Down With the Scene by Kid 606 (Review)
A barrage of digital white noise heralds the beginning of Down With the Scene, perhaps so titled because of its myriad of pastiches on various genres. While the, er, “unorthodox” time signatures of “Chart Topping Radio Hit” won’t garner much in the way of mainstream airplay (and the fact it’s fifteen seconds long), you feel some radio station, somewhere, really ought to be playing Kid 606.
His vicious sideswipes at Luke Vibert (“Luke Vibert Can Kiss My Indie-Punk Whiteboy Ass”: “I’m black y’all/I’m black y’all/I’m blacker than black/And I’m black y’all”), Atari Teenage Riot (“Kidrush”: “This is a digital highjack/Our Demands, Free Kevin Mitnick now!” — accompanied by furious electronic breakbeat) and Beck/Prince (“Secrets 4 Sale” sounds effortlessly like the electro pop that Mr. Hansen peddles these days) are all brilliant.
Mocking others’ aside, The 21-year-old Kid turns in some pretty fine Autechre/Aphex Twin-style glitch techno. While not obviously mimicking other artists, tracks like “Juvenile Hall Rollcall” and “For When Yr Just Happy To Be Alive” deserve the attention of any electronica fan. Be warned though, any open mind would be tested by the warped “Two Fingers in the Air Anarchy Style,” which sounds more like a demonstration of his computer software.
Despite its beginnings as a medium for Kid 606 to use his wicked humour, the album actually gets rather excellent in the second half (after track 10 especially), and a little programming on your CD player can give you one of the finest electronica albums of the year. The last official track — 16 — is wonderful, the sound of his laptop in its death throes. A gentle synth chord sequence is drowned beneath layers of virus-riddled drum loops and noisy clicks and hisses.
The absurd drum and bass of the bonus track — featuring meowing cat — should be held back for special occasions, like pulling up to Limp Bizkit fans at traffic lights, or when your neighbours start playing Ricky Martin. It’s that good. As is the the whole record generally, providing you possess a twisted sense of humour and a strong stomach.
Written by Andrew Collier.