Stinky Ocean Kelpie is a Celtronica act that combines the upbeat and in-your-face energy of donk with the intricacy and ancient power of celtic music. The project began when Kelpie noticed that donk music could be written out in 2/4- which was the same time signature as irish polkas. They dusted off their tin whistle and played the Kerry Polka along with a drum machine and bass synthesiser- and Kerry Polka Donks was born. The song was featured by District Music on their Instagram and the 2 Johnnies’ Podcast after it was posted to Tiktok. 

The costumes and balaclavas were by artist Base Wean, who designed Stinky Ocean Kelpie’s ‘Custody Grey Kilt’. Inspired by the Highland Great Kilt and the oppression suffered by Gaels in post-Jacobite Scotland, Base Wean cut-up used prison clothes and re-sewed them into a 10 meter long piece of fabric. During performances they wrap this fabric around Kelpie in the traditional style, poking fun at the kilt’s adoption by high society and reminding us of its revolutionary and working class roots.