One Drop Pony

Despite being heavily into Skinhead culture, I’ve always remained on the punk and ska side musically and never really explored reggae that much, despite it being the roots of the scene and being a great genre of music in its own right. So when One Drop Pony asked me to review one of their songs, I chose the chilled out electro reggae tune Home to either endorse or eviscerate, depending on my findings (Really? Your findings?Oscar you’re a music writer not a detective you tit). Anyway I am definitely not going to eviscerate these lovely chaps, as Home is a banger. Admittedly a slow, chilled banger but you’ll still find yourself nodding along to this absolute tune.

Home has got all the hallmarks of a reggae song, a booming subby bass, flaring horns, a steady guitar and drum groove. Yet the addition of synthesisers adds a really cool electronic vibe which I would not expect in a tune such as this. The vocals are also excellent, very psychedelic and chill, thanks to both the production and overall tone and pacing of the vocal track. Can I just say? That guitar solo is freaking awesome. Such a delicate tone yet it has such a fat groove to it. Whoever the guitarist is, props to you my friend. Then again props to everyone who worked on this single. It’s brilliant! I really enjoyed the organ solo/swell towards the end. It really adds a some dynamic before the last chorus, giving it quite a bit of punch.

What I really like about One Drop Pony as a band is their variety of influences and unique sound. The influences I can hear vary from Frusciante to The Beat. You can’t tell if these guys are black, white or anything in between. You’ve got the melding of a more typically white electronic sound with the slower dub grooves generally associated with black people (and before anyone has a go at me, yes I know people of other skin tones listen to the other genre, I’m making a point to do with musical context. Deal with it). The multicultural sound of One Drop Pony give them both impeccable style and important edge, two things any band desperately needs and the two things I mention most when talking about any band.

All in all I can highly recommend One Drop Pony for their electro reggae grooves and chilled out attitude. They’ve got such a great vibe and as all the American politicians are saying on their tv adverts at the moment, My name is Oscar Quick and I support this message.

Peace, Love and Cowbells,

Oscar