Hearing a turntablist cut up obscure records and display how fast he can "crab" doesn't always make for the most accessible listening experience. But Montreal-based Kid Koala both challenges and pleases with wildly eclectic sonic collages that are largely musical. At times, Koala (born Eric San) does veer into avant-garde territory. For instance, deft freestyle scratching and cosmic blips distort an old New Orleans stride piano piece. But then there's his lighter side. "Is everybody shaking their booty?" asks a corny white dude over old-school funk. On another number, Hawaiian steel guitar and lush strings underscore a woman blabbering about a tape recorder she once cherished — a vicious bass line silences her. Equal parts abstract sound painter and party-starter, Koala continually surprises listeners with brilliant manipulations of everyday noises — pop music, silent film soundtracks, sneezes, instructional tapes — while injecting his sonic presentation with a sense of humor and fun.
Kid Koala w/DJ Jester The Filipino Fist/Blac Soap/Kush Wonder/eFFeX/Positive Response/DJ Mega/Business Casual, 9 p.m. Thurs., May 8, Crowbar, Ybor City, $10/$12.
This article appears in May 7-13, 2008.