East London’s The Skints have certainly been making a name for themselves over the past two years. Festival slots, much touring with other bands in the ska/reggae scene and also on bills with the likes of Gym Class Heroes last year and You Me At Six this year. Clearly the band are doing quite well for themselves, all on their own. And what do you do when you’re doing really well for yourself? You have your fans donate money to record an 11 track album of sunny reggae tunes infused with ska, dub, rap, hip hop, grime and electronica all into one package, of course.
That’s right. A Pledge page was set up and fan donated enough money to have the band reach their target way quicker than they had planned. So… was it worth it? Yes.
The first single ‘Ratatat’ showcases the band’s London roots with grime and electronics playing a huge part. It’s a fine example of the band themselves being an incredible melting pot of influences and resources.
Variety comes from the instrumentation which sets the style for each song. Songs like ‘Ratatat’ are in a juxtaposition with songs like ‘Can’t Take No More’ which is a pure reggae track of soothing vocals from drummer Josh Kyriakides and multi-instrumentalist Marcia Richards, who donates sax and melodica melodies to this song, but then rapping and keys to another. Having such a wide range of instruments on offer really does aid to the many styles that the band are able to infuse with those offbeat reggae chords.
Aside from that, these are all catchy songs. Ok, so you’re probably not going to be able to lay down those rapping verses straight off as they’re pretty fast, but each chorus has melodies to die for. The album is a serious case of all killer no filler much like their debut record; ‘Live. Breath. Build. Believe’, with the main difference between the two being the removal of distorted, rock guitars. The thing is though, it’s hard to notice that they’re even gone and that punk edge is made up for with the distorted bass lines and grime based tracks on the album.
You may not be a fan of reggae, but this album is seriously worth a listen. It’s certainly one of those albums that can convert you into a whole new world of listening pleasures that you didn’t even know existed. Try listening to the album on a sunny day and decide it isn’t perfect music to match the weather. It’s beautiful and talented stuff, showcasing The Skints as being a British band to be proud of and makes it no surprise as to how they band have been getting all these support slots.
A flawless album that’s only going to pave a clear and successful future for The Skints.
5/5
‘Part & Parcel’ by The Skints is available now through Penny Drop Recordings / Bomber Music Ltd.
The Skints links: Facebook|Twitter
Words Michael Brown
