T-Killas – Awareness CD (Fire And Flames Music)

We had some ska-punk included on these pages a couple of days ago, so let’s continue in the same manner. Here’s another outstanding record from a Fire And Flames catalog, released a year ago on vinyl and compact disc. I was surprised when I realized this material came out a year ago. For some reason, I thought the beforementioned label released it several years ago, but maybe I mistook them for some other band. Awareness is a debut full-length recording by T-Killas, a ska band from Aschaffenburg, South Germany. The group previously released a couple of singles and extended plays, such as Kicking The Pressure EP, Lonely Hearts, Live Session EP, and Take My Hand/Rock It Steady. This year marks another milestone for the band because T-Killas released a brand new full-length named It’s Up To You. Still, I will talk about their debut today.

Awareness contains ten tremendous ska numbers that lean more towards 2-Tone ska than contemporary ska sound. However, T-Killas are not entirely avoiding some other waves of ska music, so you may stumble upon on second, third, and maybe the fourth wave of ska music throughout the album. The band doesn’t escape from reggae, soul, mod music, and punk rock neither, so you’ll notice how all these elements inspired this interesting German band during their songwriting, composing, producing, and recording process. Awareness sounds energetic, dynamic, danceable, and cheerful. Still, T-Killas try to convey important messages through profoundly detailed lyrics, so this album is a double win for those fans who love their ska music educational and entertaining. Their songs are perfect platforms for spreading socially and politically conscious messages.

The first thing you’ll notice is the powerful brass section. The themes performed on the saxophone will keep you entertained from scratch to finish. The keyboards support the brass section with powerful melodies, harmonies, accentuations, and overall ambiance. Sharp ska chops and chord progressions pervade both beforementioned instruments and proudly defend the ska aesthetics of the group. The rhythm section holds everything together with thoughtfully arranged basslines and a mind-blowing drumming performance. You’ll also fall in love with the soulful vocal performance that comes like a cherry on the top over the remaining instruments. T-Killas are a perfect example of how ska music should sound nowadays. Their debut proudly carries the torch of ska sound, and you will without any doubt fall in love with their excellent performance. Awareness comes on vinyl, compact disc, and digital, so head over to Fire And Flames Music for more information about ordering.