Today, Los Angeles quartet The Calamatix share their latest single ‘Boom Bap’ ahead of their debut record ‘The Calamatix’ out September 20th via Hellcat. Demonstrating their mastery of many styles, the band transitions easily from the rocksteady ska-punk of lead track ‘Love, Lies & Alibis’ to influences of R&B and soul for this groovy, understated jam.
With biting lyrics delivered by sultry vocals, frontwoman Raylin Joy reminds us to confront our problems directly in order to make necessary changes in our lives. “The ego can be a scary thing to handle but it has to be done if you want to grow as a person,” she explains. “Staying focused on the bigger picture is the key, distractions are the enemy when you’ve got shit to do.”
Starting as a beat from drummer Clarence ‘Pocket’ Kidd III who produced a rhythmic “boom bap” swing on his drum machine, he then sent the track to the rest of the crew who quickly “caught a vibe and sprinkled their flavor onto the template,” he recalls. Once in the hands of guitarist Adam Porris, he fleshed out the guitar part in one take. “I immediately connected with the drum beat Clarence sent me and let my guitar do the talking. Raylin’s lyrics made me want to funk up the bridge with some Prince-style funk guitar, and when I heard her sing the breakdown I knew we had something special.”
Originally a songwriting collaboration between Joy and Tim Armstrong (Op Ivy, Rancid), their creative chemistry was tinged with melancholy as Raylin worked through her personal struggles and inner demons. Finding solace through the music, the contrast between the optimistic spirit of these songs and the struggle that produced them gives this collection a real power and weight. Recorded over two or three days in a whirlwind string of sessions, the band’s chemistry throughout these performances is palpable. At the helm of Armstrong, the studio provided a place of escape where each musician found the freedom to pour their emotions into something tangible.
Funneling the darkness and depression into music that is bright and uplifting, what results is unfiltered and pure. Raylin Joy sums up the album and the process of its creation simply and powerfully: “At the end of the day, some of the best things are born out of terrible situations. We had all of this adversity and we turned it into something really beautiful.”