One of my favorite genres of music is Ska. I love the energy and it’s upbeat tempo. Originating in Jamaica in the late 1950s, it is actually the precursor to Reggae music and a lesser known genre called Rocksteady. The combination of historical Caribbean music along with Calypso and rhythm and blues was not only the dominant scene in Jamaica but by the 1960s and 1970s, Britain had adapted this style and began creating their own subgenres including 2 Tone and Ska Punk. In the 1990s, Ska music (specifically Ska Punk) was revived in North America by popular bands such as Sublime, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish and No Doubt. More recently, singer / songwriter Kyle Smith is making waves for his unique blend of Ska Punk inspired “Cali-Reggae” and his new song “Sinkin’”. Paired with a professional lyric video, this rude girl couldn’t help but pull out her old skanking moves.
Reggae Rock singer Kyle Smith is a relatively newer artist on the music scene. Raised in Southern California, this Ventura native cites his troubled youth and addiction as inspiration for his music and life goal of spreading positivity and hope. His music is a unique combination of reggae, ska punk, punk rock with a dash of hip-hop. Although named after the lead singer and lead guitarist, Kyle Smith also features bass player Chris Nishida as well as drummer Scotty Beatz. After a few EP and single releases since 2017, Smith released his first full length album titled “Lost Cause” in 2021 via Unfazed Records. The album has been a huge success, even being nominated for Album of the Year by Surf Roots TV & Radio. Kyle Smith teamed up with Maryland punk reggae band Bumpin Uglies as well as Ballyhoo! frontman and songwriter Howi Spangler for the album’s hit song “Sinkin’”. Smith comments on the collaboration saying, “This was the first song I had ever recorded a feature remotely for. Ballyhoo (Howi Spangler) & Bumpin Uglies have been my favorites for a long time, so it was a great opportunity to collaborate.”
When asked about the breezy tune, Kyle Smith said “The song to me is about ignoring corporate news, or at least not letting them convince you that the world is a bad place. “With a smile on my face while my ship keeps sinkin’”, in other words, our world is going to shit, but I’m going down swinging and enjoying every moment of life!” This bright and upbeat energy was a must as part of the creative influence for the professionally produced “Sinkin’” lyric video released in October 2021. The music video features fun and quirky nautical themed animations artfully placed around colorful lyrics. The animated visuals are fun and simple and really give me California backstreet tattoo parlor vibes. Smith says, “I love how you guys incorporated an entire nautical theme. Waves, steering wheels, anchors, the whole 9. It really fit the vibe perfectly!”
This song has such a poignant message of positivity and the use of large, colorful and bold fonts to display the lyrics was a great choice. Smith says, “The lyrics are important on this one. They usually are for about 90% of every track I record. It’s vital that people understand the message, otherwise you have something flashy and temporary. The message is where you can make a life long positive impact.” The two fonts pair well with the oceanic theme; One depicts a brush stroke and the other appears to be made of wood. The lyrics are certainly the main focus in this music video and follow a bright and playful primary color palette of red, yellow and blue over interchanging black textured backgrounds. This contrast allows the lyrics and visuals to really pop and come to life.
The single and the professional lyric video for this reggae rock track is a great visual embodiment of Ska music and it’s uplifting tempo. It is the true Jamaican way, that no matter how bad things might be, “everything irie”. Next up, Kyle Smith will be touring nonstop to promote his album as well as performing at the Cali Vibes Festival in Long Beach, California alongside The Marley Brothers and Wu-Tang Clan at the end of February. You can follow Kyle Smith across multiple social media and music streaming platforms.
Check out the lyric video for “Sinkin’” on Kyle Smith’s Official YouTube Channel Here: