While Davye Hawk's otherworldly and anachronistic electronic compositions seemingly hide behind such utilitarian monikers as Weird Tapes,
Memory Tapes, and
Memory Cassette, the onetime frontman for Philly indie rockers
Hail Social claims to be anything but willfully anonymous. When Hawk was still a teen, his compositions caught the ear of Scottish ethereal pop band
the Cocteau Twins, and while a planned recording session never emerged, he remained heavily influenced by the iconic band's sounds. After opening for the likes of
Interpol as a member of Polyvinyl Records'
Hail Social, he turned his mind to solo recordings. Hawk's enigmatic self-released creations, buoyed by his high-pitched wail, at once lonely and lush, and independent remixes of the likes of
the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and
Peter Bjorn and John made him a favorite of the underground blog scene. His 2009 release, Seek Magic, under the
Memory Tapes name, earned a Best New Music nod from the tastemakers at Pitchfork Media.