Product Description

Andrew Carthy is one of the zanier beatsmiths. He's an obsessive collector of audio esoterica and a cartoonist with a charmingly childlike line in scribble. As Mr. Scruff, he combines both sensibilities to people his musical world. KEEP ITUNREAL is so overstuffed with quirky beats and pieces that "Keep It Surreal" might have been more appropriate. Like labelmates Amon Tobin and Coldcut, Mr. Scruff plunders his vastrecord collection for funk, soul, exotica, and jazz sampleswith kleptomaniac glee.
Mr. Scruff comes up with some wild combinations on his excellent debut album. "Spandex Man" jumbles Canterbury keys and swamp boogie guitar. Rhumba organs and sharp programming mix it up on "Blackpool Roll". "Geta Move On" choreographs '20s swing to a '90s house beat. Carthy's familiar sea-life fixation surfaces on "Shanty Town" and "Fish", irresistible Plunderphonic skanks with narrativeaffectations. Beyond his unfaltering sense of humor, KEEP IT UNREAL reveals Carthy's impressive range and a well-tuned ear for arrangements. Crashing breaks buoy the easy-listening vibes of "Chipmunk". On the luscious "Honeydew", Fi's pop-soul vocals are cushioned in wah-wah and strings but chastened by crisp, cold hip-hop rhythms. The spare, dubby "Jusjus"provides an attractive backdrop for Roots Manuva's toast-like rap.

Track Listing

1. Is He Ready...
2. Spandexman
3. Get A Move On
4. Something Silly
5. Midnight Feast
6. Honey Dew
7. Cheeky
8. So Long
9. Chipmunks
10. Do You Hear
11. Shanty
12. Jus Jus - Mr. Scruff & Roots Manuva
13. Blackpool Roll
14. Travelogue
15. Fish

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2703 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-07
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
A product of post-Acid-House Manchester, Mr Scruff is a complete one-off; a cheeky innovator. His debut album is a bold statement, distinctive and confident. Keep It Unreal oscillates wildly between opposing styles--one moment Scruff's in deep, down-tempo dinner jazz territory, the next he's in Coldcut mode, chopping out superb big beat breaks with naughty hooklines to get you pogoing. At one extreme is the wacko humour of Spandex Man, bolshi Fatboy Slim breakbeat and a silly 1920s swing loop that'll make you grin. And then there's the even more ridiculous "Shanty Town", with samples of a Jacknory story about a whale. At the other end of the scale, is Scruff's accomplished acid jazz--like the serene, trip-hoppy "Midnight Feast" or the smoothie cocktail number "Honeydew", with it's loungey female vocals. This man is out there, the Salvador Dali of beats and breaks. --Sarah Champion

Mixmag, June 99
One of the year’s most desirable albums. Keep It Unreal is stuffed with party crackers

DJ, June 99
Its recently been scientifically proven that its impossible not to enjoy his music

Customer Reviews

Keeping It Very Real Indeed
Mr Scruff (known as Andy Carthy to his mum) is a multi talented DJ producer who is very difficult to pigeon hole (good the way I like it) - his productions on Keep It Unreal are dreamy and very funky, with crazy samples from children's TV of the 50s and 60s.

The finest moment on here for me is Midnight Feast with it's delightful xylophone and jazzy feel, this is a good one for when you want to drift to sleep, and could probably be fun if you're a DJ cutting between tracks - or for scratchin'. Another favourite of mine is Get A Move On, with the sample of an old country record - it's bluesy yet jazz based melody is just fun and can get anyone dancing like a loon.

Altogether this is an excellent album to chill out to late night, to enjoy before bedtime and just to get in the mood to sleep, Scruff's usage of samples and melodies is just amazing and makes his work so enjoyable. This, to me is his finest work, but his other albums are well worth listening to.

uplifting
If you can listen to this album without smiling, you have no soul. My favourite tracks are Get A Move On, Midnight Feast, Honeydew, and Fish, but they're all great :-)

Amazing
This is the work of a pure genius, Mr.scruff combines jazz beatz and electronica to create a wrok of art, unbeliveable, not only is this music a easy listen it also has great style and pulls out the happyness in all of us with such great songs as spandex man and shanty town thankyou Mr. scruff.