Genre-bending Belgian artist Max Colombie aka OSCAR AND THE WOLF popped on our radar earlier this year with his single "Angel Face" with promises of a full-length project. Well, he didn't renege on his promise and now presents his new LP TASTE, a 12-track body of work that blends modern pop, EDM, and R&B. The high-concept project is set chronologically as it follows the gradual descent from euphoria to destruction with Colombie as the protagonist whose actions led him to a bottomless abyss.
From the bright and hopeful opener “Pretty Little Thing,” here Colombie basks in the euphoria of love and the excitement of being in an elevated emotional state. Over-pounding drums and rich guitar licks, he delivers a soothing, playful-like performance with falsetto runs reminiscent of a naive, helpless little girl but something sinister is brewing underneath. This leads to the loss felt in “My Rainbows,” we slowly see Colombie slip into his trepidations and fears. This feeling continues into "Spill My Liquor," a dark pop piece that further explores his inner pain. We then dive beneath the drug-induced highs of “Shell" where Colombie masks his emotions with vices and engages in a spine-chilling battle with his ego.
The lead single "Angel Face" sees Colombie pouring out his emotions with sultry vocals and soul-stirring melodic runs as he runs through the stages of heartbreak in a bar while wallowing in melancholy with the whole world passing by without any regard. The track is touching and relatable as we get a glimpse of Max's true vulnerability which comes across as genuine and candid. The future synthpop number “Somebody Without U” drops listeners in the mix of action as we steer through Colombie's muddled mind as he pines for true love and the pain of finding true companionship and emotional safety sans external substances. The final track "Oh Boy" is a confession and open letter of some sort with Colombie stripping away all the onions and baring his true form as he says he is done concealing the truth. Other notable tracks include the eerie "High Life," and the triumphant "Warrior" where Colombie reaffirms himself as a champion regardless of his flaws.
Overall TASTE is a rollercoaster of emotions, events, situations and the slow evolution of a man finding his true North in an unforgiving world.
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