Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip

Thou shalt not steal if there is direct victim. . . Thou shalt not worship pop idols or follow lost prophets.

"Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Johnny Hartman, Desmond Decker, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barret in vain."

Observant, cutting and very, very funny dance music has a new social conscience. And it comes in the shape of two unlikely blokes from Essex, trading under the name Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip.

With Dan's beats and grooves, and Pip's spoken words, the pair provide thought provoking philosophies on life while splicing hip-hop, dance and indie. And they have been widely hailed as the new face of outsider pop'.

Take signature tune Thou Shalt Always Kill, which continues to turn heads and get people grinning. A manifesto for the jaded, the tune rips into everything they despise about the music industry, and beyond, while reminding us where our loyalties should lie.

"Thou shalt not read NME," they urge us, adding: "Thou shalt not stop liking a band just because they've become popular."

And: "Thou shalt not question Stephen Fry..."

Dan admits to the Guide that the pair do have strong views on what is right, wrong - and funny.

"We just do our thing, and kid about," he says.

"It's oddness, with danceable beats and a bearded man chatting at you. It might make you laugh, or it might make you cry!"

And, with new album Angles, that means singing about everything from going to clubs to pick up girls, to the genius of Tommy Cooper, who Dan claims "is a metaphor for beauty".

Since playing just about every festival last year - including Bestival, organised by their Sunday Best label chief, Rob da Bank - the pair have hardly stopped. And, on Monday, they come to Oxford, with a gig at the Carling Academy.

So what can we expect?

"It's close to comedic entertainment and is quite theatrical," Dan says.

"We have a lot of stage props, and a full living room set up, including hatstand and telly.

"People will walk in and think what?' but all their questions will be answered within the hour!"

Although he now lives down the road in Reading, Dan admits he and Pip are still true Essex boys.

"I'm probably the biggest wide boy," he admits.

" I'm the more arrogant and opinionated one, though I have mellowed with age. I was 'wider' ... but now I'm slimmer! Though I still enjoy a jellied eel.

"There's a great pie and mash shop I go to in Basildon, which does really good eels and liquor - and it's run by Alison Moyet's mum!"

Despite the messages inherent in the duo's work, they are careful not to appear hectoring.

"We are conscious about not wanting to push ourselves down people's throats," says Dan.

"Pip doesn't like discussing things he doesn't know about, but I can form an opinion on whatever I like!"

And nothing is beyond criticism.

As their anthem says: "Thou shalt not put musicians and recording artists on ridiculous pedestals no matter how great they are or were. Thou shalt think for yourselves!"

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip play the Carling Academy on Monday. Tickets are £10 in advance.

2:35pm Thursday 3rd April 2008

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