Back in March of 2024 I stumbled onto The Kittyhawks, the first Australian ska band that I had discovered, and I loved it. This was their debut album, and I was incredibly lucky to discover them when they were a brand new band. In the two years since, they have toured all over Australia and hosted a wide range of international ska bands touring the nation. When they aren’t playing live, they’ve clearly been honing their craft: They just released “The Devil’s Offbeat”, their first single off of an upcoming album, and they’ve definitely improved across the board from their already impressive skills.
The song begins like a wind precipitating a storm: An upstroke, offbeat rhythms play on a guitar, and a low rumble rising into sinister laughter. The drums join in and a beautiful tribute to the entire DIY music scene breaks out. The band features multiple vocalists who seamlessly blend their parts, and often duet portions of the vocals in a way that works brilliantly. I love the vocals early in this track, when they are given a little more space to shine as they sing about street teams, feeling at home in small venues with familiar faces, and how going to shows and building community helps destroy apathy.
After the first verse the horns kick in and catch, loud and powerful. They’re the type of horns that might be associated with the biggest ska punk bands, except under the louder trumpets and trombone is a sultry sax line marching forward, somewhat subtly and definitely. It makes the song feel more whole and complete as it ties the bridge to the chorus.
The drums in the song are also stellar. Early in the song the drums are somewhat loud, setting the tempo, driving the song forward, and establishing the ska rhythm. But towards the end of the song, the cymbals become dominant and aggressive, adding a feeling of chaos as “the devil’s offbeat” consumes the listener. The horns are stellar throughout. The sinister laughter early in the song plays a role throughout the track, as a dark demonic voice can be heard throughout the instrumental portions of the song.
While this is just the first single off of an upcoming EP, I am certain that the rest of the record is going to be every bit as good as this single. I fell in love with this band from their debut album, and that love is only going to grow with the music they are putting out this year. I can’t wait to explore what’s next.
Take a listen to “The Devil’s Offbeat” below:
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Written by Gimp Leg
