BRIGHTON-BASED “progressive ska” nine-piece Town Of Cats will make you forget about the cold and the rain. Niklas Benedum sat down with bassist Adam Pollock and lead singer Joe Travis Dean to talk about enjoying themselves, why dancing is so important and what it means to write music of substance.

How would you describe your music and what you’re about?

Adam: I think the best way to sum it up is “progressive ska”. We have a lot of the upbeat and rhythm elements from ska but we all come from very different backgrounds of music so it’s hard to pin down since we are nine people in the band but I think that covers it pretty much.

Do you feel like BIMM has given you any opportunities as a band?

Joe: BIMM is where I met our drummer and through him our keys player. BIMM is where our guitarist developed his theory chops and became the fantastic musician he is today. Tutors like Mark Flannery shed wise words on good production. BIMM has a great idea of what the box is when it comes to music, which is a helpful thing to know when you’re trying to think outside of it.

Are there any complications that arise with having to practise and tour with nine people in the band?

(Both laugh) Adam: Every person in the band is a loveable nightmare.

Joe: Of course there are complications. Even little things in terms of communication. Some of us don’t have Facebook or Whatsapp so every time I’m trying to arrange a practice we rely on sending individual texts to everyone. Things like that.

What is the meaning behind the album title Dance Off The Deadbeat?

Joe: There was a time where I was taking a lot on and was really busy so I was constantly stressed out by work and couldn’t really appreciate the small amount of free time that I had. The album is about letting go and being able to enjoy the small fractions of time that you’ve got. You never know when they are going to come.

Your lyrics often speak of social themes, politics even. Do you see music as some form of peaceful protest?

Adam: I’d say the lyrics are often very cynical and I think this cynicism is a very British thing. Maybe it’s just very English of us.

Joe: I think it’s absolutely imperative. Now more than ever. If you’ve got a brain and you write music then you try to say something. Even if it’s just something that other people can relate to and it makes them feel like they’re not alone. It’s about provoking a feeling and a reaction in people.

How important do you think happy music is in modern times?

Joe: There’s just something about dancing, I think. When everyone starts dancing you let your guard down. You don’t know what the person next to you is studying, how much money he’s got or what his mum’s profession is but this person becomes so much more approachable to you simply because of the fact you’re both dancing and letting go. The more of that there is in the world the better.

Tell us a bit about working on your record with your producer Adam Staff. What are the best things about working with him and why did you choose him?

Joe: We absolutely love Adam and I think that everybody should work with him. He was incredibly patient with us and still managed to record the whole album in eight days. He was definitely the secret tenth cat working on the record.

Do you think being from Brighton influenced your music and the way you think about it?

Joe: Yeah I definitely think it has influenced me. I think it definitely broadened my horizons in terms of what I see as a musical influence. I met so many different people at uni and a lot of my friends listen to a lot of different types of music so that really started to show in the music that I was writing at the time.