Dont sleep!!!

If you haven't heard "Ink Is My Drink," you can basically accept that you haven't heard anything quite like Panacea before. The rapper Raw Poetic and producer K-Murdoch's 2006 Rawkus debut is completely unique and the result is special.

K-Murdoch is the star of the show. Although he had produced numerous R&B albums prior to "Ink Is My Drink," Panacea is the vehicle for his creative genius. His rich soundscapes are moving mostly due to the combination and arrangement of his samples. While he does sample extensively, he is not bound by conventional hip hop sampling. Even the sunniest of his beats are latently melancholy and have the odd memory-inducing quality of some of Jay Dee's later work (although the comparisons to Dilla should end there). Some of the whimsical instrumentals sound like they could have been taken from a Disney soundtrack, while others derive from dusty soul samples of a strangely distant quality such that they emit an otherworldly vibe. The unlikely combinations of sounds can at times be unsettling but are simultaneously inspiring. He also employs live instrumentation (horns, guitars, pianos, strings) to a great effect. In any event, these beats floored me and are the type to get lost in. The sonic masterpieces that are the gorgeous "Work of Art," smooth "These Words," and phenomenal "Ecosphere" are worth the price of admission alone. On these songs, the samples and instrumentals are engineered to pure perfection; these are incredible but far from the exceptions.

At first, Raw Poetic seems an unlikely match for K-Murdoch's beats. He is definitely a bit more conventional in the nature of his craft, but he actually provides a nice complement, and sometimes contrast, to the music. He's quite literate, has an impressive array of flows and strong delivery, and he's a very thoughtful dude. His strongest performances include "Place on Earth," an endearing, introspective take on one's home, with a sunny, friendly soundscape. On the more raw-edged "Steel Kites" his relevant rhymes take center stage, and I love the muted trumpet K-Murdoch incorporates at the end. Actually, the whole arrangement is excellent. Perhaps Raw's best performance is "Woulda Coulda Shoulda," a truly insightful look at a breakup that is neither bitter nor sad, just thoughtful. The soulful, low-key production on that track also shines.

"Ink Is My Drink" is a forward-thinking effort and something really different for the hip hop audience even among an underground scene that thrives to provide something different. The creative energy never slacks and it's a great listen from start to finish. This album avoids abstractness despite the unconventional nature of the music and ultimately proves an endlessly rewarding LP

This album is in my Top 10 (and has been for two years now)
If you like Cunninlynguists,Blue Scholars or QN5 this is defo for you!

My fav tracks:
Steel Kites
Invisible Seas
Reel Me In
PULSE
Place On Earth


Lyrics 97%
Flow 95%
Production 100%
X-Factor 100%
Overall 99%