One of the finest purveyors of roots reggae and its fertile dancehall/dub/ska offshoots, England's the Skints continue to grow exponentially. While not necessarily groundbreaking, these proponents of Jamaican-styled rhythm & blues make fabulous hook-filled tunes full of positive vibrations and dramatic intrigue.
Building an underground fan base since their 2009 debut, Live, Breathe, Build, Believe, they reached a wider audience with 2012's socially conscious sophomore set, Part and Parcel. On their third and most ambitious album yet, FM, the quirky quartet brings aboard a few modern reggae ambassadors to help assist in a four-part conceptual homage to underground radio.
Beginning with a 49-second introductory broadcast opening the Versatile Breakfast Show, these streetwise East Londoners set the stage for a brutally hot summer day in the city. Sizzling bohemian celebration, "This Town," showcases luminary dancehall MC Tippa Irie's deep baritone missives and DJ Horseman's clipped raps in a steamy exchange with keyboardist Marcia Richards' velvety alto chants. Impulsive "smoke a doob/ drink a beer" banter promotes unfettered positivity with its off-handed sentiment (watch the video below).
The proactive rallying cry, "In the Night," a balladic summertime rhapsody declaring international unity, repeats a bustling "stand tall" mantra ultimately contrasted by guitarist Joshua Waters Rudge's stammered grunge passage. Lathered love letter, "Come to You," finds Richards' hush-toned sensuality coming on strong as a circus-like calliope melody underscores the skankin' beat. Black Flag's rancorous hardcore classic, "My War," gets redone as a rootsy reggae retrospective.
For the Dancehall Dilemmas segment, Horseman does the resounding intro before giving his soothing proclamation about "Friends & Business" over a simmering soul groove. Perhaps the most accessible track, "Where Did You Go?" plies a rock-steady beat to the balmy setting. The portentious rude boy lament, "Tazer Beam," features Irie's enthusiastic quick-versed rapping. And the dub-plated resonance of "The Forest for the Trees" provides sensitive contrast as Richards' sweet flute melodies float across its sunny effervescence.
On the Grime Hour portion, MC Rival illuminates the foreboding scamper, "Eyes in the Back of My Head" with quick-spit verbal assaults. Meanwhile, "Got No Say" counters the preceding warning with blissful ignorance-is-bliss innocence.
For the closing Evening Session, "Tomorrow" promises hope for the future as the troupe justly harmonizes the creamily soothing chorus of "Don't worry about tomorrow/ Because tomorrow won't be worried about you" over a warm ska beat.
With the scintillating FM, the Skints build upon past strategies and tighten up the rootsy riddims for a superb platter of winsome vignettes and provocative spellbinders, embracing multi-cultural unity while casually eviscerating neglectful political demons.
