ROM: “Whale Vomit”
Roberto Lange of Helado Negro/Savath & Savalas and Matt Crum of Feathers/Comic Wow have revived their instrumental project, ROM, for a second release, entitled Foot Signals. The pair make music that is highly technical but embraces a brand of old school studio experimentalism that incorporates reportedly half-broken instruments and their tiny detuned clashes as a vital component of its attractive lopsidedness. It’s less about striving to create a mood or atmosphere outright than it is about creating a dialogue between each element, which in turn dictates or momentarily denies the listener what the ear is searching for. At times, this is a civil conversation, while at others it seems as if partisan tensions will erupt into jazzy violence. It’s an approach that requires equal parts rampant creativity and passion for minutiae-oriented production.
“Whale Vomit,” while less than appetizingly titled, has a broad dynamic range, quickly easing in and out of progressively banged out drum-led sections and gradations of stomping bass/tweaked out vibraphone/peculiar sampled madness. For something that’s so well composed and played, it’s also a bit out of its tree. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Investigate for yourself and let us know what you think.
Foot Signals will be available on CD and LP from Pingipung on May 28, 2012
Written by Luke Carrell
