Mr. Scruff - Mr. Scruff

While Mr. Scruff’s eponymous debut may be a little rough around the edges, the personality comes through bright and clear. The cheeky samples, coupled with funky hip-hop rhythms and playful instrumentation, make for pure listening pleasure. Though the loops are simple and lack his later sophistication (like on “Tubby Mechanical Friend”), an undoubted sense of fun emerges. “Chicken in a Box” is a perfect example, starting off with a wicked flute, then swinging into a string and beats workout. “Night Time” goes for some jazzy breaks, the soundtrack to your evening’s pleasures (or, conversely, you could try “Jazz Potato”). The flying arms and legs of “Limbic Funk” make for a strangely sexy time. The album shows its age but is only the more groundbreaking for it.

This is the first CD from Mr. Scruff, and definitely an early work. While the style is undoubtedly Mr. Scruff, it's very simple. Funky drum loops, jazzy pianos, odd vocal snippets, and healthy doses of humor make for a grand outting, but his later works are more advanced.

This is also the beginning of his trend of a final "story" track, clipping vocals from various sources to make a tale about ocean creatures.