Monday, April 22, 2013

Japanese Rap: CD Review: 神 「ザ パンチ」

Alright guys and girls, this is something that i always wanted to do and this will be a regular category of my Blog (and it will make me post more than just twice a year on this Blog ;))

You know how much i love japanese Rap. I even rap in japanese myself, so i want to introduce you guys to japanese Rap Music a bit more with my Blog and that's why i'm starting to Review some japanese Rap Albums up in here. So let's get started right away.

The first Album i'm going to Review is the first release from "神" called "ザ パンチ" which was released 2005. So it's a rather old Album. The first Album i've heard from 神 was "Master of the Punch" which was released back in 2009 and it was his last release so far. To be honest: I didn't really like that Album back then, but lately i've been tuning into some of his Tracks and i actually really enjoy them.
As you can clearly see from my Last.FM "Recently listened Tracks" history

So i thought "Let's just Review every single Album from him, starting with his first one."
That being said, i also didn't really enjoy ザ パンチ at first, but some months ago, when i kinda started liking "Master of the punch" i also started to like this particular release. So let's see what 神 has to offer.

ザ パンチ
Artist (Japanese) 神
Artist (Romaji) Gami / Kami
Album Name (Japanese) ザ パンチ
Album Name (Romaji) The punch
Release date 2005/11/02
Tracks 17 (5 Featuers, 12 Solo)
Features 剣桃太郎, 565, C-SAR, 般若, K5R 53年会


Tracklist

1. INTRO-嵐の予感-
This is a pretty weird interlude where you get pretty much everything: You hear a dark baseline, 神 speaking with a very rough accent at the beginning, scratching, gun shots and a huge explosion at the end.
Runtime 1:28


2. 義理神音-昭和の弾-
This feels like a little "Hello, this is me, 神 and this is how my music sounds like" kind of Song. The Beat is nothing special, it features a, probably, rather popular trumpet sound. I know that i've heard it before in one or two Tracks and i heard it in some japanese Shows, but i can't pinpoint it.
As an Intro Song pretty well done and especially the chorus is very well done. Whenever 神 is singing the chorus, it's almost a guaranteed win. Keep that in mind.
Runtime 3:37
Rating ★★★☆☆ 3/5


3. SKIT-小泉理容店-
-.
Runtime 0:18


4. feat. 剣桃太郎: HARD PUNCH YA
Just what you expect from a title like this: Hard drums and a threatening background music accompanied by whipping rhymes from 神 and 剣桃太郎. And if you've ever listened to a Track from 剣桃太郎 you know that this is totally his style and he delivers a pretty catchy chorus, as well.
Runtime 3:39
Rating ★★★★☆ 4/5


5. シャバダバ (feat. 565)
I don't think that i've ever heard of "565" before, but he's a pretty decent fast rapper. Nothing out of the ordinary, i doubt that he'll be stuck in my head, but 神 has a pretty good mix of regular paced rapping in the first verse and pretty slow, pounding rapping in the second verse. And once again: A good catchy, chorus.
Runtime 3:11
Rating ★★★☆☆ 3/5


6. SKIT(短刀直入)
This one has 神 rapping over a Beat that consists of gun fire. A pretty good idea. Weird, but it certainly underlines his B-Boy image.
Runtime 1:10


7. feat. C-SAR: 世田谷WEED
"Smoke Weed, すごくいい！" ("Smoke weed, it's awesome")
This is probably all you have to understand to understand the whole Song. It's probably getting old but: Catchy chorus by 神 once again.
And yet another artist i've never heard before. "C-SAR." But he is pretty okay. Also nothing out of the ordinary, but quite okay and he has a good flow, but as soon as 神 starts rapping again, you quickly realize that C-SAR is nothing compared to 神. But overall it's probably a good song to smoke to. Pretty slow and a bass emphasized track.
Runtime 4:39
Rating ★★★★☆ 4/5


8. feat. 般若: ギロ×ン
般若. Yeah. He fits 神's style just like 剣桃太郎. They all have a rather similar style.
It's not my most favorite Track, but 神 and 般若 are pretty cool together. The Beat is very good, but the chorus is slacking a bit. Its a bit too "playful" compared to the rough drums and chords in the back.
Runtime 3:56
Rating ★★☆☆☆ 2/5


9. ANI-羅王
Finally a Track with just 神 representing his style. This Track has a simple, whipping Beat cool background music and def rhymes by 神. Simple, but just what i like.
Runtime 3:33
Rating ★★★★☆ 4/5


10. ヤマチャン (言い訳?)
Not my type of Song. This one has a rather dark Beat, it's pretty slow beat and a deep baseline. But overall it's pretty well done.
Runtime 2:18
Rating ★★☆☆☆ 2/5


11. B￥I￥G
The Beat for this Track is really cool. The drums remind me of some drum kits from Funk Songs from the 80's and there are some parts where the Beat just fades out and some trumpets kicking in here and there. Pretty good, but not something that would get stuck in my head.
Runtime 3:52
Rating ★★☆☆☆ 2/5


12. 大人の館
THE BEST Track on the entire Album. The chorus is soooo damn catchy. After you hear it the first time you can't hold back you just have to sing right along with 神. It's really dope. It's a party-themed Song and it really makes you move your head. Great Beat, great flow and an absolutely awesome chorus. DOPE!
Runtime 3:43
Rating ★★★★★ 5/5


13. SKIT-乾杯-
-.
Runtime 0:18


14. feat. K5R 53年会: すずらん2005-ヨイレゲトン-
神 really tried to deliver you some variety with this Track. Apparently he can't really rap fast. So we get a rather fast paced Beat accompanied by regular paced rapping from 神. Yeah, it does sound a bit weird, but i have to admit that the feature "K5R 53年会" (never heard of this guy before, either) is pretty good. Maybe even a bit better than 神 himself.
BUUT the most points go, once again, to the chorus who is once again very catchy.
Runtime 4:02
Rating ★★★☆☆ 3/5


15. NO296
Variety once again. Compared to the one before, this one is pretty laid-back and even a bit jazzy. And 神's flow fits this kind of pace.
Runtime 3:20
Rating ★★☆☆☆ 2/5


16. STAND UP
There is one thing where 神 is good at besides rapping: Singing. That's why so many of his choruses are so catchy and he makes use of this in this Track, as well. The Beat is also pretty well done, you hear plenty of different layers throughout the Song. Well done.
Runtime 4:30
Rating ★★☆☆☆ 2/5


17. HARD PUNCH YA (DA PUNCH remix)
Well basically the same Song as Track #4 only with a different Beat. And i don't think it fits. The Beat is way too bright and "KEN THE 390" like. I think it doesn't fit with 神 at all.
Runtime 4:17
Rating ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5


Final Rating

Most Favorite Track
12. 大人の館

Other favorite Tracks
2. 義理神音-昭和の弾-
4. feat. 剣桃太郎: HARD PUNCH YA
7. feat.C-SAR: 世田谷WEED
9. ANI-羅王


Artwork  ★★★★☆ 4/5
I think the artwork is pretty cool. As you can see, it displays 神 as a wax figure and the pose he is striking plus the blood splatters in the back underline the seriousness and the B-Boy attitude of 神 pretty well. And i also like the calligraphy of his Name and the Album title.


Flow  ★★★★☆ 4/5
If you just listen to 神 with one ear you may think like "Ah, it's nothing special" but if you really sit down and listen to a couple of Tracks you'll quickly realize that he knows what he is doing.
His "basic" pace is your standard normal pace, but he can really flow with the Beat. He has a couple of double-times here and there but the way he is riding with the Beat is really cool.
And the part that makes him stand out is his ability to sing. Seriously: Everytime he is singing that chorus, it's (most of the time) an instant win.


Beats ★★★☆☆ 3/5
This Album has quite a bit of variety in that department: Dark baseline beats, party Beats, laid-back Beats, fast Beats. The variety is there, but i don't think that there is any Beat that would cling onto my brain.


Choruses ★★★★☆ 4/5
Top. I said it: Everytime when 神 is singing that chorus, the Song is almost an instant win, because they are just too catchy. Especially the Tracks #2, #7 and, of course #13.


Features ★★★☆☆ 3/5
Aside from 2 established Rappers (剣桃太郎 and 般若) i have never heard of the other 3 before. But i like that, you get to hear some new Rappers you've never heard before and they also get a chance to represent themselves. Plus they were pretty good on the mic and there weren't too many features, so i like it.


Overall Rating ★★★☆☆ 3/5
As you can see from my Rating: I definitly enjoy the first half of the Album over the second one (aside from Track #13, that is.) Maybe it's because you get those intense, fierce Tracks in the first half, whereas the second half has more "soft" tracks. Not sure. But overall this Album is pretty decent. It has some good Tracks, a couple of catchy choruses and 神 flowing like a champion. I like it.


So what do you think about 神's first release "ザ パンチ", good people?

Leave your comments in the comment section below. Also, if you have any suggestions for improvements for future J-Rap CD Reviews, don't be shy to leave them in the comment section, as well.
Thanks for reading, folks!
Written by um

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