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So who's your mum's favourite DJ? Maybe someone who
can make her laugh, or someone who forms a connection
with the listener. Definitely someone who plays a
decent tune or two. The multi-talented Eric San
fulfils all that criteria, and behaves impeccably
despite hints of schoolboy humour, but there's just a
small stumbling block - he's a scratch DJ, and the
chances are your mum's not too well versed on the art
of scratching!
And yet Eric San's creation manages not to draw too
much attention to his efforts on the turntable, by
making surprisingly emotive connections between the
multitude of samples and beats he uses.
San's semi-autobiographical album is his third as
Kid Koala, a personal approach that ends up with two
tracks lasting just over half an hour between them.
And before you cry robbery, there's so much going on
musically in that period that by the end there's no
complaints.
Interestingly,Kid Koala has gone back to the reel
to reel approach of ten years ago, hence the two
'sides' of music that make up the record, left and
right apiece. It's an original approach, and means
each section is recorded live, with little to no
post-production required. Generously, San recorded the
album without an advance from Ninja, indicating the
base of trust and mutual admiration that exists
between artist and label - surely a rarity these
days.
As the play between soundbites and hip hop rhythms
unfold, San intersperses them with amusing vocal
samples - affectionate and often funny, such as the
complaint that DJs shouldn't be playing after the
10.15pm curfew. Riffs abound - hints of 12 bar
blues, jaunty guitar lines and unexpected bursts of
old time jazz music, all shot through with a scratch
or two that's never intrusive, sympathetically
done.
Several themes run throughout this aural movie,
drawing reference to some of San's forthcoming
characters, no doubt evident in the live show. Firstly
the hints of a clarinet-playing mosquito, then the
musical puppet show, then three tests from a new group
Slew, no doubt featuring lovingly drawn
characters.
The sheer concentration of motifs, scratching and
melody can be overwhelming at first, but with more
listens everything falls into place and the two
strands hang together well. Lovers of experimental hip
hop will love it, and those already familiar with the
mischievous Canadian will know not to hesitate.
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