Now on his third album, 32-year-old London hip hop artist Obaro Ejimiwe, aka Ghostpoet, has for the past five years been building a steady level of critical appreciation without ever troubling the popular consciousness. The dark and ominous Shedding Skin may not rectify this state of affairs, but it is destined to be one of the finest British albums of the year.
Specialising in a foreboding style of urban electronica, with echoes of Massive Attack and Burial, Ghostpoet puts his own distinctive spin on the genre, with his paranoia-soaked lyrics and powerful baritone delivery adding to the overall sense of menace. Opener ‘Off Peak Dreams’ is a terrific slice of funky hip hop with a lyrical focus on the sturm und drang of city life, while the title track is a dread-filled ambient suite reminiscent of Tricky.
Impressive though these tracks are, the two stand-out tunes – both of which feature vocalist Nadine Shah – are ‘X Marks The Spot’ and ‘That Ring Down The Drain’. The former is a lovelorn, down-tempo groover built around a hypnotic guitar figure, whilst the latter is a murky trip-hop number that recalls Portishead, and also makes excellent use of haunting, Specials-style organ.
An unsettling affair it may be, but the moody and magnificent Shedding Skin deserves crossover success of the sort enjoyed by Massive Attack’s Mezzanine and Tricky’s Maxinquaye.

Key Track - 'That Ring Down The Train'