LISTED REVIEWS
This album, like no other, takes it back to the mothership, even further than Parliament did. Available on enhanced CD (including the video clip of 'Doin Damage In My Native Language') or vinyl, make sure to pick this up because this is regained classic material, guaranteed to make a fan’s day.
POSTED 07|13|2005
This musical piece is one of the best things that came out in 2004, with tight lyricism and extra-ordinary production by Thai Uno, Kenny Keys and Overflo. Groovy bass lines, the illest loops, the fattest snares and lyrics that are just fresh and sometimes filled with socially awareness.
POSTED 07|13|2005
Just look at the cover (designed by Matt Mignelli), if you pick up the album you'd probably guess it’s a Lonnie Liston Smith album, and musically, the comparison with Smith isn’t that far-fetched; 'feel-good songs' that consist of jazz loops, groovy bass lines and a fifth of funk dominate the album.
POSTED 07|12|2005
Giant Panda brings back the class of ninety-somewhat. It brings to the table the sampled jazz and rough drums of People Under The Stairs, the playful lyricism of Ugly Duckling and elements of other West Coast acts like Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples. This is for hip-hop fans who have their mind set on the present and their ears focused on the nineties.
POSTED 07|06|2005
The songs are perfectly composed, they have a nice built-up, rich of instruments and/or vocals and therefore contain lots of variation. When listening to the album, you automatically think of reputated beatsmiths like DJ Shadow and RJD2.
POSTED 07|05|2005
The album reflects a melancholic, moody atmosphere like 'Fine Line (Portrait of a Man)' for instance; 'He used to pray, so peace could last for the moment, all of his life, he was tossed around like sand in the ocean' Prizm raps over a voilin driven beat.
POSTED 07|05|2005
‘This movie is like one big trip on drugs but harmless’, this is what Terry Gilliam said about his movie 'Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas', an adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s (who died in 2004 ) literary works. This mixtape also takes you on a trip, but then a musical one, through the freshest underground hip-hop music.
POSTED 07|05|2005
The album is a classic Bay Area underground album with pumpin beats, groovy bass lines, jazzy loops and some live instrumentation. A bit like The Nonce, and a lot like fellow citizens of San Jose, Homeliss Dereliks, this crew held it down with a sound that was mostly heard on the East Coast.
POSTED 07|04|2005
Besides a few uninspired tracks this album has a lot to offer. The lyrics aren’t bad and the production is tight on 90 % of the LP. This is stuff that you’ll come around in any thrift-shop or flea market and especially on Ebay, the CD version has one track extra…
POSTED 06|22|2005
This is a very strong album, the kind you'll spin a whole lot of times, because it has depth as well as amusement and the beats, well, they are made by the new breed in hip-hop, Symbolic, Illmind and the whole Strange Fruit Project, watch out for them. Texas ain't bringing nuthin but the heat.
POSTED 06|21|2005from the vaults
