Jamskating is a cool new variation on roller skating that brings elements of breakdancing to the classic skating bounce. Considering the sound of Quintron’s organ, it was probably inevitable that he’d turn his attention to the skating rink, and he does so successfully on this five-track EP (available only on vinyl and via download from QuintronAndMissPussycat.com). As with almost everything he touches, though, Quintron makes the form his rather than conform to the style. The title track is a celebration of good times, but it’s not in the lyrics, which Quintron says are lines that sounded good together; it’s in the Tony Manero swagger in his vocals in the verse and passion and joy with which he sings, “We’re going to JAM! / Jamskate tonight” in the chorus.

 

It’s easy to get caught up in the surface weirdness of Quintron records—the low-tech sound, the strangely innocent vibe—and miss someone who smartly refers to genres without being bound by them. The EP naturally includes an instrumental version of “Jamskate,” and “Wild West West” has a pounding bass line that recalls early hip-hop. Just as hip-hop albums often include skits, so he has one, and when he turns his attention to punk, covering Kajun SS’s “Drug Problem,” he keeps the hardness while keeping it Quintron.