Active for over two years, but incredibly accomplished in just that short space of time before disappearing off the face of the earth, London’s International Diamond Thieves wrote a playbook filled with rap-rock hooks, unflinching punk ideology and memorable dancefloor grooves. Their charisma, energy and in some respects eclecticism, could’ve seen them fit right at home at the top of the London live scene, and their presence was already making ripples in mainland Europe. Take How It Is for example. Sure, there isn’t an abundance of their material floating around, but this implements a bridge between rap, reggae and ska punk in such a perfectly polished, ass-shaking fashion, it makes it near unbelievable that this band was only two years old. There’s a beautiful, infectious simplicity in the guitar, a thumping drum beat you can move to and a chorus with a message that Rage Against The Machine would be proud of. Long story short, their musicianship crawls with as many earworms, as does soil in the ground and whilst short-lived, this five piece’s name feels justified, whilst lifting many individual elements, they undoubtedly shined brightly in their performance.

How It Is, as well as two other tracks, 5.5 and Strange World, are available as free downloads from the band’s Soundcloud page, as well as How It Is can be downloaded right here, just click the arrow in the top right hand corner of the Soundcloud player.

https://www.facebook.com/internationaldiamondthieves?fref=ts