A Certain Ratio
Though
both the songs on this 7" are on the recently released 'Early'
A Certain Ratio double CD set, it is nice to have them in your face
and in your hand as a 7" single.
"Do The Du" is a vocal track and "Skipscala" is an instrumental. "Do The Du" has the same type of funky guitar and punchy bass as "Shack Up" (one of the highlights of the recent 'In the Beginning There Was Rhythm' compilation put out by Soul Jazz). The guitar on "Do The Du" is trebly like Malcolm Ross played in Josef K and the bass has a flanged break where it sounds like "Definitive Gaze" by Magazine (Howard Devoto's post-Buzzcocks band), from the 'Real Life' LP.
"Skipscala" sounds like Afro-Beat. There is tons of percussion (like 23 Skidoo), a whistle, bells, and a wordless vocal. It is like an un-commercial Haircut 100. The music is giddy and filled with celebration.
Neither of these tracks sound very dated. You might be able to spot these as cuts from the Eighties, but this is no nostalgia trip. I could think of many contemporary bands who would be thrilled to release either of these songs today.
---Carl
