Shedding Skin
by Ghostpoet
  • Record Label: PIAS
  • Release Date: Mar 17, 2015
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. Mojo
    Mar 19, 2015
    80
    You're left with dual perspectives that aren't quite duets, anthems of vague disquiet, and an utterly satisfying sense of an artist following his own directs and nobody else's. [Apr 2015, p.95]
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  2. AllMusic
    Mar 2, 2015
    80
    Add the devastating title cut plus more memorable melodies than usual, and Shedding Skin might be the Ghostpoet album to begin with for those who prefer something a bit traditional, but with three excellent efforts from the get-go, the point isn't where to start, but to start, because the rewards are consistent and plentiful.
  3. The Telegraph (UK)
    Mar 2, 2015
    80
    It’s effectively atmospheric, giving a raw, insomniac groove to the gritty notes draining from electric guitars and a twitch of dirty old fluorescent bulbs in the glitchy drum beats.
  5. Clash Music
    Feb 27, 2015
    80
    Don't be surprised if Ghostpoet is on Mercury minds once more with this excellent effort.
  6. DIY Magazine
    Feb 27, 2015
    80
    Ghostpoet has created a record that feels timeless in a way his scratchy bedroom productions could never have dreamed of.
  7. Drowned In Sound
    Feb 27, 2015
    80
    The record is alive. It has punch, guts, heart, all the things you would hope for really, whilst at the same time maintaining the central potency of what made Ghostpoet so great in the first place: that voice, delivering paeans to lost love and the reality of life like really no-one else can.
  8. The Guardian
    Feb 27, 2015
    80
    Beyond a few piano-led lulls, the new Radiohead-tinged direction sounds compelling and thoughtful.
  9. The Line of Best Fit
    Mar 4, 2015
    75
    For what is a hugely bold manoeuvre, he has carried it out with much aplomb.
  10. The 405
    Mar 4, 2015
    70
    Shedding Skin is a bold move for an artist so associated with a different sonic cadence, and kudos to Ejimiwe for trying to artistically reposition himself. Ultimately though, I would have liked to have heard more of an evolution rather than a complete metamorphosis from him.
  11. The Wire
    Mar 11, 2015
    60
    With its introversion and focus upon the everyday in both subject matter and imagery, the appeal of Shedding Skin depends partly on your appetite for people watching. [Mar 2015, p.48]
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  12. The Observer (UK)
    Mar 2, 2015
    60
    The mood, set by affectless guitars and minor-key piano, varies little over 10 tracks, but even when contemplating homelessness (on the title track) or foundering relationships (Yes, I Helped You Pack), Ejimiwe feels more at ease in his own melancholy.
  13. Q Magazine
    Feb 27, 2015
    60
    Ghostpoet's empathy for his characters scarcely makes the narrow emotional bandwidth less oppressive. [Apr 2015, p.109]
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  14. Uncut
    Feb 27, 2015
    60
    He's backed by an orthodox guitar/bass/drums trio, which sometimes renders inert his unorthodox rhymes. [Apr 2015, p.76]
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. Ricko
    Sep 7, 2020
    8
    "Shedding Skin" is a nice, atmospheric mix of jazz influenced indie pop and hip hop. Of all the Ghostpoet releases, this is my favourite and"Shedding Skin" is a nice, atmospheric mix of jazz influenced indie pop and hip hop. Of all the Ghostpoet releases, this is my favourite and I'd put it down to the various guest vocal appearances which give the album an added dimension to the usual spoken work style of delivery from Ghostpoet. The rhythm section has a really nice sound, with the drum and base combining nicely with the vocals to create a distinctive style. The guitars and pianos add flourishes rather than foundations to the tracks. There are a number of standout tracks with "X Marks the Spot" being an obvious one. It has a real dark and menacing feel to it but very enjoyable.… Full Review »
  2. Muddsjr
    Mar 22, 2015
    8
    Shedding Skin is another dark album from Ghostpoet, who's appeared to me as a unique rap artist entirely in his own league and in no rush withShedding Skin is another dark album from Ghostpoet, who's appeared to me as a unique rap artist entirely in his own league and in no rush with what he does. This album has a fabulous flow to it, but simultaneously I don't believe it's a 'classic' such as his previous two albums, in a sense that, though the more accessible qualities move him a step further, they also leave something behind that made him truly unique. But what the hell, artists move on, Ghostpoet I'm sure has a lot of fabulous tunes and possible albums to give us for the future.… Full Review »
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