BRAINTAX SYRIANA STYLE 12"
Braintaxes polemic, ‘Panorama’, explores new ground for UK Rap. And in the release of a ‘Syriana Style/Anti-Grey’ 12 inch we are treated to two of the outstanding singles from the album. ‘Syriana Style’ smartly makes use of cowbells, conjuring up cinematic images of John Wayne and a young Clint Eastwood as frontiersmen–a thoroughly American experience of Western films. Then there is the use of Eastern strings; this musical dichotomy allows the Low Life honcho to go into rap vitriol against George Bush and his war on terror.
Aside from the slightly dubious use of a sampled George Galloway speech as a voice of morality, BT highlights many key issues that to few modern musicians choose to address; the British armies dubious containment methods, media sycophancy, Guantanamo Bay detainees and the reasons behind the war with Iraq. While others have scratched the surface, Braintax has dug deep into more pressing concerns than who has the most money, best cars or even tightest flows. I am sure by Braintaxes own admission, rapping has always been about content over style, and critics would point to a sometimes-pedestrian rap delivery. And arguably ‘Syriana Style’ sacrifices music in favour of message. But this certainly isn’t the case with the B-side, ‘Anti-Grey’, where Mr. Low Life has created one of the most powerful clashes of art and politics in modern British music, of any genre.
‘Anti-Grey’ plays on Visage’s 80s hit ‘Fade to Grey’. Joey Brains raps with fire in his belly, over an electronica production full of classic poppy-synths, as Dubbledge provides a soulful chorus before cutting in with 8 bars of his own fire “I think I’ve got something to say..” and he certainly has, verbalizing the plight of tabloid England’s newest enemy, the refugee. There is even the humorous, but shamefully authentic epilogue; “Tell you what’s next though/Terry and Keith are on the Costas’/livin’ it up getting drunk/cause a ruckus and now there in A&E, cussing like F-the language/all we want is a decent sandwich/all we know about the culture is beer and tapas..” .
Aside from sounding new and exciting, ‘Syriana Style’ attempts to tap into a subconscious thought that any remotely intelligent person will realize- that this country is in a bit of a mess. And with that in mind we have the first truly essential single of the year.
the first truly essential single of the year.
- Kane
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