Stoloff & Hopkinson

Mr Stoloff meets Mr Hopkinson in 1996, when the former is invited by the latter to an interview at Bristol's infamous and influential Minto Studios. Best known for his engagingly humorous film and installation pieces Mr Hopkinson was secretly compiling complex soundscapes from gathered and found sounds. Despite the intensive, obsessive labour involved in the production of these meticulous percussive constructions the finished pieces exuded an attractive, fluid feel.

The Franco-American Mr Stoloff arrives in Bristol with a series of intuitive and effortlessly sophisticated melodic piano pieces. The approach of the two gentlemen is in sharp contrast - Hopkinson's careful and intricate manipulations verses notorious womaniser Stoloff's easy romantic flow. Their combined forces, however, produces a powerful weighty sound which strongly maintains an absorbing sense of mischief.

Initially the work comes together in what could be described as a true HipHop style, that is a fresh construction born out of a clash of the artists' existing pieces.Something like Satie vs Shadow on Vicks VapoRub.

Suddenly Stoloff's EmCee skills, complimented by casual single liners from Hopkinson, becomes an integral part of the Essenhaitch? sound.

Meanwhile, The Live S&H? Experience gives the public a chance to see their notorious customised keyboards, specially enhanced and enlarged for the audience's viewing pleasure. The show is presently augmented by scratch DeeJay Jem Noble and a guest vocal from Grim Evelyn.

However, the basis of S&H? dwells in the studio where blah blah blah give us loads of money and equipment or yous is all dead.