Unicorn Kid

Born in Leith, Scotland, Oliver Sabin gained substantial online traction before turning seventeen as the high-energy creator of 8-bit house music recording under the name Unicorn Kid. His first release arrived in 2008 with the Lion Hat EP, packaged alongside playful images that showed him sporting a stuffed lion headpiece. What began as a simple promotional device soon defined his entire visual identity, leading him to commission a thousand similar hats from China for sale at his merchandise booth.

The next year brought both his first full-length album, Wee Monsters, and a remix of a Pet Shop Boys single that earned him placement on Ministry of Sound while he finished his final year of high school. Once a 12-inch was completed, worries about being viewed as a novelty act prompted Sabin to drop the hat and part ways with the label. He dyed his hair peach and shaved a yin-yang motif into the back of his head to mark a fresh start.

On the follow-up EP Tidal Rave he altered his sound as well, bringing in upbeat vocalists to front his tropical spin on chiptune material. The collection appeared as a free download in 2011.