The south east London ska band Chainska Brassika first started playing in 2012, and has evolved into the fun loving crazy live show that it is today. Chainska Brassika’s much-anticipated debut LP Skinna, dedicated to their school music teacher John Skinner MBE, went on sale November 20, 2015 following releases earlier this year, ‘Bad Habits’ and ‘Knowledge Is King’. The video seen below for lead single “Love The Way” preceded the album on October 16th, 2015.
This is an album that can heat up any chilly winter evening
Chainska’s debut album is filled with funky ska tunes that come in heavy with horns and a high-voltage sound. This is an album that can heat up any chilly winter evening. From the opening track “Bad Habits,” we can hear the band properly set the album tone and put their best feet forward. The track then grows into a impressive piece that showcases the band’s immense talent, making each lyric and each note, as important as the last. As the album progresses, so does the rootsiness. With tracks like “Unwind,” “Just Love,” and “Love the Dub,” the reggae and dub influence is heavy and registers much more compared to the other tracks on the album.
Skinna is a hugely enjoyable album and should most definitely be included in rotation due to its creativity and polished production. The songs often unfold at an almost hypersonic pace, piling on layers and layers of instruments and melodies to create a rich experience that will lure you back every time to discover something you might have previously overlooked. With something to please every ska and reggae fan of every persuasion, Skinna is a “must own.”
Purchase Skinna directly on their website.
Track listing
- Bad Habits
- Unwind
- Just Love
- Higher Side
- Love The Way
- Love The Dub
- Get Some
- Long Black Dress
- Wasting My Time
- Hold Tight (Inside The Ride)
- Knowledge Is KIng
- Riot
Chainska Brassika “Love the Way”
Released November 20, 2015
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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