A friend spoke to me recently about how he was annoyed that not enough time and effort went in to the physical production of most records that are released. Thinking about that, I don’t believe I’ve ever written a review for, or in fact seen, a locally produced album where the packaging is better made than most label produced records from the UK, US or Japan. ROM have certainly invested much time and effort (and I’d wager a fair amount of cash) into their album’s packaging, and thankfully the musical production lives up to the hype.
Static
Inside the silver plastic, anti-static bag, you’ll find a beautifully arranged and written booklet; each page a dedication to the world in our future which we all fear will come about, as we’ve seen the sci-fi movies, but are too shit scared to contemplate properly. Almost a Bladerunner future taken from the screen and put to paper, ROM’s own Olivepixel is joined by many collaborators who offer their own take on ROM’s dystopian vision of a future in which machines take control. It must have been hard to think of a way of taking their sensory overloaded live shows and making that vision into something you can touch and feel. ROM should be proud that they seem to have managed that, even down to the textured front and back covers. Read, touch and listen is what they seem to be saying.
ROM have succeeded in producing something that makes you want to like the music before you’ve even taken the CD out of the back pouch. This is mainly due to the fact that it’s clear to see just how much effort went in to the production of something that most artists and bands forget about once they’ve recorded their tracks.
Aesthetics aside, let’s get down to the content. Written and produced almost exclusively by Icenine (whose voice you hear on every track) the album, at times, can feel like you are being shouted at by someone with far more knowledge than you, who is intent on showing and then converting you to his most inner thoughts. Icenine’s lyrical style is somewhat mesmerising when seen live, which translates well to this record, though is difficult to maintain over 14 tracks.
The Creative Act
The futuristic sound of this album allows you to lose yourself in a soundscape clearly influenced by 80’s sci-fi. I’ve mentioned Bladerunner before, but there is a definite theme throughout the whole album where you can imagine replacing the entire soundtrack of the Ridley Scott classic with the ROM version. In fact, I may just try that tonight. Certainly listening to ‘World Of Tomorrow'’s futuristic keys makes you feel that you’ve been fast forwarded to a time where things have moved on and you no longer control your own destiny. Of course, Icenine then reminds you that we’re on that inevitable track already – maybe one to leave off your Valentine’s Day playlist.
So if you’re already feeling a little down, be warned – the overriding messages here is: whatever you do, however you fight, someone will drag you down; a depressing thought and a thought which you cannot escape from, whichever track you listen to. That is not to say that it is a bad thing, per se; too many albums and lyrics are focussed on the dream that ‘everything will be OK’. ROM delivers the message that things probably won’t be. Pessimistic? Possibly, but a view that a lot of people will feel an affinity for. Coupled with the fact that most Shanghai residents are glued to some sort of technology wherever they are, this album should strike a chord with many – up those meds people!
Lament for the West
There is some great production to be heard on the LP too, be it the fantastic rolling baseline interlaced with Jack Nicholson quotes on ‘No Smoking’ or the Wachowski brothers sounding backing track of Static (co-produced with Blaise Deville). The collaborative efforts too are worth a mention, particularly ‘The Creative Act’ featuring Cha Cha, which manages to down the tempo and add urgency all at the same time, mainly due to the charming Cha Cha interplay between the two vocalists.
The ROM album is a great example of what can be done when you have creative intelligence and a lot to say. ROM’s idea of the future may not be so bright, but Icenine, Blaise Deville and Olivepixel’s certainly is. To offer the listener a journey such as this, albeit a heavy one, shows that ROM are willing to take a chance to go against the grain, and they’ve come up trumps with this record.
