Zach Tabori is a multi-instrumentalist whose creativity, drive and love of performing and writing music has been a huge part of his life since youth. The musician, producer, film composer and songwriter grew up in Los Angeles and spent his teenage years doing odd jobs in the industry for producers, songwriters and composers, all the while teaching himself how to record, mix, arrange, and play a myriad of instruments.
On October 29th, Tabori is set to release a new EP, Pandemic Ballads, on his own label Flesh Fury. Recorded predominately at his home, the Los Angeles native reveals that many tracks were taped specifically in the bathroom. “We realized early on that putting a guitar amplifier, or an acoustic guitar, or even a vocal in a bathroom gave it a very live and unique sound. Capturing a ‘live’ feeling was crucial for this particular project because I wasn’t able to actually record with the full band due to COVID concerns and quarantining,” Tabori notes. As a result, it took over a month to get the recording and mixing just right, resulting in an EP that incorporates rock, funk, jazz and even cabaret into the succinct, innovative release.
“The mood of a pandemic aligns with the mood of this EP,” Tabori furthers. “A lot of my songs deal with existential crisis of some sort and a feeling of isolation after being overwhelmed by life experiences and various emotions. These lyrical qualities seem to fit with the qualities of life during COVID. Everybody feels isolated.”
Tabori’s not afraid to bend genre boundaries— and like one of his idols, Frank Zappa. He’s a fan of different musical genres including bluegrass, funk, Indian music, jazz and rock with all those influences finding their way into his solo project. The sounds couldn’t be more different, yet somehow, he’s able to weave it together cohesively.
When Tabori isn’t making his own music, he’s collaborating with other artists—most notably co-writing and playing guitar on “Fire Dept.” and “K” from Jaden Smith’s latest album, Erys. He has produced, played guitar and co-written songs for Kid Bloom’s albums and if that were not enough to keep him busy, he has also scored films, including the 2016 Cannes Film Festival contending short, Midnight.
“When I create something, I’m not necessarily thinking of a particular influence or a particular style that I want to be,” he explains. “I’m just thinking of the finished work as a whole and what I need to do to create some sort of a sound or a song that I’m already hearing. That always keeps me thinking and keeps me on my toes,” he confesses.
Glide is thrilled to premiere “Warning Call” a melodic leaning track that ruminates with a nostalgic kaleidoscope of ’70s AM Gold, helium harmonies and various DIY goodies. Tabori offers a welcoming new voice that is comfortable companion during this ongoing pandemic.
“The song is about a loved one suffering from addiction and the overall feeling of helplessness,” says Tambori. “When you come from an obnoxiously loud rock and roll background, sometimes the most experimental thing you can do is to actually strip away the guitar solos and try to create something a little softer.”
