Belatedly and apologetically, an important download announcement: get your browser over to ninjatunexx.com, where the MP3 giveaway of the week — in celebration of the Ninja Tune label’s 20th anniversary — is “Moon River,” as reconsidered by turntable expressionist Kid Koala (aka Eric San). The song is only available for about another eight hours, and (free) registration is required for access (which is why there’s no streaming version or direct link here).
Koala takes the original, as sung by Audrey Hepburn, and burnishes its antiquated affect — the glossy, gauzy dreaminess of Hollywood theme songs past — by using turntable effects to mimic the cavernous echo of early recording equipment. By emphasizing the fragility, the malleability, of the vinyl, he celebrates the illusions at the heart of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the movie that the song made famous (and vice versa). His is the lightest of touches, barely skimming the surface of the original, just reworking it at times, nudging it — less a remix than a massage.
Remember, only eight hours to go for this, the latest in Ninja’s weekly celebratory free giveaways. By breakfast (at least here in San Francisco), it’ll be gone. More information at kidkoala.com, including news of recording he’s done for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the film version of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series.