St George's Day Featured This Week bonanza!

If last week was a bit thin on the ground for new releases… this week overfloweth! So much so that we have had to extend this week’s Featured This Week session to an HOUR LONG on www.buttondownradio.com

In the week that saw the new release of The Selecter album Human Agebra, Rancid announce their new album and Madness in the studio and a new tour released… you also got this lot!

Super smooth jazz fuelled ska from Eastern Standard Time with their new album Clockwork which releases in June on Jump Up records. I have lived with the album for a few days and it’s a blast of joy with feel good vibes throughout. Album will be released early June.

Northern Soul is live and kicking and London based outfit Trambeat released their new single ‘Don't Hold Back’ and it’s a right shot in the arm. A fast paced single with a damned funky bass, hand claps where you want them and Aimee’s distinctive voice is a delight.

Proyecto Secreto – Belgium’s premiere ska crew – released their new single Soon Will Be Enough. A slightly more downbeat affair than we are used to from these guys. But those horns! Ace.

Ontario’s Dubmatix has been flexing his ska muscles and produced a beaut of an upbeat, yet still dub influenced Hot Ska EP. Such a recognisable sound. I like the way he brings the bass to the fore.

Last Years’s Specialized Project CD set was Our Way, a tribute to the Rat Pack. Russia’s Suspense Heroes Syndicate recorded That's Life and are releasing it as a track.

Chepstow based 3 piece skapunkers Kings Alias released their latest single - Kick Me. Catch them with The Toasters and Cartoon Violence at Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury Bank Holiday Monday 1st June.

San Diego’s Amalgamated Ska have a new single out now - Unfortunate for You. Cool trad background over largely toasted vocals and a fantastic brass section.

First release from Simple Minded Symphony for a couple of years and their new single ‘Over It’ released at the end of last month. That’s one big dirty baritone sax.

Phoenix City Allstars are back again with their highly inventive covers. This time they are joined by Jeremy Pena from The Bandulus on the new single from their 5th album - Rocksteady Is King. This time they turn their rocksteady eye to the works of Carole King.

How can it be 5 years since Cartoon Violence released Passive Violence? Finally we are treated to a new single – Ken. Written and recorded remotely in lockdown with the promise of two more to come! Happy days. As we would expect keys are to the fore with Chuzz’s characteristic background supported by a more 80s sounding keyboard. This song has more layers than a pass the parcel and the treat in the middle is so worth the wait. Great to have CV back.

Ed Rome sent us a new track and it’s great to hear his sounds again. Unsubscribe is a raw but accomplished piece. I love the energy in this mixing 90s indie rock production with a ska beat works well. Excited to hear new Ed Rome music after a 2 year hiatus.

The Ruffolos are back with a cautionary track in the guise of Sisters of Fate. Kinda spooky…

We have been chanelling the new The Officinalis album - Back to Sorrento for a while now. Pared back rocksteady with a traditional Italian feel. Really different.

The Dimensions is/are the keyboard player from The Simmertones and he has produced a very cool EP entitled Hot Collar. 4 instrumental chilled out tracks and their dub/version counterparts. Something really likeable about this release.

Previous Featured This Week track Kick The Can by The Prizefighters is finally out and we have to include it as it’s too damned good!

A few years ago Derek Bowyer had a dream of bringing together the Hotknives fan community and it has ended up with a fantastic 40 track covers compilation of some of the best ska music around. We have already played you three tracks but now it’s released we get to play you our favourite - Smoke And Mirrors Soundsystem Ft Tony Devenish - Living on Dreams and Custard Creams. Download from Bandcamp (see our collection) or physical CDs from https://specializedproject.com/product/living-on-dreams-and-custard-creams

Finally to Mexico for my trad find of the week The Oldskulltones with their fresh single - Así Nació el Amor (How Love Was Born) An absolutely beautiful tune with the silkiest vocals around. Enjoy!

Keep tuned in to www.buttondownradio.com to keep in the know on the global ska scene.

Check out our Bandcamp collection at https://bandcamp.com/buttondownradio Fast approaching 10,000 views and over 1,800 plays from 981 mainly ska releases. You can buy most of these artists releases directly from here. Bandcamp is probably the best service as it pays the artists the best.

Check out the NEW best of this year's ska vids at - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmpaxFQpPPFzehIB_OENVoAc5cqvgAgSq kicking off 2023 with a new playlist – almost 4 months in and 99 songs strong! What will be number 100?. New vids added from Rockstone Rockers, Skaparapid, PO Box, The Selecter as well as some from this week’s list. Well on our way to 5000 views. Check it out!

Turns out Number 100 is Big Fat Panda

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