The Family Business Ltd bring generations of ska together on Floor Burner
THE FAMILY BUSINESS LTD have shared their first single, Floor Burner, ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album on 25 September via Hellcat Records.
Built on brisk drums, bass-heavy grooves and the clipped, dancefloor-ready charge of two-tone, Floor Burner introduces a project bringing together Jordan Cardy of RAT BOY, Preston of The Ordinary Boys and Antonee First Class of The English Beat. The track arrives with a lyric video below.
The collective said: “Floor Burner is the blueprint for THE FAMILY BUSINESS LTD. It was pieced together from three separate ideas and evolved into this pure party-starter. The whole point is simple: get on the floor and dance.”
A meeting of ska’s different eras
Alongside Cardy, Preston and Antonee First Class, the album was shaped with additional creative input from Tim Armstrong and Jesse Michaels of Operation Ivy. The sessions began after Cardy and Preston, who first met in Essex in 2014, reunited in Los Angeles in 2023 to write with Armstrong.
“Everything clicked straight away in the studio, and the songs came together so naturally,” Cardy said. “Tim suggested bringing in Antonee, and before we knew it, the album was written and recorded in two weeks.”
The recordings also feature backing from The Calamatix. Cardy added: “They really made everything feel like a proper band. They brought so much energy to the record, especially through the rhythm section and bass lines, helping round out the sound in a way that elevated every song.”
For Antonee First Class, the appeal lay in the collision of distinct routes into the genre. “The opportunity [was] to bridge the gap between generations, bringing together people who came to ska from different places,” he said.
From sharp social commentary to dancefloor release
The ten-track record moves between bright Jamaican ska melodies and the punk-edged urgency of two-tone. A.S.B.O. pairs horns with Antonee’s toasting for a track addressing crime and mental health, while Detonator is described as a burst of escapist energy. Elsewhere, Still a Jamaican leans into classic ska bounce and Shakedown takes a sharper lyrical edge.
Antonee said: “Ska and two-tone doesn’t discriminate. The message of peace, love, unity, and standing together is just as relevant today as it was decades ago. The weather might have changed, but the struggles people are singing about haven’t.”
The Family Business Ltd is available on 25 September through Hellcat Records. Pre-order the album here.
The Family Business Ltd track listing
- Floor Burner
- Shakedown
- Detonator
- Still a Jamaican
- Armageddon
- Bambi
- No Vacancy
- Transistor
- Dead Boy
- A.S.B.O.
