A crackly old-timey BBC announcer type wistfully says ‘Like old times’ in the introduction to “People Watching”, a song harking back to the humid days of UK Funky. Mike Skinner and singer Rob Harvey, together as The D.O.T, have prepared a pitcher of Guinness punch and sat down with this smoking area gyrator, an ode to trying to catch the eye of a fragrant passer by. Skinner’s production is on form, hints of quirky edge in amongst a demanding, thudding Funky beat, and Harvey’s high pitched curb side chat-up vocals provide a kind of helplessness to it. Why won’t she smile back? Is it my trainers? Should have bleached my laces last night, fuck’s sake.

“People Watching” is out September 1 on Mike Skinner’s new label.