Sunshine Coasts's groove collective, Dub Zoo unveil high energy ska kiss-off to toxic relationships with new single 'Game Over'

Sunshine Coast’s collective of groove, Dub Zoo have delivered on their promise for frequent releases, and their next offering to the dub gods is the ode to the freedom of escaping a toxic relationship. ‘Game Over’ is out now…

Lulling the listener in to what feels like a steady dub trip, ‘Game Over’ all of 12 seconds to shift gears in to an uptempo, yet dark ska jam. The bass is busy, the drums are steady, the guitar skanks are there, and there’s plenty of dub trickery with little layers of atmosphere, all allowing guest vocalist Ben Goldstein (Hot Potato Band) to unleash his smooth vocal takes. ‘Game Over’ bounces and drifts, giving off tonnes of energy, while being a cheeky kiss-off to a break-up.

As Dub Zoo explain, using the creative powers of music is cathartic when dealing with unhealthy of abusive relationships.

“Most of us have been there at some point in our lives, feeling trapped in a situation and not fully knowing how to get free. It could be a crazy partner or manipulative boss, a co-dependent family member or just a wild fling that’s run its course. In any case, it’s become unhealthy and you need to get out! It might sound like an oxymoron but Game Over is a happy break-up song. It’s about that liberating moment when you realise that you’ve been choosing something that‘s been hurting you and now it’s time to choose something else and move on with your life,” they said.

The track utilises a catchy horn-line written by long-time friend and collaborator of the band, Ric Halstead; an accomplished jazz player who has, in the past, worked with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea.

Dub Zoo also employed the talents of, and welcomed in to the collective, Benny G (Ben Goldstein) from Sydney’s Hot Potato Band, with the relationship starting from a Ben appearing as a special guest for Dub Zoo at festival shows, before joining the band for some co-writing and recording sessions at the band’s studio HQ on the Sunshine Coast, which resulted in epic results.

During the madness of Covid restrictions and lockdowns, the Dub Zoo collective culminated a swag of tracks, of which we have seen the first lot released throughout 2021, and ‘Game Over’ is the first taste of the next flush of releases to come from the band.

‘Game Over’ is out now on all streaming platforms.