Wax Doctor - Selected Works (R&S)

Who is the Wax Doctor? I wish I knew. I do know that this album is straight-and-to-the-point atmospheric funk, with a european air and all the 'sensibilities' of easy listening. Track one is instantly reminiscent of Curdoruy (but with a more programmed dancefloor direction). Pounding beats intro'd and outro'd with a shrill, dusky trumpet and jazz samples. Elsewhere, All I Need has some much needed vocal input, albeit threaded through as atmosphere into a track that takes a worrying five minutes to actually get off the ground. Others dont have this problem - thrree tracks in and the srum & bass betas are introduced to softcore effect. Imagine how an instrumental drum & bass De La Soul track might sound and you're half-way near 'Step'. 'Spectrum', on the other hand, keeps the beats uptempo, but has a much realer feel. With 'Heat', the signature atmospheric funk returns. Offshore Drift - the album's closer - combines all of the Wa Doctor's best moods and ideas into one velvet smooth piece of jazz jungle. 7/10


This review also published in: DJ magazine