It’s clear from the outset that tonight’s gig @ Cabaret Voltaire with local Leith Academy teenager Oli Sabin, aka Unicorn Kid, (pictured),
is going to be a busy affair with a very young audience. But of course
we knew this, it’s an over 14’s show (we’ve just not been to one for a
while), and given the amount of interest in Unicorn Kid lately
it shouldn’t be of any surprise to find hordes of teenagers camped
outside eagerly awaiting the start of tonight’s show.
Now for the main attraction –
Unicorn Kid. – a super talented young lad from Leith his story is quite unbelievable.
Just 17 years old, barely finished school, got a record deal, live
session on BBC Radio 1, currently enjoying plenty of airplay across the
network and he’s rapidly garnering an unprecedented following across
the globe. He has merged the electronic 8-bit and ‘chiptune’ movements
to be at the forefront of his own take on the genres. As if this wasn’t
enough, incredibly, he has already remixed the new Pet Shop Boys
single, ‘Did You See Me Coming’ (which he did during his school
holidays) and is currently enjoying a headline UK tour with an
extensive US tour planned in the coming months. The deeper you delve
into his world the more intriguing and fantastic his story becomes. He
was also scouted out to pioneer new technology from Glasgow company
Popmorphic which enabled his single Lion Hat to become an interactive
music video game. So, he’s got his own computer game too? (Seriously,
click
HERE give it a shot).
So what does he sound like then, are the kids into it? The simple
answer is mad and yes they do. The kids that are packed in to Cabaret
Voltaire tonight love every second. There are limbs flailing about in
the air frantically for the duration of the set, Oli also doesn’t stop
bouncing and dancing for the entire set, only taking brief moments to
film the antics of the crowd and join in. On top of this, he’s trying
to paw his trademark fluffy Lion Hat from his eyes now and then. At
times Unicorn Kid sounds like a games console rave, with a definite
undercurrent of happy hardcore perhaps. It’s like the soundtrack to an
early version of Sonic The Hedgehog on the Sega megadrive. Either way,
we loved every note, it was completely fresh to us and wouldn’t be out
of place on a computer game soundtrack (he’s probably being asked as we
write this!). He may have started a craze with his hat too! We
witnessed several Unicorn Kid fans with their very own versions of his now trademark Lion Hat.
Given his recent accomplishments, it would be absurd to think he isn’t
going to be absolutely massive. When you add into the mix the fact that
his Myspace page is about to hit a million views I’m tempted to say
that Unicorn Kid is on the verge of going stratospheric by this time next year.
For us, the excitement and whispers of all the kids lining up to get a
photo with Oli and get signed CD’s at the end of the gig was the icing
on the cake. Despite all his success at such an early stage in his
career, Oli struck us as a pretty down to earth kid. He certainly works
extremely hard at his music and is every bit deserving of all the
praise being heaped upon him right now.
We recommend you go and experience Unicorn Kid at a venue near you as soon as possible!
Catch him live in Edinburgh’s Electric Circus on 5th July and as
part of The Edge Festival at Cabaret Voltaire on 15th August.
Most importantly have a listen and perhaps become the millionth visitor:
www.myspace.com/unicornkid