Wax Poetic sounds like the intersection of a gritty New York jazz club and a high-end European lounge. It is music built on the 'heavy groove' of drum and bass but softened by the organic warmth of İlhan Erşahin's tenor saxophone and a rotating cast of soulful vocalists. The textures are often murky and nocturnal, evoking the feeling of a city that never sleeps but occasionally pauses to catch its breath.
What makes them distinctive is their collaborative, nomadic spirit. Rather than sticking to a single studio sound, they treat their albums like travelogues, absorbing the specific harmonic colors of cities like Istanbul, Brasilia, and Copenhagen. This global perspective is grounded by a consistent rhythmic foundation that feels both improvised and meticulously programmed, bridging the gap between live instrumentation and electronic precision.
Start with the 'Nublu Sessions' or 'Angels' to hear the band at their most iconic, featuring early vocal contributions from Norah Jones. These tracks perfectly capture the project's ability to turn a simple trip-hop beat into a sophisticated, multi-layered narrative that feels as much like a film score as it does a club track.
Wax Poetic is a New York-based trip hop band. The band came together in 1997 founded by Turkish musician Ilhan Erşahin, who is still a current member, playing tenor saxophone and keys. The group originated at the now defunct club Save the Robots, and consisted of a group of musicians jamming together. The band's music is noted for its "heavy groove of drum and bass, blended with quick dance elements." The band signed to Atlantic Records in the late '90s and released their debut self-titled album in June 2000. Pop singer and pianist Norah Jones was a member before her break-out album Come Away with Me. Other former members include Lisa Rudolph who co-wrote four songs with Ilhan Ersahin on the first album titled three, N'Dea Davenport and Saul Williams. Jones can still be heard singing with them on two tracks of their 2003 release, Nublu Sessions. Copenhagen was released on November 7, 2006. Part of a three part series, this CD is followed up with Istanbul and Brasil. The band's latest album, On a Ride, was released in 2012. Besides Ilhan Erşahin, the current members include Sissy Clemens (vocals), Gabriel Gordon (vocals), Kenny Wollesen (drums), Tina Kristina (bass) and Zeke Zima (guitar). Ilhan, Thor, and Jochen combined with Erik Truffaz and Matt Penman to create the band Our Theory.
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative (moods)
Shares nu jazz, downtempo, trip-hop (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); urban night, late night, dive bar (atmosphere)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); sample based, analog warmth, live recording (production style)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, nu jazz (subgenres); mysterious, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares nu jazz, drum and bass, trip-hop, saxophone (signature)
Shares nu jazz, drum and bass, trip-hop, saxophone (signature)
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