Council Estate Of Mind - Skinnyman

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9. It's Over
10. I'll Be Surprised
11. Who? Me
12. No Big Ting
13. Put In The Work
14. That's What I'm Gonna Do
15. Council Estate of Mind  ... more

A truly inspired slice of UK hip hop, "Council Estate of Mind" is Skinnyman's platform to vent his anger at the state of his (and many of his listeners) world. Injustice, poverty and corruption are the themes that permeate the entire semi-conceptual album, and are the brushes Skinnyman uses to paint his epic picture of his "council estate of mind".

The film Made In Britain is heavily sampled, charting the journey of a youth offender through the courts, juvenile detention and finally borstal. Rather than merely being mid-track filler skits, these interludes and lead ins are a definate inhancement, merging effortlessly with Skinny's Southern accent and defiantly British vocal delivery. Rather than bending over backwards to appeal to a U.S market and audience, This album is firmly a product of it's environment, just as it's characters, the drug dealers, muggers, prison staff and hoodlums are products of theirs. This marked integrity (only partially tarnished by a somewhat Kanye West influenced sample on "No big Ting") and affirmation of his own roots makes this album feel universal and personal at the same time.

The production throughout is practically perfect (with the aforementioned "blip" aside), rolling drums giving way to heavy guitar work, choppy grime sections leading smoothly to blissfully chilled, rolling summertime sections.

Personally, "Day to Day Basis" is the standout track, vitriolic and personal, Skinny is at his lyrical best. (so if you're feeling naughty get hiold of that one track by hook or by crook *wink wink* and then buy the album at a later date!)

A fantastic introduction to one of the luminaries of UK hip hop, if not the genre as a whole.

there truly is life in his rhymes!

Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. Fuck The Hook
3. Hayden
4. Little Man (Part 1)
5. Little Man (Part 2)
6. Love's Gone From The Streets
7. Day To Day Basis
8. Life In My Rhymes
9. It's Over
10. I'll Be Surprised
11. Who? Me
12. No Big Ting
13. Put In The Work
14. That's What I'm Gonna Do
15. Council Estate of Mind 

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