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> Login to your account > RegisterKai Motta
From page 79 of Classic Rock Magazine July 2001
Cover of July 2001 issue.
'Picture That'
(Some Bizarre SBZ038CD)
London DJ Kai Motta was forced to sell his huge hip-hip record collection to cover his council tax. Reverting to his dad's Grateful Dead albums, he set about learning guitar and honing a hippy-hop song writing style.
'Picture That', his debut release, showcases his preachy and eclectic mix of rap and folk. With Charles Bukowski and George Orwell cited as influences, Motta's lyrics pretend to social commentary (the overambitious title track even charts Mankind's evolution since the dawn of time).
Vocally his style is old-skool, but his Standard English monotone rasp has neither the Creole cadences of indigenous rap nor the sheer Nuconviction of a Fred Durst. At best he sounds like Moby, at worst like the front man from the Stereo MCs.
The blend of rap and trad elements works best when Kai Motta touches the brakes the harmonicaled 'Hot As A Pistol' is easily the strongest tune. But while the decidedly average guitar playing and thin, scratchy production make this more of demo than an album proper, there's no denying the elusive promise here, the kind of promise which merits more attention, and a bigger budget.
Grant Moon *****
