I bought this at the time, with some amount of excitement. Lauded at the time for featuring UK MCs when others around them were not, it rode in on the back of two really strong singles. The cover's a bit crap but this was a record which was sorely overlooked on release. My memory of it as a back to back killer record was confirmed through the relisten I gave it.
From the get go it sets the scene: the into track is menacing and pleading - telling us to pay attention. And then into horns, a trio of female voices and one of the best posse cuts: Wildflower, Tempa, and Estelle hit hard. Then on, and everyone on the record pulls out something special - Skitz too, the production being top drawer throughout and never really faulting. Double album too and for once, it feels short. Rodney P does his thing and it feels like a match.
Then Roots Manuva, who I don't really like over his electronically wibbly beats but here sounds sublime, describing Inner City summer days. It's beautiful. Then on and on keeping up the quality: Phi-Life cypher, Taskforce, Rodney P again - a fantastic crime gone wrong tale from Dynamite. Roots again doing another beautiful track. A daft skit which fits perfectly.
And then the triumphant last side: Dynamite again doing a bubbly ragga type tune. And then the two stand out posse cuts: Fingerprints and Twilight of the Gods. A quartet of rappers, a DJ and the tradition of using a different beat for each MC. These two tracks are incredible. "Pen to the paper I scream at the world" says Roots, and the blends between each MC are brilliant. Skeleton is the revelation for me - totally menacing laid back style. "I'm the sliver backed gorilla and the great white shark".
So that's it, a fantastic double LP bursting with ideas and really high quality rapping. It never really went anywhere which was such a shame, and Skitz moved on to radio. But this is a classic for me - I love it.
Here's the video to Domestic Science:
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