Kid 606 originally from Venezuela (now in San Francisco), is a self-described “electronic madman who slices through genres like a rusty knife”. His sound is highly electronic and experimental —with an element of ear-splitting noise veering through his own renditions of jungle, hardcore, house, soul, funk , punk, electro, ambient, IDM and everything-else-but-the-kitchen-sink. By this non—embracement of any particular approach he maintains an iconoclastic musical aesthetic that never totally subscribes to bleeding edgers or established sonic trends, provoking intense and often polarized reactions from the listening audiences.

It was as a young teen growing up in Southern California that the Kid (Miguel Depedro) first became interested in electronic music. Many records later, he rejects the notion that there might be a definitive Kid606 style, instead describing his approach in more personal terms “Musically? As long as it’s got attitude, I’m not specific as to what the music sounds like—I just want it to sound like ME.”

Down With the Scene (on Mike Patton’s Ipecac label) is certainly not an easy listen, by any means. With titles like Punkshit, Hardcore, It’ll Take Millions in Plastic Surgery to Make Myself Black, and Luke Vibert Can Kiss My Indie-Punk Whiteboy Ass, this recording loudly proclaims his something-better-change intent. By giving him the benefit of the doubt, though, one can hear his music as the omnivorous, insatiable frenzy of a restless musical spirit on the prowl.