Insomnia (Skepta, Chip and Young Adz album)

The album was announced by the three artists on 22 March 2020 via social media, alongside the option to pre-order.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/skepta-chip-young-adz-joint-album-insomnia-2633251|title=Skepta, Chip and Young Adz are releasing a joint album this week|publisher=NME|date=23 March 2020|access-date=23 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://versus.uk.com/2020/03/skepta-chip-young-adz-announce-groundbreaking-new-album-insomnia/|title=Skepta, Chip and Young Adz Announce "Groundbreaking" New Album 'Insomnia'|publisher=Versus|date=22 March 2020|access-date=23 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/skepta-chip-and-young-adz-announce-joint-album-insomnia|title=Skepta, Chip, and Young Adz Announce Joint Album 'Insomnia'|publisher=Clash Music|date=22 March 2020|access-date=23 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/03/skepta-chip-young-adz-insomnia|title=Skepta, Chip and Young Adz Announce Joint Album 'INSOMNIA'|website=Complex|date=22 March 2020|access-date=27 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/skepta-chip-young-adz-insomnia-review|title=Skepta, Chip and Young Adz's Insomnia brings UK rap's brightest stars together|publisher=GQ|date=27 March 2020|access-date=27 March 2020|author=Oliver Pometsey}}{{cite web|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/3/skepta-chip-young-adz-insomnia-album-announcement|title=Skepta, Chip & Young Adz Announce Collaborative Album 'Insomnia'|website=Hypebeast|date=22 March 2020|access-date=27 March 2020}}

A music video for the lead single "Waze" was released on 25 March 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/skepta-chip-and-yung-adz-release-wave-first-song-from-collaborative-album-insomnia-2635489|title=Skepta, Chip and Yung Adz release 'Waze', first song from collaborative album 'Insomnia'|publisher=NME|date=26 March 2020|access-date=27 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/03/25/skepta-chip-and-young-adz-share-waze-video|title=Skepta, Chip, and Young Adz share "Waze" video|publisher=The Fader|date=25 March 2020|access-date=27 March 2020}}

A second music video for the track "Mains" was released on 1 April 2020.{{YouTube|f-esbTvccJY|Mains (Music Video)}}, Retrieved 2020-04-01.

"Insomnia" debuted at number three on the UK Albums chart. The entry marked Skepta's third Top 10 album, Chip's third Top 10 album, and a first for solo Young Adz (fourth including his work with D-Block Europe).{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/5-seconds-of-summers-calm-narrowly-beats-dua-lipas-future-nostalgia-to-number-1-on-the-official-albums-chart__29310/|title=5SOS narrowly beat Dua Lipa to Number 1 album|website=www.officialcharts.com}}

{{Album ratings

| MC = 82/100{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/insomnia/skeptachipyoung-adz/critic-reviews|title=Critic Reviews for Insomnia|website=Metacritic|access-date=6 July 2020}}

| rev1 = Clash

| rev1score = 8/10{{Cite web|last=Hale|first=Joe|date=27 March 2020|title=Skepta x Chip x Young Adz - Insomnia|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/skepta-x-chip-x-young-adz-insomnia|access-date=6 July 2020|website=CLASH|language=en}}

| rev2 = The Guardian

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news|last=Cliff|first=Aimee|date=27 March 2020|title=Skepta, Chip and Young Adz: Insomnia review – dark, funny and perfectly timed|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/27/skepta-chip-young-adz-insomnia-review|access-date=6 July 2020|issn=0261-3077}}

| rev3 = NME

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Kyann-Sian|date=27 March 2020|title=Skepta, Chip & Young Adz – 'Insomnia' review: three UK rap greats team up to celebrate their scene {{!}} NME|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/d-block-europe-skepta-chip-insomnia-review-2633587|access-date=6 July 2020|website=NME|language=en-GB}}

| rev4 = The Observer

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news|last=Morris|first=Damien|date=29 March 2020|title=Skepta x Chip x Young Adz: Insomnia review – languid tracks with chest-puffing attitude|language=en-GB|work=The Observer|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/29/skepta-chip-yound-adz-insomnia-review|access-date=6 July 2020|issn=0029-7712}}

}}

At review aggregator Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Insomnia received a weighted average score of 82, based on 6 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

Aimee Cliff of The Guardian wrote that Insomnia "feels calibrated for the current, strange cultural moment: it's immediately available, rides low at a tempo that's perfect for listening to while on lockdown in your house or car, and, with the title Insomnia, tackles paranoid themes with the light relief of dark humour". Kyann-Sian Williams of NME concluded that "Overall, though, despite a couple of subpar verses, Insomnia is one for the books. The UK rap world has never seen three of the scene's most in-demand rappers surprisingly team up for an album. Here the best of north and south London have come together and paved the way for others to follow suit". Joe Hale of Clash complimented the album's production and the chemistry between the three artists: "The three work well as a collective: Chip provides the cut-throat and fresh bars, Adz comes with the melody and Skepta is free to experiment throughout. The beats stand up too, consonantly switching patterns and breaks and bringing the best out of each artist".

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| headline = Insomia track listing

| title1 = Mains

| writer1 = {{hlist|Joseph Adenuga|Jahmaal Fyffe|Adam Williams}}

| extra1 = Skepta

| length1 = 3:50

| title2 = Golden Brown

| writer2 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Adrian Francis|Curtis James|Fanatix|Mark Waxkirsh}}

| length2 = 4:11

| title3 = Waze

| writer3 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams}}

| extra3 = Cardo

| length3 = 3:17

| title4 = Demons

| note4 = featuring Dirtbike LB

| writer4 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams|Ricky Banton}}

| extra4 = Supreme & Styles

| length4 = 2:48

| title5 = St Tropez

| writer5 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams}}

| extra5 = Skepta

| length5 = 2:43

| title6 = Insomnia Interlude

| writer6 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams|Britney De Villiers|D. Echeazu}}

| extra6 = Da Beatfreakz

| length6 = 2:31

| title7 = Star in the Hood

| writer7 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe}}

| extra7 = Da Beatfreakz

| length7 = 2:38

| title8 = Mic Check

| writer8 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams|Vania Khaleh-Pari}}

| extra8 = Rxwntree

| length8 = 2:46

| title9 = Traumatised

| writer9 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams}}

| extra9 = Sevaqk

| length9 = 2:45

| title10 = Sin City

| writer10 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams}}

| extra10 = SOS

| length10 = 2:57

| title11 = High Road

| writer11 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams|M.O. Thompson}}

| extra11 = SOS

| length11 = 3:51

| title12 = Intro

| writer12 = {{hlist|Adenuga|Fyffe|Williams}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Ayo B|Money Montage|Jacques Toni}}

| length12 = 1:10

| total_length = 35:28

}}

Notes

• "Insomnia Interlude" features additional vocals by Litty Brity and Greatness Dex.
• "High Road" features additional vocals by M.O. Thompson.

Sample credits

• "St Tropez" contains samples of "Paper Planes", written by Maya Arulpragasam, Wesley Pentz, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer, and performed by M.I.A.

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Skepta/Chip/Young Adz|title=Insomnia|award=Silver|type=album|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|accessdate=27 October 2024|id=3345-6960-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Skepta}}

{{Chip}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2020 collaborative albums

Category:Skepta albums

Category:Chipmunk (rapper) albums

Category:Albums produced by Skepta

Category:Albums produced by Cardo (record producer)