Search - Blake Leyh :: X-Ray Yankee Zulu Tango

Ambient Electro-Tango Funk Dub is heard on the new solo record from Composer / Music Supervisor / Sound Designer Blake Leyh, most recently known for his work on all five seasons of HBO's renowned series The Wire. The album features violin work by Andre Burke, who also played on The Fall, Leyh's acclaimed end-credit theme for The Wire. Featuring a wide range of moods and styles from down-tempo tango to upbeat swampy funk, a Spanish-language torch song, hypnotic African vocal loops, and reflective ambient guitars, the single most distinctive feature of the album must be the extraordinarily soulful violin playing of Leyh's long-time collaborator Andre Burke. Leyh takes inspiration from a wide range of artists including Lee Perry, Jon Hassell, Alberto Iglesias, Astor Piazzola and Nat King Cole. Leyh's distinctive vocal style is heard on Gracias Por La Noche, which one listener described as Nick Cave/Tom Waits meets Barry Adamson while overseen by the ghost of Carlos Gardel. After recording over a period of six years, Leyh was prompted to finish and release the record after violinist Andre Burke passed away from HIV-related illness in June 2007.