Reviewed by Steve Hayes

Manchester rapper, Panache, brings a free download album sharing his journey, his passion for Christ and his mission to die to live. In "Clean" he focuses on how he lets Christ guide him, as he puts Christ first. His style is passionate UK hip-hop with a range of flows. Beats-wise the project is full of rolling mostly East Coast style beats ("Monkeys Fake" ftr JGivens) and almost live sounding breaks, with synth hooks. The excellent, "Never Hold Me Down" is a great example, with Panache blazing a constant almost breathless flow. The slow yet powerful testimonial "Transformed" is a musical voyage through Panache coming to faith. "Focus on Jesus" is more of an anthemic track, with a heavy guitar lick underpinning Panache's focus on Jesus, not any human ("My weaponry is Christ and it's him I'm repping"). The project is full of some outstanding breaks - "Bigger Picture" being a standout for its east coast, vocal mix break. Panache is clearly revelling in his freedom, his new man life in Christ ("Freedom" ftr Nu Breed). At times there's more of a dirty south beat/UK grime flow as in the declaratory and Christ-surrendering, "Die To Live". As with the rest of the album and Panache's passion to live for and point to Christ, we end on the powerful, "Outro" as Panache guides his listeners to Christ. With better production this could have been a classic.

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