Memory Tapes is a recording alias of New Jersey-based Dayve Hawk, former frontman of Philadelphia-based Hail Social. After initially releasing material under the names Memory Cassette and Weird Tapes., and on signing to Something In Construction to release a Memory Cassette EP (also on Acephale), Memory Tapes' first LP, Seek Magic was released in September 2009, through the labels Something In Construction, Sincerely Yours, Acéphale. It was self released in the US. Seek Magic sold over 1000 copies on pre-release via one shop in London (Rough Trade) and has since sold over 30,000 copies.The CD release of "Seek Magic" came bundled with a 4 track Bonus Disc including a Horrors remix and a 22-minute instrumental, "Treeship", which could also be downloaded from his website for free.
Memory Tapes was initially associated with the Chillwave music genre but is now seen more as a producer in his own right. Each album has its own separate feel and instrumentation. Seek Magic used a lot of dance rhythms and sounds and had touchstones such as New Order and Cocteau Twins. Hawk plays everything on his records and used such unusual sounds as a bicycle pump on the track Bicycle and the sound of sneakers on a basketball court on Green Knight.
