producers: embee, break mecanix, erase, black fist

guests: cos.m.i.c., supreme, timbuktu, freestyle, akem, black fist.

When one email announced that Swedish crew Looptroop will perform in the USA, it commented that this seems to be like carrying water to the river. And the remark was quite appropriate. But the statement is only valid concerning the language, as the 'Troop, as well as their probably most prominent member Promoe, have enough to offer to color the hip hop river in their distinctive shade. Pro' did catch a lot of attention with the "Off The Record" 12", that featured the production of Mighty Mi, and both tracks on the vinyl are notably missing on this album. Instead he opts for new tracks and packages them into an artwork that has a distinctive communist aesthetic, with a blurred image of Promoe on the front, making him look like a mix between Big Brother and Jesus.

Fellow Looptrooper DJ Embee handles a big bunch of the production on here, for one is he responsible for the immaculate "Dawn". He gets the piano and strings out, as well as a saxophone to create one brilliant musical piece. This could have been kept instrumental, but Pro' goes "grow seeds planted in fertile soil / plenty of love and light so the birth ain't spoiled / the birth of a baby girl a brave new world / the birth of a brand new album that straight will burn / and make you turn away from the run of the mill in this, new era of musical possibilities". The other troopers then join the team, as Cos.M.I.C. and Supreme rhyme also on the bouncy "Big In Japan", that claims another country to be under the influence of the 'Troop. Embee keeps the thing bouncy on the more political "Prime Time", where Pro' discusses the mass media system, him saying: "dilemma: either you say nothing to a lot of people / or you try and kick some sense to a minority of equals / who already know what you know and don't need to be schooled / while 85 percent of the population keeps getting fooled".

The title cut "Government Music" was produced by Break Mecanix where Pro' distances his art from the rest, refering to that as 'government music'. On here he's discussing more ill happenings before Pro' gives two shouts to all the graff artists, first on "Freedom Fighters", that also mentions other soldiers, and second on "Freedom Writers", an intermission type track, that's built around answering machine recordings of writers calling in to represent. Going again for the musical, it's a fair bet that the beat on "THX 1138" by Embee will be dope, while Pro' discusses some society angst's, going "it's a cold world despite the green house effect". Another Break Mecanix beat appears next, with Pro' doing another of those unneeded toasting choruses on "Yes Aaha", that features the other two troop members again.

They are sticking around for "Injected", that's with Embee's return a full fledged Looptroop track. There's more paranoia expressed, but like the saying goes: 'you might be paranoid, but that doesn't mean they are not after you'. The track "Conspiracy" follows and this is introducing the word that is thematically holding much of the album together. This unfolds in true cinematic thriller fashion, and Pro' says: "anybody with the knowledge is considered a risk / so if you see the police kid, get rid of the disc". The ills of money are discussed on the obviously titled "Money", again featuring Cos and Supreme, before things turn to more non-serious hip hop fields, with the straight bragging and boasting of "Interesting Indeed". This cut is dope with Pro' showing skills for punchlines: "if you reckon you can stop my hip hop mister / I'm not buying that like a shop lifter " and "they lack in voice on stage they boast / but get booed so bad, you think the crowed was full of ghosts", while Em' hooked up a dope beat.

The stance of "Process Of Elimination" is mostly brought across with braggadocios rhymes and Timbuktu centers his words around bending ish, while Freestyle uses the word 'frame', not resisting to say "was only framed once / it's the reason why I'm now solo". "Urban Guerilla Warfare" feat. Akem is thoroughly unimpressive, while the Black Fist featured and produced "What's That Sound?" has an extra dope beat. And Pro' closes the album with the musical "Positive & Negative", where he reflects on his own person, who he portrays and approaches, again not falling short in featuring lines about his political ideas.

Promoe is an outspoken artist and that is a good thing, beyond the if you agree with him or not. His views are keeping the album interesting and as his words are backed by mostly good production, the album is showing that non-babbling, non-boring and non-basic hip hop is doing well. Also in Sweden.