Introducing: Iklan
Ahead of The Eclectica Experiment, we meet with Law Holt to get the lowdown on the mysterious Iklan. As it turns out, you’ll have likely met the band’s members before.
Iklan are Law Holt, Timothy London and the Leith Congregational Choir – aka the Soho Sisters, aka twins Pauline and Jacqui Cuff. From 1989 to 1999, the Cuff sisters and London were in a band named Soho, purveyors of the early nineties hit single Hippychick. You’ve heard it – it’s the one that mixes the riff from The Smiths’ How Soon Is Now with that Soul II Soul beat. Anyway, more recently, London’s known as the producer behind Young Fathers’ debut album and the owner of Leith Walk’s Soulpunk studio.
You’ll recognise the Leith Congregational Choir from their performance with Young Fathers at last year’s sell-out shows during the Edinburgh International Festival, or from Only God Knows, the specially-written single for the T2: Trainspotting soundtrack. They joined Holt for her Restless Natives show with Ghostface Killah last year too, but she laughs: “I’ve done my time in Leith Congregational Choir as well, on the boys’ [Young Fathers] album! So Jacqui and Pauline are the choir… but when I’m around, I’m in it as well. When it’s not my song.”
Holt describes how, after Soho stopped making work in 1999, the sisters “just took a really big break from singing… but they’re getting back in to it, and they should do because they’re really great! I’m hoping they’re going to have a bit more confidence.”
So how does this four-piece work? “It’s more like… I’m kind of a ‘featured’ artist now,” Holt explains. “So: Tim is the music man, and I’m jumping on and doing different tunes. It’s more fragmented, and it’s definitely music to dance to. The gig’s going to be good.
“I’ve even got something *made* to wear,” she laughs, beaming. “Theresa Copeland makes clothes for me, and she used to make clothes for like, Siouxsie Sioux. She made clothes for Tim and Soho in the 80s too.”
And are we going to be hearing more from Iklan, after the party at the Caves? “Oh yes, I think so! We’ve got a whole album made, so I think we’ll stick to it for a while!”
Iklan play The Eclectica Experiment at The Caves, Edinburgh, 20 Apr. Tickets are £10 which includes five Black Bottle Whisky cocktails and further performances from Future Get Down, Meursault, Iona Lee, Daniel Piper and Faith Eliott. Get your tickets here.