Home

Romares third album was created after the producer moved from London out to the English countryside, where he started a family and built a home studio. Shifting away from the late-night odes to yearning and romantic desire of 2016s Love Songs: Part Two, Home is focused more on identity, belonging, and finding ones self. While key samples of blues, soul, and gospel vocals still make significant appearances, theres much more of Romares own playing than on his past releases. Additionally, his tracks sound less wobbly and choppy than they used to, and they seem to progress a bit more. It relies much less on rare-groove crackly vinyl effects and sounds more like an expression of Romares own personality. Gone opens the album on a high note, starting out with with a low-slung midtempo beat, and juggling wailing soul samples with a gorgeous piano riff, then slamming a riveting bassline on top. Sunshine is Romares most unabashedly joyous house jam, balancing a handclapping beat, buoyant melodies, and a few cheerful, subtly placed vocal samples for that hands-in-the-air feeling. Deliverance slips away from house, painting a more contemplative scene with gentle drums and autumnal guitars and pianos. High goes for tripped-out slo-mo disco, with acid percolations and a nostalgic piano break triggering hazy memories. You See is closer to Four Tets house material, weaving intricate samples around a hypnotic beat, and eventually tying it all together with a tender, live-sounding bass guitar line. Heaven, one of the albums most playful cuts, features tinny, preset-sounding synth strings and pianos, seemingly avoiding the vintage feel of his other work while going for a similar effect. The albums comforting title track weaves together wheezing pump organ, cozy acoustic guitar, and charming flute, expressing Romares satisfaction with settling into a more private, domestic life. ~ Paul Simpson

10年代におけるUKハウス再興の立役者による3作目。ジャケットからしてド直球な〈ハウス〉アルバムかというとそういうわけでもなくて、アレサ・フランクリンをネタに用いたカットアップ・ディスコ"The River"や、じわじわとビルドアップしていく展開が現場ウケしそうな"Sunshine"など、ダンス・オリエンテッドでありながらもリスニング向きの内容は、まさにステイ〈ホーム〉時のBGMとしても◎。
bounce (C)藤堂てるいえ