We love the SONIC BOOM SIX sound… their mix of ska, metal and punk with dub, reggae and electronica.
Laila K’s vocals doodle and squirm in a delightful way, whilst choruses fades in and fall-out glamorously.
Raps from Barney Boom are mechanistic and absolutely intrinsic … a steady stream of vital ideas and styles in motion. Percussion dustily rattles and shakes about, creating cataclysms of sumptuous sounds that frame the vocals till you feel as though you have been lashed by a wind-spirit. Sexy synths and a piercingly urgent crime-wave of guitar-work all add up to one helluva thrilling sound...
Yup! We love this Manchester England (now based in London) Reggae / Hip-Hop / Metal amalgam.
So we were über eager to review the latest album The F-Bomb out now on Cherry Red Records, which we supported via the band’s recent PledgeMusic campaign —
“No Man, No Right” has dub produced ska, reggae jounce and rebound and wickedly impish ‘n’ astute lyrics. This is basically a protest song …
The 2016 ban on women entering a Starbucks store in Riyadh is the latest in a long series of restrictions on women in Saudi Arabia. But, let’s be clear, there are limitations and constraints imposed on women every day, all over the world. We might like to think that, here in the West, we are free from intolerant dogma. But are we really? The oppression of women in our society is located inside the family home, or through the gender conflict in the workplace, or within the context of school-yard bullying.
The “From Fire to the Frying Pan” song is out now on video. [see below] It has a wickedly cool beat and nonchalant breeziness but some powerful messages lurk inside the obvious jolliness. In fact, this song addresses some of the biggest issues of our time … in fact it might well get some idiots hot-under-the-collar. Good!
We were especially delighted with the proing and spring of the song from 2:40 onwards… but the whole thing is filled with fundamental counterstatement. This song is like finding a razor blade in your Turkish Delight or tasting Deadly Nightshade in your hookah pen.
“Do What You Wanna Do” is true English 2 Tone. With a faster tempo and a dash of humour. Yep! This protests too, it’s a rebel cry for freedom. A celebration of struggle and experience.
“Drop The Bass” is perhaps the band’s devotional to the The Selecter. Darker, deeper. Tougher and far more aggressive . Yet haunting and mysterious too.
This is a fine record. It may be that you do not buy-into the witty vocal style and automatically sharp and ingeniously cutting voice of Laila K right away. And that’s OK. Her voice can be acute and even seditiously sagacious, especially at first listen. But, still, here is a group of highly effective ska songs written brilliantly, and delivering incredible dynamism and enduring excitement.
Words & Images: © Neil Mach
Link: https://www.facebook.com/sonicboomsix/
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