Wax Tailor – Tales of the Forgotten Melodies
Decon Records
Wax Tailor is a veteran of the French music scene, having made a name for himself with the group, La Formule, as a rapper, producer, and composer. His self released debut, released in 2002, went on to become a classic. WT returns this year with Tales of the Forgotten Melodies, a darkly melancholy collection of sound compositions, vocal snippets, and soundtrack arrangements.
A canvas coated liberally in grays and blues, Tales works to inspire more than deflate. The lone exception, the reprise “Damn That Music Made My Day,” a mash up of old school memories that would make any hip hop aficionado smile, is painted with slightly brighter colors. This “intro” leads winningly into the cut “Where My Heart Is” featuring The Others, a drum heavy ditty that expounds on the love that is felt from around the world for hip hop music, even as old school jazz feelings are played out in the background. The Others return for another vocal romp on the western-themed “Walk The Line.” “Que Sera” and “Ungodly Fruit” serve to pay homage to both WT’s musical idols (Doris Day, Nina Simone, and Bjork), as well as his movie inspirations, including Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen and Alfred Hitchcock.
Brimming with instrumentation, vocal snippets, string arrangements, and a single man’s vision, it’s not hard to see why WT’s music has been described as a mutant child growing somewhere between DJ Shadow, RJ D2 and Portishead; a musical movement on the cusp of Hip Hip and downtempo. However, this mood music deserves to stand on its own, and does, acting as a collection of moments unique to the listener. Even when Charlotte Savory, of the French Band Clover, takes on lead vocals for “Our Dance,” surrounded by strange samples and wasping cellos, it is not her, but your own inner voice that you hear talking.
Looking for an alternative to the norm, something you can listen to when driving to work or coming down after a night at the clubs, or even on a summer filled Saturday afternoon? Then this is the antidote you’ve been seeking. Fans of the aforementioned Shadow, RJ, and other musical landscape artists will find this a welcomed addition to their collections.
