- Audio CD (23 Oct 2006)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Riddim Killa Ltd
- ASIN: B000HT39Q6
- Other Editions: Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 39,490 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Review
Braintax has been in business since '92 - so it's a surprise that 'Panorama' is only his 2nd album, following on from 2002's 'Birofunk'. He's got an excuse though; he's the founding father of Low Life, the UK's premier Hip Hop label, which has released key works by Skinnyman, Jehst, Micall Parknsun, Rodney P and Asaviour.
'Panorama' is very much an album of our troubled times. Al-Jazeera, the environment, refugees and Blair are all packed into its rhymes. Middle Eastern flavours weave and waft through the production, with political images cutting through; "Oil men, tugging on puppet strings, and the news is skewed, it's a load of spin".
Braintax is a grown-up and despite the fact that he's heavy on critique and low on answers, he looks at our world (hence the title) beyond bling and birds - and that's not to be under-estimated in today's Rap scene. The political depth of the lyrics is 'Panorama's' USP.
And the delivery? Brains can flow, he's got strong feelings and words, but the voice is a little wanting in melody and resonance. When Dubbledge contributes a verse to the Visage sampling 'Anti-Grey', it highlights what's missing from the main protagonist!
The sound is solid, if not inspiring. Beat Butcha of Halal Beats and singer Sammy Jay come through with a feel-good opening track, 'All I Need', there's raw percussion on 'Good or Bad' and catchy music from Raw Dog in 'Syriana Style'.
Sadly absent are some stand-out, grab-you-by-the-heart (or balls) beats. Despite some choice soulful funk sounds it's missing the edge of a producer like Baby J (who can pick a perfect hook from 100 paces) or the fresh force of a track like Wiley's 'Gangstas'. You can't help but feel some of UK's freshest sounds are still coming out of the Grime scene, a situation underlined by the fact that three out of the five nominated for the UK trophy in America's BET Hip Hop Awards are from that background.
That said, this is still an engaging set of tracks, and is certainly one of the best UK Hip Hop albums of the year. --Debra Richards
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a great album with lots of politics and rhymes about things that are important in the world..(for a change) although not too serious either. nice beats ...u wanna listen again as soon as it ends
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5 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have never given any item the full 5 stars yet and let it be said that i have never received 100% positive feedback on any review, i am sure this time everyone will agree with my opinion.
This album is brilliant, so raw and so british! which i love, i have yet to hear Braintax's first offering so i can not compare it but this is amazing work i can only hope his 1st album is as good.
Braintax can rap about the uk streets and about UK politocs or combine the two! what a talent, Every track has a raw beat and sounds realy original his voice and style is originl too im not sure if theres anyone to compare him to... I just dont know why artists like this do not make it in to the mainstream music scene when so called similar lyricists like Mike Skinner have shot to fame ?? Dont get me wrong the streets are a cool band but room needs to be made for artist like braintax, Klashnekoff, jehst and wiley etc... real UK urban acts who actually have real things to spit!
Overall and alltogether a superb album which i cant stress enough, Buy it.
This album is brilliant, so raw and so british! which i love, i have yet to hear Braintax's first offering so i can not compare it but this is amazing work i can only hope his 1st album is as good.
Braintax can rap about the uk streets and about UK politocs or combine the two! what a talent, Every track has a raw beat and sounds realy original his voice and style is originl too im not sure if theres anyone to compare him to... I just dont know why artists like this do not make it in to the mainstream music scene when so called similar lyricists like Mike Skinner have shot to fame ?? Dont get me wrong the streets are a cool band but room needs to be made for artist like braintax, Klashnekoff, jehst and wiley etc... real UK urban acts who actually have real things to spit!
Overall and alltogether a superb album which i cant stress enough, Buy it.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
For those that arn't aware, Braintax is arguably the best example of UKHH in the 21 Century that deviates way from Grime. Easy on the ears and interesting to listen to Braintax is used to multi-tasking, whether it be making beats, recording his own music or just generally running his own record label 'Lowlife Records', the results are always consistent. The album as a whole is a very solid effort (see; 5 stars) and there are two main layers Braintax has explored on this release. The bangers (All I Need, Anti-Grey, Last Tenner, Run The Yards) and the anthems (Syriana Style, The Grip Again, Decade) with each style interlinking in vocal content. Despite what initially looks like a short tracklisting, the 13 tracks are more than suffice for listeners and head nodders alike with some of the best beats UK producers are currently offering. For UKHH fans old or new i can fully recommend this as well worth your 'Last Tenner' *cough* ..however, if you're reading this you probably already own this too. Oh yeah and one more reason to buy this.. he's northern.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
What happened?
Braintax created BIRO FUNK! This was an amazing album and then there is Panorama, where did it go wrong? I only listened to this album twice just to check I wasn't wrong.
Published on 17 Aug 2007 by The Essex Beast
What is UK hip-hop?
Just rappin with a bullsht cockney accent doesn't make you a UK hiphop artist. There's, I hope, a lot more to it than that. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2007 by Mr. Jeremy Joe Taylor
Brilliance mark 2
I have been waiting for this album for what seems like an eternity after Braintax's first album Biro Funk in 2002, which was an instant classic with intelligent rhymes and... Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2006 by John Sisk
Best UK Hip Hip evahhhhhhhhh
This is too good to be UK Hip Hop! The whole Uk scene is taken up several notches by Braintax who is spot on in his observartions and lyrically gifted to give anyone a slap across... Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2006 by Kenny
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