| Canadian trip-hop? Not quite. Born in Vancouver, wizened in Montreal, scratch specialist Kid Koala is more a throwback to the heydey of djing than a trip-hop artist. If there were an award for the world's best turntable scratcher, Kid Koala would certainly be a prime candidate. But more than just cuts, Koala (a.k.a. Eric San) makes music with his scratches. He weaves a goofy trumpet solo in the Xen Cuts version of Drunk Trumpet, lays down a humourously expressive scratch solo in A Night at the Nufonia, and cuts from start to finish in Nerdball. His choice of samples is often hilarious, and to hear him cut them makes his music that much more enjoyable. |
