IF Mix Ska, Reggae And Post-Punk On New Album Love And Logic

By Chris Kennedy | Published 17th Sept, 2026

Since releasing their critically acclaimed debut album When?, Meath band IF have been doing things very much their own way. Based in Navan, the eight-piece have built a reputation for energetic live performances, combining reggae, ska, jazz and soulful songwriting into something that is difficult to neatly pigeonhole. Rather than recording their instruments separately, the band track their expansive eight-piece line-up together, helping to capture the natural groove and loose energy of their live shows.

That approach is very much evident on their second album, Love And Logic.

Over the past while, IF have been busy playing pubs, clubs and festivals around Ireland, including Skanking Into Summer in Dublin and the Ska and Reggae Festival in Cork. They are also set to play Boyle's of Slane on Saturday, September 26th.

And if regular venues weren't enough, the band have also been known to turn up for unannounced gigs in unexpected locations, including The Ramparts on the River Boyne.

It's that kind of spontaneity that seems to run through Love And Logic.

More Than Just A Ska Album

It would be easy to simply stick the ska label on IF and leave it there, but that wouldn't really do the album justice.

Yes, there is plenty of ska tones here, but Love And Logic takes a few unexpected turns along the way. Rich arrangements, brass harmonies, classic keys and alternative rock influences all add different colours to the band's sound.

Tracks such as Raindance immediately grab attention with its dreamy opening before settling into the band's distinctive groove, while Out Of Control sits comfortably in the ska territory.

But IF don't stay there for long.

Lady Hamilton and The Head To The Heart bring a more post-punk feel to proceedings, with echoes of the quirky, angular sounds associated with bands and artists such as Talking Heads or Ian Dury and The Blockheads.

It's this willingness to move between styles that makes Love And Logic an interesting listen.

From Ska To Sixties Pop

There is also a melodic pop side to IF's music.

I'm All Eyes has an uplifting, almost 60s-inspired feel, while Thanks A Million opens with beautiful horn arrangements before drifting along on a much more stripped-back pop arrangement.

Then there's Tonight, where clean guitar tones create a chilled-out atmosphere and give the album another change of pace.

For an eight-piece band, IF are remarkably comfortable knowing when to add more and when to pull things back.

IF Tackle Division On Rise From The Rubble

There is a more serious side to Love And Logic too.

Rise From The Rubble is written in solidarity with Palestine and features a poem by Sarah Abumarzouq from Gaza, recorded at the Meath Stands With Palestine march in Navan last September.

The album's themes extend beyond the song itself, with The Head To The Heart also exploring the struggle to find common ground in an increasingly divided society.

Rather than becoming overly heavy-handed, these moments sit naturally alongside the rest of the album, adding another layer to IF's songwriting.

A Few Left Turns Along The Way

IF aren't afraid to have a bit of fun with their arrangements either.

Turn And Face The Crowd sounds as though it could have been recorded around an upright piano in a packed pub, giving the track a wonderfully loose and communal feel. Then comes Just Take The Pill, which initially sounds like it might be heading somewhere completely different. Its slightly wonky-jazz arrangement eventually gives way to an upbeat ska groove.

It's moments like these that keep Love And Logic unpredictable.

Just when you think you've figured out where IF are going, they take another turn.

A Softer Ending

The biggest musical diversion comes right at the end of the album. I'm Ready reveals a much softer side to the band, with dual vocals sitting over a stripped-back acoustic arrangement and harmonica. After everything that has come before it, the track provides a fitting change of pace and shows that IF don't need a full eight-piece arrangement to make an impression.

It also leaves Love And Logic on a surprisingly intimate note.

The Band Called IF

With the release of Love And Logic, IF have also launched their new website, bandcalledif.ie, where fans can find their music, lyrics, videos and photographs.

The band's visual identity is equally distinctive. Drummer David Harry Quail's artwork features across the website, album artwork, posters and videos, including the new video for 'Raindance', which takes influence from Native American art and culture.

Musically, the album brings together the talents of Alun Minty Smyth's heartfelt songs and Jim Clarke's golden-toned vocals, alongside the brass harmonies of Eimear Gillen and Aoife Crowley.

Aisling Cullinan adds hypnotic Hammond and classic keys, Joy Booth provides distinctive harmonies, Paddy Smyth supplies deeply melodic basslines, and David Quail brings the hard-hitting beats.

Put all of that together and you've got a band that is difficult to categorise — and that's probably exactly how IF like it.

Final Verdict

Love And Logic is an energetic and adventurous second album from IF that refuses to be boxed into one particular genre. There is plenty here for ska and reggae fans, but the album reaches much further, bringing in jazz, soul, post-punk, alternative pop-rock and Sixties-inspired melodies along the way.

From the infectious grooves of Raindance and Out Of Control to the post-punk edges of Lady Hamilton, the reflective themes of Rise From The Rubble and the stripped-back finale of I'm Ready, this is an album with plenty of personality.

The album, Love And Logic, is available through all streaming platforms.