Braintax - Panorama

A perfectly crafted forty-four minute trip through electro, funk and pounding garage-tinted bangers, all held together by Brains' unique northern delivery

Album Review by Liam Arnold | 12 Nov 2006
Album title: Panorama
Artist: Braintax
Label: Lowlife
Kicking off with an uplifting gospel mantra and a claim from Braintax that: "Life could be more simple than this," 'Panorama' launches into a perfectly crafted forty-four minute trip through electro, funk and pounding garage-tinted bangers, all held together by Brains' unique northern delivery. Spitting fluid, melodic rhymes, Braintax leads the listener through such diverse subject matter as the Regan/Thatcher era, the music industry, British identity and, on The Grip Again (Day in the Life of a Suicide Bomber), the war on terror. However, this isn't worthy navel-gazing: the weighty subject matter supports rather than threatens the quality of the music. Braintax spits vitriol in melodic, witty couplets, and it's fair to say that the most politically-charged track of the album; the hyper-fast Syriana Style is the most musically accomplished. Using Arabic instrumentation and Beat Butcha's punchy rhythms, he poses the question "Do I think too much? Can we party all night and still give a fuck?" before launching another attack on foreign policy and the rotten state of the world. 'Panorama' is an album that's as pleasurable as it is thoughtful, and so intricately constructed that it improves with every listen. An innovative contemporary classic, and a genuine hope for the future. [Liam Arnold]

Out now (Oct 23)
www.lowliferecords.co.uk
http://www.lowliferecords.co.uk