I mentioned on another review that I really like Ska music. I had an in-depth intro to it courtesy of a brother wayyyyy back in the mists of time. I got to listen to early Selecter, The Beat, The Specials, Bad Manners. And man, did it resonate! Music created by a combination of cultures, urban and urbane. Telling it how it is for the life of the artist, and not giving a damn about how dark it might be when music can really release you – if just for a little while. You grab it with both hands and shake your tail like you’re on fire!

Let me introduce you to Taupo’s Ska band Skarpakazoo. Mel and Linz play guitars and do vocals, Richard is on the trumpet and violin (classy). Rhythm section is Chris on bass and Chase on percussion and backing vocals (tracked down from the band’s Face ache page so thanks for the helping hand Zuckerberg). They have captured the very essence of Ska, in the blending of styles and instruments delivered with a tempered abandon (if that’s possible!), giving us an almost Punk-Ska crossover. Wonderful and chaotic while being applied and disciplined by talent that obviously can’t help but deliver.

It’s definitely a party song. It’s about making some sketchy choices and where they can lead one’s night. The results can be left to the mind’s eye – however that can be helped by the entertaining little video the single has, that you can find on the You Tubes. Go check it out. I suspect it really captures the essence of the bands own live show, as there’s a sufficient amount of live performance shots interspersed with weirdness that’s fun and not off-putting.

There’s some fabulous musicianship here. Despite my comments on chaos and wild abandon, they deliver the goods in a very real way. Great skanking guitars combined with some snazzy jazz/rock leads, combined with a high-tempo bottom end that’s got beat, got cojones and is very much all present and correct. The brass is brazen and totally in your face, giving it a hypnotic edge. You’ll have to listen to it to hear where I’m going with that.

The vocal timbre put me immediately in mind of Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett. It’s a very apt timbre for a number of musical styles, and very much controls the overall vibe of the song. Really good, professional performance. This is something that would work in the underground scene in the big cities. Get your club pumping and stick this on, o DJ. It has an energy that will take you and send you reeling into the darkness of the dance floor.

There’s an edginess to the melody and the overall orchestration. It’s celebratory while retaining an inner-city soul: dangerous beneath those bright lights, every stained window hiding what could be sesame or purgatory. In fact, isn’t that just what this song is all about? Your choices are arbitrary – and may not be inconsequential.

I’ll be keeping an eye on these guys. The song is on their Spotty Fly, and of course if reviewed on this site, it’s on our Spotty Fly too. Skarpakazoo. Try them. You’ll get up and shuffle. BIG tick.