A Punk-Rock, Hip-Hop, Jump-Up Ska Soundclash from Manchester UK
From Manchester's dynamic musical landscape comes the most compelling soundclash to rise from the underground for years. Few bands can so smoothly mix dancefloor-savvy elements of reggae, jungle and ska with the rigorous commentary of hip-hop whilst retaining enough grit and aggression to be an active fixture of the UK's punk scene. A true product of their environment - the sound of a thousand city-centre clubnights and student party mash-ups invigorate the righteous fury of distorted guitars and dubby grooves – SB6 create a sound as authentic as it is unique. Looking as at home on a festival stage as they are playing at a warehouse party, the band are retaining their grassroots ideation and positive, unifying message as their music steadily permeates a wider international audience.
Sonic Boom Six return with their third album City of Thieves, the fifth record to be released on their own Rebel Alliance Recordings. Whilst SB6's eclectic punk soundclash staunchly remains far too down-to-earth to ever being described as ‘prog', the album follows the concept of a collection of songs that explore and examine life in a large UK city. From crass consumerism to traffic congestion, lawless youth culture to homelessness, binge drinking to street violence, Laila and the guys cast their pragmatic critique on the state of the nation, embellished by their characteristic positivity and humour. City of Thieves is built on the bedrock of the band's unique ska-core/hip-hop/jungle hybrid but (in keeping with their original ethos of expanding the boundaries of what a punk band can be) adds dubstep, electro, dub and even glam rock to the mix, all the while retaining the snarling live edge honed by recent tours of the UK, Europe and the US with acts such as Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, Bad Brains and Big D and the Kid's Table. The first class collaborators involved in the record include production duties by Peter Miles (The King Blues, The Steal), artwork courtesy of Dan Mumford (Gallows, ADTR) and guest appearances from Al Rumjen (King Prawn, Asian Dub Foundation), Robin Leitch (Random Hand), and New York City ska legend King Django (Stubborn All-Stars, Skinnerbox).
In addition to Sonic Boom Six, the band perform acoustic reggae sets as Babyboom; a project that specialises in playing fundraisers, houseparties and holding musical workshops… but won't turn their nose up at busking for a few extra pennies during tours. Laila, Ben and Barney are also members of Suicide Bid, the ongoing dub-punk collective who are beginning work on their third full-length. A continuation of the DIY approach at the heart of band's ethos, SB6 arrange the Ruff and Ready package tour which provides a collective platform for some of the most intensifying underground bands around and toured to resonant success in 2007 and 2008 showcasing such acts as Mouthwash, the King Blues, Chris Murray and more.
