cover art that has less hip hop in its design that Stompin Tom's Cowboy boots. But it's more about the music than anything, and that is where this album delivers some of the most imaginative, creative, and inspiring music fans have yet to hear.

In My Own World opens with "Feels Good", a powerfully inspiring track that is blessed with strong lyrics that command attention, and a blissful beat that appeases the inner soul, and makes you want to move. "In My Own World" is new age hip hop that makes fans feel really good while listening. The album follows with 17 more tracks, 2 of which appear to be bonus tracks as they are not listed on the covers track listing. The next song up is "I'm That" which is a very conceptual track that really introduces fans to Soce. Dope beat, Dope lyrics, ill track. All of the songs are equally as strong; however, the few standouts are "Feels Good", "Work / Play", "Wistful Breeze", "State Of Affairs", and "Funny Feeling". Track 5, the RPG Interlude is the least appreciated track on the album, and although creative, informative, and artist, it breaks up the flow of the album. Interludes have no place on an album as fans would much rather a banging track, or a continuously hot flow than a stop-n-pause chatter break.

Another strong point is that the music can be appreciated by wide audience of listeners. A touch of R & B, a hint of Jazz, light hearted hip hop vibes, positive, non offensive lyrics make this album appealing to more listeners. Soce, the Elemental Wizard does not go out with bling bling lyrics, but rather keeps it real. Soce has incredible flow, and delivery as a lyricist. He has a real talent when it comes to articulating his rhymes, and capturing the listener's attention. Soce is an excellent song writer as well, and extremely creative.

In My Own World is an excellent album fans need to recognize and check out, and that's the bottom line. This album will impress most listeners if they give it a chance."

- HipHopHotSpot.com

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"So I put this CD in my stereo, and suddenly I'm listening to ethereal, new agey rap hip-hop from a Jewish, gay, white MC. And it doesn't seem strange at all. Instead of sitting here trying to figure out what I'm listening to, I'm just pulled right into it. This take on hip-hop feels really good.

Each track pushes the boundaries of what hip-hop artists are supposed to look and sound like. What I've seen of the genre, thanks to MTV, tends to be miniskirt-chasing and homophobic, Yet this self-admitted misfit insists on taking his place in this genre, telling us exactly who he is, what it was like growing up liking guys, and how he's not going to let his true nature stop him from what he wants to do. No self-pity. A little bitterness, maybe, but it feels more channeled into determination.

He also refuses to take himself too seriously, as tracks like "Work/Play" prove when he gets downright silly on the chorus. And is that a violin on "News"? Some rappers would have heart attacks, but they should be grateful for such musical blasphemy. It suggests that hip-hop can be more musically diverse and present more than sex, violence, and hating other minorities.

What gives soce so much credibility is that he not only presents himself as he is but tells us again and again what he's not. He's not from the Bronx. He's never been to jail. He's never killed anyone. Just think, if this guy had come along a few years ago, Vanilla Ice never would have had the cajones to show his face at all."

- Jennifer Layton, Indie-Music.com

"Let me tell you right away, this is great hip-hop (just like his website says)."

- Past and Present Webzine

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