“I wanted this album to have an urban mood, the city as a kind of ghost character,” he says in all his earnest, artistic glory. “New York is the essence of it, I love this town.” Breathing in that smog-drenched, turbulent New York atmosphere helped shape and expand the project. “My music is really referential,” Wax admits. “I’m a music fan before a composer or a producer so I always listen to music.” Even in the early stages of building what would become In The Mood For Life, the astute beatmaker knew that he wanted to utilise organic production elements to create a warm, inviting sound. Following in the footsteps of the sound selectors before him, Wax isn’t bound by genre lines. Even so the underlying hip hop edge still seeps out. “Hip hop culture is my backbone. Even when I compose a very down-tempo or melancholic song for a female singer you can feel it.” The feel is an important part of his work, as he admits to enjoying solo work, while also collaborating with vocalists if it feels right. “[I] really need both. Sometimes you’re in the mood for an instrumental work and you just push the arrangement parts differently. Sometimes you begin a track [and] you feel like it’s evident that you want to hear a voice on it.”
Bringing his vision to life were like-minded artists such as British singer-songwriter Charlie Winston. After completing the beat for album cut I Own You, he found himself searching for a “kind of bluesy voice,” with Winston fitting the bill perfectly. He also linked up with fiery songbird Dionne Charles, whose soulful voice complemented the vibe he was on. Wax also has trusty stable of collaborators he can draw from, dating back to his first project. Among them are electro-folk singer Charlotte Savary and rapper Mr Mattic. “They’re part of my family and they’re touring with me,” he says with fondness. Clearly one of his personal favourites from the new album is a meeting between female rapper Voice and a folk singer from Oklahoma. “She’s one of the finest female MCs on earth and I wanted to try something else that’s why I proposed her to collab (sic) with Ali Harter, a folk female singer from Oklahoma.” Translating the tunes in a live setting has been equally rewarding, incorporating violin, flute, trombone, and other instruments. “It’s more like a band experience. I’ve been working on new arrangements and we’ve also made videos to create a real show.” Joking that he changes his mind “every two months,” Tailor believes in staying open to changes in technology. As much freedom as technology can provide, Wax still believes the most important thing is having creative ideas. “There are two kinds of music, not even the good and the bad, just the ones who touch your soul and the ones who try to touch the supposed ‘target,” he clarifies in his charming broken English.
The album title, as I told him, would suggest that he is emerging from a dark period with a new outlook. In The Mood For Life means “Ready to struggle,” according to the man himself. “It’s not just a stupid smiling attitude. I just feel that we live in a crazy world, liberalism is a selfish system, we’re all part of it, we’re not perfect but I’m fed up with negative attitude around me.” While the disenfranchisement he felt in his 20s hasn’t extinguished, his anger has become more articulated and productive. “I’m angry as ever, I wake up in the morning, I listen to the news and I feel concern,” Wax shares candidly. “Most of the people give up, think we’re too small, but I think it’s being lazy. I still believe we all can change something, that’s being In The Mood For Life.”
Another turning point, along with producing his most personal album to date, was his “incredible” touring schedule in 2010, which found Wax travelling across Europe, playing over 100 shows. Among the dates were spots at Glastonbury and the Montreaux Jazz festival. “It was a epic year,” he says understatedly. This year he tells us that he cut down on the road tripping, saving his energy for the studio. “2011 was more about [the] studio.” Even so he still found time to hit some spicy locales. “[The] India Tour was a real experience. We went to Nepal, then to Mexico. After I went back to Italy, now we got this Fall tour with around ten countries.” So basically not slowing down at all then. To Wax it feels like it “a century ago” when he first got wrapped up in the wild music game. While a lot has changed in his 20 years, he doesn’t believe in looking back too much. “I wouldn’t talk about the good old days because a lot of things are better now. It’s just a different period.”
