Kid Koala

Eric San, known professionally as Kid Koala, transcends the traditional role of a DJ. While many focus on crowd energy and beat drops, San crafts intricate narratives, develops characters, and builds compelling storylines through his music. He describes his creative process as akin to storytelling, whether he's using a pencil or manipulating vinyl. "I try and make little stories. Whether it’s with a pencil or with bits of records, it’s really the same thing," he explains.

A prime example of his unique approach is Nufonia Must Fall. This project, which combines a comic book, a CD soundtrack, and a mini chess set, tells the story of a robot attempting to win over a love interest. San draws inspiration from his childhood, where 7-inch records often came with accompanying books and illustrations. "When I was a kid, all my 7-inchers had books and pictures to go with them. So I thought it’d be fun to keep that tradition going," he muses. He believes that an appreciation for visual humor translates directly to understanding his audio compositions: "If you can understand the humour in the drawing part you’ll probably get the humour in the audio part."