In recent years, Kid Kenobi has swiftly become a major player in the DJ world. From gigs the world over, to becoming an almost has-to-be-on-the-bill name for several major summer festivals here in Australia, Kenobi has managed find himself placed in a position of authority and respect amongst the nations break beat aficionados. His energetic and pervasive sets, often alongside his enigmatic partner in crime MC ShureShock, have reached almost legendary heights, and there are very few other names that have become so synonymous with Australian break beat than his own.
As sure as the summer festivals end however, there comes a time when every DJ looks towards the world of production in order to put forth their own version of a broken reality.
“The main highlight of last year,” Kenobi says, in rapid fire, “was getting more into my production routine than I had in previous years, and getting some serious work in rather than just some sporadic remixes. I had my first original single out which was great, and that’s done really well. The track I did with Hook and Sling called The Bump, has done really well here – the Tonight Only mix has done especially well over seas. People like Pete Tong have been playing it on the radio and producers like Milo have been playing it as well. It’s about to get released properly and they want to do another couple of things.”
Yet this news seems to be only the beginning of what may come, with a focus on placing production at the front of the line this year in his war on our senses. However, his yearn to move into such a creative, and at times mine-strewn realm, has in the past been hampered by reality constraints. “Well, it’s a time thing at the moment, because with all the gigs, a lot of my time gets taken up either preparing for them or travelling,” Kenobi laments. “When it comes to studio stuff you really need to be in the studio four days a week with solid hours to get the tunes finished.”
Dominated by such constraints, Kenobi decided to take the route of collaboration. This tried and tested route by many DJs moving towards the production realm also holds an element of virtual mentorship. “For the moment I thought there’s no point in me waiting around until I’m ready to do it on my own and let all these ideas come and fade away and never going to fruition.”
“I guess with working with other people you get to finish your ideas a lot quicker. I’m all up for working with other people. It’s been really great; you get to learn a lot.”
Kenobi’s recent release with Ministry of Sound, the Clubbers Guide to 2007, is not only an extension of his influences, but is also a definition of style as seen through his eyes – wherein he has been able to take all of his influences of the current reflections of style and place them neatly inside a container of his liking.
“I’m really happy with it,” he cites, genuinely enthusiastic of the end-product. “It’s a bit of a change for me stylistically. My intention was to represent some fresh sounds by some new artists and some of the new stuff that’s been coming out in 2007 that I’ve been incorporating into my sets. There’s a lot of 4/4 but it’s not straight up House. It’s all very vocal based and bass-liney – its breaks with a bit of a straight kick in it. I just tried to do something a bit different; it’s more of an experiment than anything else.”
