Wax Stag – Wax Stag (People in the Sky Records)
The multi-talented Rob Lee has recently dropped his first album as Wax Stag. It is an impressive debut of rich analog synths and old-skoool IDM beats reminiscent of Warp releases from the late 90’s. Lee also moonlight’s as Clark’s drummer for his live shows, and plays bass for the hip and much-hyped Friendly Fires.
But Wax Stag is all Lee’s—his sonic and bleepy love child, and it’s infectious as hell.
Part of the album’s charm is how it makes me think of Plaid and CiM and Solvent and early Autechre and Aphex as Polygon Window. It even reminds me of Metro Area at times . . . there’s a warmth in his heavily-layered synth lines that you just don’t hear any more unless you go back and rediscover the early Warp, Rephlex, and Skam releases that made you love electronic music in the first place. Plus, his music is a lot of fun. I hate being one of those head-bobbers on the streetcar in the mornings, but it’s hard to keep your head still when blasting this one in your Grado’s. A definite must-hear before the year is out.
Also, his remix of Bibio’s track “Sugarette” is a brilliant re-interpretation and a highlight on Bibio’s just released “The Apple and the Tooth”.
Listen, enjoy, repeat.
INAUDIBLE 