The Skatonics – Hope Street/Valentine – Ska’d Stiff Records

The Skatonics have been around for a good few years now, functioning primarily as a covers act, performing the classic 2-Tone sound to appreciative audiences. With that in mind, I was somewhat hesitant to give this a spin. I felt I wasn’t sure that the world was ready for yet another band riffing on the sounds of the past.

I shouldn’t have worried. All that time playing together has given them a solid base to create their own sound that acknowledges what has gone before, but doesn’t owe it anything. This double-A side single captures a band confident in their abilities, meshing together with practiced experience. Opener Hope Street is very much in the modern take on 2-Tone style. Bouncing keyboards drive the track along while the brass haunts that background, coming to the fore when needed. It doesn’t have the punk of many bands these days, giving a much smoother sound than I had expected, making it the more radio friendly of the two tracks. Valentine is a very different animal. A soulful experience, the female lead gently pulls you into a laid-back skank that has a vague connection to some of Madness’ sound, but the overwhelming feel is almost that of Dexy’s Midnight Runners at their gentlest. Two very different tracks, both with an eye on what’s happening on the modern ska scene, yet not really drawing from it. Hopefully there will be an album of original material to follow this, but it’s a good benchmark they’re setting themselves with this release.

Nik