Wax Tailor: Tales of Forgotten Melodies (2006)

::: So I haven't written a post in a while now, but lately I've been enjoying a lot of instrumental hip hop. One of my favorite artists from the last couple years is a French hip hop producer named Wax Tailor. He has been around since the early 1990s, but I hadn't heard of him until I came across his album Tales of Forgotten Melodies. What makes this release great is the variety of sound that Wax Tailor combines, everything from hip hop to jazz to soul and all in between. These elements are held together by samples and beats that make you feel like you are in an old 1950s movie. Some have descibed his music as "cinematic hip hop" because he incorporates melodies and vocal samples from films of the past. Though the concept is not new, Wax Tailor does a great job of setting the mood of the album, switching between styles much like a movie changes its scenery, direction, and emotional emphasis. Basically it is just some entertaining instrumental music with dope drum beats, unique samples, and a couple guest rappers and singers. Definitely recommended, along with his newer album Hope & Sorrow.

Tracklist

edIT: Crying Over Pros For No Reason (2004)

::: In one of my previous posts, for Tipper's album, I mentioned that the only person on his level as far as mashing tracks was an artist by the name of edIT. However, to clarify, I'd have to say that edIT is THE master of the mash-up/glitch-hop genre. Alot of the music that he releases is upbeat and chaotic, leaning toward "get the f**k up" party music. I really enjoy the high energy releases, but personally I prefer his 2004 album entitled Crying Over Pros For No Reason. In fact, it is definitely one of the best glitch based albums ever, yes ever, and is probably my favorite within that genre. Crying Over Pros For No Reason is different than his newer releases and mixes in that it is primarily downtempo and melodic. The entire album is heavily influenced by electronica and synthesized instrumentation, but you can sense the underlying hip hop mechanism that drives the sound. Each track is unique, with some sounding ambient and others more dark and foreboding. Amid these canorous harmonies are interspersed blips, glitches, and unique cadences that do not distract the listener, but enhance the auditory experience. edIT is a master at combining these elements, to the extent that the music has such fluidity that it almost feels liquidous. As each new sound is forced upon the listener like an explosion, it quickly fades away as if sucked back into the aqueous sonance. edIT manages to take the erratic, unpredictable nature of glitch infused music and turn it into something both alluring and progressive. If you haven't heard this album, or edIT in general, do yourself a favor and get Crying Over Pros For No Reason. It is truly one of my favorite albums.

1 Ashtray (4:15)
2 Ants (4:03)
3 Laundry (5:45)
4 Situps Pullups (5:16)
5 Dex (4:28)
6 Twenty Minutes (4:42)
7 Screening Phone Calls (2:48)
8 Mop Head (3:23)
9 Ltlp (3:15)
10 Mildew (1:03)

Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By (2001)

::: Just by looking at the title, I'm sure you can guess the overall theme of the album. Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is produced by the infamous Dan the Automator, under the guise of "Nathaniel Merriweather" with Kid Koala on turntables. The beats sound like typical Dan the Automator (downtempo, lo-fi hip hop), but are crafted to suit the sensual and dirty vocals of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Peeping Tom) and Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields). Together they form Lovage, one of my favorite one-album collaborations of all-time. Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By is hard to classify, in that it takes elements from cheesy r&b, hip hop, and lounge music (among other genres). For the most part the album is tongue-in-cheek, but it doesn't come across as a comedy album. I'd say it's part poking fun at lounge music and r&b, and part paying homage to them. Mike Patton's singing is hilarious at times, as he is a bit overly dramatic and cliche, but it fits with the musical style of the album perfectly. Jennifer Charles has probably the sexiest voice I've ever heard. She reminds me of an old-school lounge singer, but more sultry and seductive. Both Mike Patton and Jennifer Charles go a little over the top in their renditions of the genres but it all fits well with the beats of Automator and Kid Koala. So if you like any of the artists involved I'd definitely suggest you check this out. Though it has a sarcastic feel to it, I still think it's a great album. And next time the mood is right, remember the title...

1. Ladies Love Chest Rockwell
2. Pit Stop (Take Me Home)
3. Anger Management
4. Everyone Has A Summer
5. To Catch A Thief
6. Lies And Alibis
7. Herbs, Good Hygiene & Socks
8. Book Of The Month
9. Lifeboat
10. Strangers On A Train
11. Lovage (Love That Lovage, Baby)
12. Sex (I'm A)
13. Koala's Lament
14. Tea Time With Maseo
15. Stroker Ace
16. Archie & Veronica

Leaf: Made Into Itself (2005)

::: I came across this album working for KJHK 90.7 in Lawrence, when I was doing the HipHopHyp show. I am a huge fan of instrumental hip hop, and at the time I was constantly searching for new artists to play for my show. I stumbled upon Leaf and decided to check it out. To this day I am amazed that Leaf has managed to fly under the radar in the instrumental scene. Made Into Itself is a downbeat masterpiece in my opinion, where Leaf utilizes unique samples from all genres and some of the dopest drum beats i've heard in a while. This album has a dark overall vibe, but Leaf manages to not make the album feel too dismal or depressing. I guess I would compare their style to DJ Krush (i.e. Jaku, The Message at the Depth) or some of the more recent Anticon releases (Odd Nosdam, Jel, DJ Mayonnaise). Leaf tends to use samples from instruments of other cultures and countries, in addition to the more distorted synth sounds characteristic of some Anticon releases. Perhaps my favorite part about Made Into Itself is the incorporation of spoken word that is both deep and insightful. Leaf doesn't chime in with these words of wisdom too often, but when they do it always makes me stop and pay a little bit more attention to the music. I recommend this to fans of instrumental hip hop, or just anyone who can appreciate good quality music. With this combination of great samples with thumping bass lines and drumbeats, it's hard to go wrong.

Here's a quote from "Lounge Dealers"

Intent of those will not be shown to you. Television has made the planet a global village. Others' trials and tribulations have become my concern and abandon in the same breath. Everyone has their own god, their own carbon-copy religion. You wave a banner that reads "praise the one true god," but standing behind you in the commotion I think you want me to worship a dog. And now I hate you and your views for no apparent reason. All religions are based on factual intent, but we don't know how to apply the religious ideas to contemporary life. Every faction has myths, all myths teach you to go inwards. I watch Star Wars like my mother reads to New Testament. It is the new myth. Faust gives us Mephistopheles, Lucas gives us Lord Vader. He is the embodiment of man struggling with machine. The symbiotic relationship made of constricting circuitry and empowering anonymity. Machines help us fulfill our image of what the Earth is, and what we want it to be. But if the marionette is heavy enough, unexpected movement will carry the puppet-master's hand against his will. Progress without permission. The eternal absolute struggle surfaces. It is said that Eisenhower went into a room full of the first supercomputers, and put a question to the machines. Is there a god? They all start processing, lights flash, magnetic wheels turn... and after a while a voice says... "now there is."

I had to listen to the track and type that as I heard it so... you're welcome.

Shpongle: Tales of the Inexpressible (2001)

::: I first heard this album about 4 years ago when I was living in Lawrence, KS. At the time I primarily only listened to hip-hop, and didn't really have any interest in electronic music. A friend of mine who was really big into electronica told me about Shpongle, and since that day I have been a huge fan. Shpongle is a duo of talented musicians, Simon Posford and Raja Ram, who teamed up to create some of the most amazing cross-cultural psychedelic music I have ever heard. On Tales of the Inexpressible, Shpongle incorporates all different types of music from around the world and fuses them in to a cohesive whole. At times it leans toward psy-dub or more downtempo influences, and others it is almost an upbeat dance party. However, the main vibe you get from the album is that it intends to facilitate a personal psychedelic experience (be it a "natural high" or chemically induced). One track in particular, "A New Way to Say 'Hooray!' begins with a vocal sample of the legendary psychedelic guru Terence McKenna. He references his experiences with hallucinogens, affirming that they break down mental barriers and give one's consciousness a "new way to say hooray." All of the tracks flow nicely from one to the next, and none of them seem overly similar or repetitive. I recommend this to anyone who has an open mind when it comes to music from other parts of the world, and enjoys psychedelic-influenced vibes. Sadly, Shpongle released their final album in 2005 entitled Nothing Lasts... But Nothing is Lost (another reference to the late Terence McKenna). I suggest you get that album as well, but Tales of the Inexpressible is my personal favorite.

My Favorites:

Star Shpongled Banner :: An example of the more downtempo style tracks on the album, "Star Shpongled Banner" starts off with a distorted and unintelligible sample of someone talking, and fades into a heavy bassline and melodic vocals. The beat is highly dub influenced, and is accompanied by small piano parts and the beautiful flute playing of Raja Ram. Most of the tracks on the album feature Raja Ram, who adds effects to his instrument to enhance to overall style. As the song builds, more electronic/synth instruments are added, and by the end the tempo has sped up to a more upbeat pace. What started as a psy-dub track ends as an upbeat almost psy-trance anthem accompanied by chanting group vocals. Highly recommended.

A New Way to Say 'Hooray!' :: I mentioned this track above, and it is another personal favorite. It is difficult to try to explain what's going on in a Shpongle song because so much is happening, and I can't always tell what all instruments or sounds are being used. As with most of their other tracks, A New Way to Say 'Hooray!' incorporates a dub-style bassline with dramatic chanting vocals and other synthesized melodies. What makes this song a little different are the various samples from Terence McKenna, which are all about psychedelics (and are fittingly distorted with effects). Makes you feel like your mind is expanding, even if you aren't tripping...