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Review from European Progressive Rock Reviews Site for "All Day Home" by George. Review from InternetEd Music Review Site for "All Day Home" by Justin Becke. Review from Progressive Ears for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Amnerika. Review from Music Street Journal for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Gary Hill. Review from progVisions for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Richard Zywotkiewitz. Review from RockNet for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Eef Vink. Review from Joe Records for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Tony Engelhartfrom. Review from Italian newspaper La Stampa on Romislokus' album "All Day Home" by Marco Novaro (in Italian). Review from Italian musical magazine KALPORZ.COM on Romislokus' single for the third album by Raffaele Meale (in Italian) Review from Dutch Progressive Rock Page for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Nigel Camilleri Review from European Progressive Rock Reviews Site for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" Review from InternetEd Music Review Site for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by Justin Becke Review from ProgressiveWord.net site for "Between Two Mirrors" by Stephanie Sollow Review from New Horisons site for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" Review from ProgNaut.com site for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" by ~Ron Review from Rockeweb site for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" (in Norwegian) Review from Prog-Nose Site for "Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn" (in Flemish) Review from Dutch Progressive Rock Page for "Between Two Mirrors" by Nigel Camilleri Review from ProgressiveWorld.Net for "Between Two Mirrors" by RIPZ Review from ProgressiveWorld.Net for "Between Two Mirrors" by Muzikman Review from Aural Innovations for "Between Two Mirrors" by Jeff Fitzgerald Review for "Between Two Mirrors" by Ciro Velazquez The band Romislokus return with the follow up to their magnificent 2nd album "Vinyl Spring Digital Autumn". This time round the vocals are in English with one song in Italian & one in French due, no doubt, to the highly acclaimed critical success in Europe of their previous album. I have to add though that I had no problems with their last album being in their mother tongue which seemed give the band a dark edge and a sense of mystery. I look upon the voice as being another instrument that adds to the overall sound. I have to admit though that the opening track took me by surprise compared to their previous work. This song seems to have been purposely written for the European market and sounds as though it would go down well in Italy, as may the whole album. I thought "hmm", this band are moving away from their highly original work to try and crash into more lucrative commercial areas. This was soon forgotten when they regained all the past glory and passion of their previous album on the following track "Dreg". Next, the reworked "The Tree By The Wall". For this new rendition the vocals are in English and by anyone's standards this track is a million miles better than most songs composed today. If that were not enough they finish off this album with yet another equally magnificent reworked track, "Captain Zero", with its jangly guitars and eventually, a haunting cello and female voices entering the fray. They lift this track into the stratosphere. A no.1 hit anywhere in anyone's book, if it got airplay. No reservation at all about this statement. I have to say though that the under use of the cello and the female vocals on this album is regrettable. As for other tracks that stand out, Track 3, "L'amour" has touches of ambient, rock and commercial influences and links effortlessly into the haunting opening of "If" with its tasteful piano and laid-back feel that builds with crashing guitars and keys. If it were not for tracks, "I'm Tired" and initially, the opener, "Cool" and "Freedom", this album would have turned out as I expected. I have to admit that even the latter two songs grew on me and eventually turned out to be among my favourites. "All Day Home" is not so dark, brooding and musically thoughtful as their previous offering and Yuri Smolnikov's vocals are not so husky, but nonetheless this is a grand third album. It encroaches and embraces more of a commercial direction, no more so than on the delightful lightweight and happy "Name" and "Persici" where Yuri Smolnikov's superb vocals are shown at there best, nice touches from the cello on this track. One last thought, commercialism is not always a bad thing, is it? As long as the band don't loose their identity along the way. After saying that in their short career Romislokus have never been afraid to experiment or embrace any influence or direction that grabs their attention . A wonderful album that grows with every listening. 85% http://www.tandet.freeserve.co.uk/romislokus.html Top All Day Home is Russian progressive rock band Romislokus' third album. Although the term 'progressive rock' helps to depict the broad musical style of this group, it does not effectively describe their distinctive sound that includes melodic alternative guitars, effect laden synthesizer tones, and artistically abstract lyrics. Unlike Romislokus' last album, Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn, which consisted of purely Russian lyrics, All Day Home features lyrics performed in English all the way through, with the exception of two tracks, one in Italian, the other in French. Basically, the sound on All Day Home is a bit faster and more rock oriented than on the mostly electro-ambient/acoustic Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn, although the distinctive stamp of Romislokus' multihued sound is still evident. The biggest change between this album and the previous are the guitars, which have been given a volume boost and tend to use more distortion than before. Otherwise, the subtle keyboards, calmly performed vocals, and thick bass share about the same proportion of the production that they did on the band's previous work. The general impression is that the band has progressed to a new sound that is a balance of both refreshingly different and contentedly familiar elements, making for an entirely enjoyable listen. Opening track, "Cool" is a catchy prog rock song with some excellent hook riffs and an overall dazzling musical arrangement, while "Dreg" is an interesting tune with an eerily ambient Pink Floyd style verse and a pleasantly bizarre chorus. The brief yet sublime "L'amour" features a variety of outstanding bass and bluesy guitar melodies coupled with French lyrics, and the space ballad titled "If" incorporates some well-orchestrated keyboards and piano as well as tactful guitar riffs and vocal lines. On "Freedom," the word 'freedom' itself is personified in the creative lyrics that are conveyed throughout the resonant verses and anthemic choruses, while "Tired" is an interesting track with some unexpectedly funky guitar fills. Romislokus unleashes some of their most directly engaging music on "Name," a song driven by highly melodic guitars and deep, harmonious vocals. Closing out All Day Home are two tracks from the band's last album (the pristine Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn), "A Tree By The Wall" and "Captain Zero," the former of which is a majestic song with an entrancing ambience and the latter of which is an immensely enjoyable progressive/alternative rock song. Generally, if you appreciate innovative and honest music with progressive rock overtones, then Romislokus' All Day Home is the perfect album for you. Summary: Amusing and experimental prog rock album from this talented Russian band http://www.interneted.com/Reviewpages/romislokusalldayhome.htm Top Member: Amnerika Romislokus is: Evgeniy Gorelov- Keyboards Mikhail Voronov- Guitars Yuri Smolnikov- Guitars, Vocals, Lyrics Dmitriy Shelemetev- Drums Maksim Karavaev- Computers Mikhail brovarnik- Bass Irina Unakovskaya- Cello Anna Goya- Violin, Vocals Romislokus- Vinyl Spring Digital Autumn. The new CD from Russian proggers, Romislokus. This band is excellent at fusing the acoustic and electronic sides of music. Guitars, bass, drums, cello & violin played over electronic soundscapes created by computers and keyboards. All the vocals are in Russian. I have no idea what Yuri Smolnikov is singing about, but it doesn't matter. He sings great, with rich, low tones and a nice delivery. All the musicians are quite capable and play more as an ensemble rather than having any particular instrument to stand out front. The computer is also a major part of the sound. Maksim Karavaev using it to create glistening, hypnotic, trancelike backgrounds that are both dense and mesmerizing. The cellos and violins played against these electronic elements, brings their acoustic natures to the fore and is musically, very nice. Vinyl Spring Digital Autumn will appeal to lovers of ambient, electronic and progressive music. Romislokus reminds me of everything from Fripp, Belew, U2, and Dire Straits, to Brian Eno, Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. Well crafted songs from a gifted group of Russian musicians. This CD is impressive enough that I also want to check out their 2001 release, Between Two Mirrors. I hear good things about that too. Having now heard Vinyl Spring Digital Autumn, I believe every word. http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviews.asp?albumID=1677 Top Break out the Borsht and pour the vodka, Russian prog has come to the music scene. Romislokus is a project based in Moscow and their album was recently released. Since I have always had a fascination with the Russian people and culture, I looked forward to hearing Romislokus with definite anticipation. The CD was not quite what I expected, but this surprise was not a bad thing. The music is a bit on the low-key side. Don?t expect massive flourishes of keys or guitar solos. Instead, look forward to atmospheric tones and a style that is somewhat of a techno take on prog. This music shares a lot with that of Kraftwerk, but it also has moments that call to mind Marillion, Hawkwind, Lands End and Genesis. Still, it is all combined into a very original motif. The Russian lyrics make it a bit hard for an English speaker like myself to fully grasp the material, but still, the music does grab you. The Snow of the Rails: An ambient, almost techno texture takes this cut up to the verse, a balladic and dramatic one. Waves of keys wash over, and I don?t know why but it feels a little like Kraftwerk meets Marillion (Hogarth era). The intensity increases after a time, just building on the same structures. The Face of A City: Beginning with more organic prog ballad tones, a pretty melody line quickly ensues. This one changes to a more straightforward, fairly hard rocking jam after a time. It gets rather powerful in its alternating modes. The arrangement also gets quite lush with strong neo-classical tones for a time. 78: An acoustic guitar bouncing about starts this, and dramatic washes of keys overlay it. The track begins a building process in a very dramatic and somewhat off-kilter mode before dropping back to atmospheric tones with vocals overlaid. This one also moves into melody lines that feel like traditional Russian music. It is quite an interesting composition with a lot of changes. It turns to a playful style that seems a bit like classic Genesis for a time. Potent keys take over temporarily. A dynamic one, this covers a lot of ground. Absolute Control: Hawkwindesque tones start this one off. Then a slightly mysterious and vaguely dark melody takes over, building on what came before. The ghost of Kraftwerk again makes an appearance on this piece. This is another does a good amount of building and expanding. It shifts gear late to a rather neo-classical and melancholy type of texture. A new keyboard based melody ensues from there to end the piece. It Is Winter: A great melodic segment opens this number. Then the track shifts to a more contemplative and fairly classically oriented melody line. It integrates those two modes, building upon them in fine fashion. Miss The Target: Weird keyboard textures are the first sounds we hear on this cut, for about the first minute or so. Then the first semblance of melody emerges and begins building very slowly into a pretty, somewhat moody number that feels a bit like Hogarth era Marillion. A Tree By The Wall: More atmospheric tones start this one, and a balladic style that falls somewhere between contemplative and playful carries it on. It finally seems to choose the contemplative end as it drops to the verse. As the instrumental break ensues, the cut switches to a surprisingly entertaining piece of chaos. The jam that comes out of that chaos and takes the composition to its conclusion is especially effective. Tuner: This is a fun techno based foray that calls to mind Kraftwerk more than anything else presented here. It also feels a bit like Herbie Hancock?s journeys into electronic music. The somewhat R & B oriented female vocals add another interesting element to an already intriguing song. Substance: A bit weird, this one has a great classical overtone to the powerful melodic strains that start the piece. It sounds like a poetry reading over a sedate melody before shifting to a segment of female vocals and dramatic string section that serves as the outro. Smoke: Percussion starts this. The keys and bass join in, and a balladic prog melody eventually emerges. The cut begins building on that format after a time. It then shifts to a jazzy sort of jam that feels a bit like Lands End for a time. The arrangement takes on a triumphant texture occasionally and gets a bit more lush than most of the material presented here. Gary Hill http://www.musicstreetjournal.com/romislokus.htm Top The Russian Prog Band Romislokus plays an original hybrid of electronic and acoustic fusion. While on the surface, the swirling apparent dominance of electronic keys washes with the coldness of electronica, there is a foundation of acoustic instruments that are woven into the mix with extreme subtlety. The final overall sound is very relaxed and laid back - a perfect easy listen while you are working. But at the same time, if one wanted to dive into the sound, the complexities are truly there. The acoustic side of Romislokus' sound is represented by violin, cello, drums, and vocals, while the electronic side is represented by keyboards, computers. The band states their use of Electric Guitar, which is subtle but again, effectual, serves as a bridge to bind both extremes of music. The band consists of Evgeniy Gorelov on keyboards; Mikhail Voronov on guitars; Yuri Smolnikov on guitars, vocal; Dmitriy Shelemetev hitting and programming the drums, Maksim Karavaev working the computers; Mikhail Brovarnik playing bass; and Irina Unakovskaya on Cello; with Anna Goya on violin and vocal. "The Snow of the Rails" is an ambient intro that takes off where the first Romislokus album began but "Face of a City", the next track, takes us to where the album ended. So the first two songs were more or less a review of the band's overall sound. "78" gives us a bit of funk, the cellos and then some electric guitar. I'm reminded quite a bit of the excellent art rock band, Tindersticks on "It is Winter". "Miss the Target" is also a stand out track with a slowly building tempo. The foundation of music is built on computer samples that is very reminiscent of the creative early days of Brian Eno, especially his days with Roxy Music. "A tree by the wall" is also excellent for it's languid guitar. "Tuner" is filled with swirling electronica and the closer "Smoke" is back to the laid back melodic crooner that makes the band a Slavic, very modern spin of the experimental elements of Roxy Music with the ensemble feel of bands like After Crying. There is not a bad track on the CD. Each of the ten songs is very different and well developed. Song lengths vary from about 3 ? minutes up to 7 minutes, the average falling around 5-6 minutes. The band is skilled enough to pull of the opposing sounds of electronic and acoustic without allowing the forces to oppose one another. If you would like a comfortable, unassertive listen from time to time, Romisklokus is doing something new and fresh. But something about it also seems familiar, dating back to the days when electronic music was still a part of the analog world. Rating: Very Good Richard Zywotkiewitz - May 2002 Top Not too long ago Romislokus wrote us and asked us to do a review of their - at that time - current album. Of course we agreed, and that review should be available in our 'archives' section. Apparently that record had been around for a while by then, because soon after this 'Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn' followed. Another cool release by our Russian friends. The music is pretty much what we've come to expect from Evgeniy Gorelov (keyboards), Mikhail Voronov (guitars), Yuri Smolnikov (guitars, vocals), Dmitriy Shelemetev (drums) Maksim Karavaev (computers), Mikhail Brovarnik (bass) Irina Unukavskaya (cello) and Anna Goya (violyn / vocals). Still, there are some differences. This record sounds a little more modern, and somewhat 'fresher' than their last offering. Unfortunately the Russian language still doesn't make too much sense to me, so I can't tell you anything about the lyrics. I do think, however, that Yuri Smolnikov definitely has his limitations as far as his vocals are concerned. On some tunes he gets away with it, because the vocals simply fit the material well, but on "The Face Of A City", his vocals sound quite a bit 'off'. The music is somewhat more organic than their last offering. More guitars, and an overall more rock-driven sound. The synthesizers forming the foundation of the Romislokus sound are still around, but a little more in the background. There are still prominent parts for the violins and cellos as lead instruments. General string arrangements sound synthesized to me. The material was written with extensive arrangements in mind, and are often similar in structure: Verse - chorus - verse - chorus - go nuts.... :) The fact that the lyrics are in Russion add - to me - a sort of 'exotic' feel to the material, lending it a somewhat 'dark' atmosphere. I assume that this is, however, a personal 'vibe' I get. Romislokus is still an odd band. They have a very distinct, own and original sound, balancing in-between rock, pop and new age-ish music. Give 'em a shot if you can find the record. I have no idea in which parts of the worlds it should be available. Check romislokus.com for details. Eef Vink http://www.rocknet.nl/newreleases/romislokus_vinyl/index.html Top Following their critically acclaimed 2001 debut, Between Two Mirrors, the Moscow based progressive rock group Romislokus return with an equally impressive follow-up, Vinyl Spring/ Digital Autumn. Romislokus began in 1998 as a project of likeminded musicians in Russia who were interested in exploring the boundaries of 'art rock'. Blending organic and inorganic sounds such as cello and violin amongst electric guitars and synthesizers provides Romislokus with a unique, yet familiar sound. Though heavily influenced by such other experimental bands as Pink Floyd, pre 'And Then There Were Three' Genesis and post 'Rubber Soul' Beatles, the Moscow group successfully combines past stimuli with 21st century recording techniques. For the most part, Vinyl Spring/Digital Autumn is laid-back and inviting as Romislokus creates melodic soundscapes. Even though vocalist/rhythm guitarist Yuri Smolnikov sings each song entirely in Russian with a haunting resonance, the record is so musically entrancing it is able to cross cultures without the dialect becoming a distraction. On tracks such as 'The Snow On The Rails', Romislokus embraces the technologically advances that were not available to their predecessors and go with an entirely electronic sound. 'The Face of the City' combines unobtrusive cello parts with moody guitar fills. Although '78' begins as an ambient journey, the band interjects a heavy rock guitar explosion. Violinist Anna Goya takes the spotlight with her lush vocals on the housey track 'Tuner'. Goya's vocals again resurface with Yuri on the ambient, Russian spoken-word piece 'Substance'. Romislokus's has an obvious affinity for 70's progressive rock bands such as Yes, Alan Parsons Project and The Moody Blues, with an equal admiration for contemporary acts such as the Orb, Moby, and Meat Beat Manifesto. This band from Mother Russia successfully combines symphonic arrangements while blending textures of acoustic and artificial instrumentation to create a gratifying listening experience. http://www.havemusic.com/joerecords/Romislokus.htm Top Lasciate cadere alcuni semi di musica elettronica nel campo del rock progressivo e otterrete All Day Home. Nati nel 1998 nel nome della contaminazione tra le sonorita vintage di trent'anni fa e le moderne tecnologie, la band russa di Kirov convoglia nelle proprie canzoni esperienze e repertori di diversa origine. E All Day Home e un po' la sintesi di questi vari fronti artistici in cui hanno transitato i suoi componenti. I musicisti che danno vita a questo progetto sono Evgeniy Gorelov (tastiere), Mikhail Voronov (chitarre), Yuri Smolnikov (voce e chitarra ritmica), Dmitriy Shelemetev (batteria), Maksim Karavaev (computer e programmazioni), Mikhail Brovarnik (basso) e Irina Yunakovskaya (violoncello). Per il loro terzo album i Romislokus hanno confezionato dieci brani scritti prevalentemente in inglese. Ma ci sono anche un testo cantato in italiano (Persici) e uno in francese (L'amour) ad abbracciare idealmente tutto il circuito musicale a cui il gruppo fa riferimento. Alla voce calda e profonda del cantante si uniscono gli abili giochi di chitarra di I'm tired; la perfetta fusione tra il mondo pop e quello rock (nella traccia in lingua transalpina) che rappresenta meglio lo stile del gruppo; e il chiaroscuro intrigante di Freedom in cui si alternano punte di hard rock e aperture melodiche. La traccia piu immaginifica del disco resta comunque Dreg con i suoi ampi spazi strumentali sostenuti dalle tastiere. Un carattere cosi eterogeneo si spiega tenendo presente che una parte del gruppo e passata anagraficamente attraverso la vecchia avanguardia del prog e il pop elettronico degli anni '80. Il che ci porta alla presente e libera combinazione dei linguaggi che mescola tutti questi sapori. L'equilibrio non e sempre dei piu calibrati e qualche suono meriterebbe di essere affinato meglio, ma il risultato nel complesso e interessante. Il collettivo dei Romislokus muove i suoi primi passi nei festival musicali indipendenti. Nel 2001 viene realizzato l'album di debutto Between Two Mirrors. Segno di una produttivita viva e redditizia, nei primi mesi di quest'anno viene pubblicato Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn, seguito a breve distanza dall'ultimo All Day Home. Nel frattempo il nome di Gorelov e compagni ha gia fatto il giro del mondo conquistando vari apprezzamenti. I venti del rock qualche volta si alzano anche da est. di Marco Novaro http://www.lastampa.it/_web/_RUBRICHE/musica/default_canzoni.asp Top Il progetto-Romislokus viene alla luce a Mosca nel 1998, per mano di Yuri Smolnikov (chitarra e voce), musicista appassionato della scena prog rock degli anni '70. Passione che questo EP mostra in maniera abbastanza palese, pur nascondendola spesso in una nuvola pop. La band, oltre che da Smolnikov, e composta da Mikhail Voronov (chitarra), Mikhail Brovarnik (basso), Anna Goya (violino), Irina Yunakovskaya (violoncello), Evgeniy Gorelov (tastiere), Dmitriy Shelemetev (batteria) e Maksim Karavaev. L'attacco di "Cool" mostra da subito ottime potenzialita, soprattutto nell'uso della voce, anche se piu che davanti ad una band prog sembra di trovarsi davanti un perfetto gruppo pop, solo leggermente deviato dalla chitarra acida e dai campionamenti. "I'm Tired" presenta una ritmica piu sincopata, con pause, accelerazioni, una chitarrina funky che si mischia ad un basso dark e a delle tastiere prog, prima dell'intervento della slide guitar: spiazzante. L'attacco di "If" e dato dalle tastiere, che creano un'atmosfera ambient, con un tappeto sonoro che sovrasta l'intero brano, adagiato sul pianoforte e sulle tastiere. Di maniera, ma molto bello, l'intermezzo strumentale, con le chitarre e il basso impegnati in un divertente gioco ad inseguimento. Ballata alla vecchia maniera, insomma, che mostra nuovamente il volto pop celato dietro la maschera prog, e nel finale mostra addirittura tendenze da nuova elettronica. "Freedom" e il brano piu serrato, con una strofa incentrata su chitarre distorte e basso e un ritornello pacificante ed etereo. Il crescendo di tastiere, pur nella sua riuscita emozionalita, ricorda da vicino il technopop anni '80 (gli Europe in particolare). Gli intermezzi con reminiscenze anni '70, arpeggi acustici, pause, riprese sincopate, chitarre distorte e tappeti sonori orchestrali fanno di "Freedom" il gioiello dell'album. Album che si chiude con un brano, "Persici", cantato in italiano (!!!!). Ebbene si, una band prog/pop russa che canta e si diletta in italiano, con risultati di gran lunga superiori rispetto ad alcuni nostri presunti cantanti italiani (non faccio nomi per non rovinare la lettura). Il brano, che si apre con una bellissima ouverture per archi e tastiere, e una canzone pop, stavolta neanche mascherata con intenti prog, in cui convivono le dolcezze di violino e violoncello, per la prima volta protagonisti della scena. Il testo, traslato da Alberto Nucci, e sostanzialmente la metafora dell'esistenza umana. Un lavoro interessante, questo dei Romislokus, che devono ancora centrare perfettamente l'obiettivo della loro musica ma che non annoiano mai. E questo non e certamente poco. Raffaele Meale http://www.kalporz.com/recensioni/romislokus.htm Top Country of Origin: Russia Format: CD Record Label: Sverchok Records Year of Release: 2002 Time: 51:47 Info: Website Samples: Website Tracklist: The Snow Of The Rails (4:51), The Face Of A City (5:58), 78 (6:49), Absolute Control (5:06), It Is Winter (3:57), Miss The Target (6:30), A Tree By The Wall (6:49), Tuner (3:10), Substance (4:24), Smoke (4:11) Russian band Romislokus are back with their second album, Vinyl Spring Digital Autumn and they have followed up their debut Between Two Mirrors in a most impressive fashion. Once again they have managed to fuse the calculated cold atmosphere of electronic music with the warmth of string instruments, notably the cello and the violin. Once again the vocals are sung in Russian, but somehow the band manage to curb this problem and unlike with many "foreign" bands, this does not serve to detract from the beauty of their music. The difference between the styles of music Romislokus play is evident from the first two tracks. The Snow Of The Rails has a dark sinister electronic touch to it while The Face Of A City has a much more warmer, and commercial, feel to it with the introduction of airy keyboards as well as the now customary and expected string interludes. In fact it seems that the band have moved toward a more mainstream approach with this new album allowing themselves to become rather more accessible by broadening their fan base to those who could easily listen to other bands such as Hothouse Flowers. However, even though there is more of a commercial feel to the band's music, they still manage to instill an aura of progressive rock such as on 78 which has some intriguing shifts in both time signature and overall style flitting between the acoustic strings to a harsh electronic sound. It Is Winter blends acoustic and commercial rock with progressive arrangements featuring tubular bells and strings which blend in magnificently with Yuri Smolnikov's husky vocals. As mentioned time and time again the band feature a heavy does of electronic music which feature in a variety of ways. Absolute Control has the band adopting a heavy synthesised sound that also affects the overall sound of the guitars, Miss The Target has a cold atmospheric ambience almost Tangerine Dream-like in nature, as does Tuner. The music by Romislokus seems to have been derived from a myriad of influences but one cannot deny that one of the major bands that does crop up every now and again would be Pink Floyd. Tracks such as A Tree By the Wall, feature that melancholic nature that evolves at a dramatically slow but effective pace. However, the one feature that this Russian band possesses that allow it to stand out when compared to many other similarly styled bands is the incorporation of the string instruments which create such as strong contrast to the various other electronic sounds, a feat that is accentuated on Substance Admittedly, Romislokus are one of the brightest discoveries to have come my way in the last few years. Their music breathes fresh air into what at times has become a seemingly stagnant musical style. Though there are various references from classical bands, Romsilokus have adopted with great success their own individual style which deserves to be unleashed to the masses! Conclusion: 8 out of 10. Nigel Camilleri http://www.dprp.vuurwerk.nl/reviews/0213.htm#romislokus Top A major album of 2002 Here is an album that is impossible to take out of your CD player. It has that rich seam of creativity running right through it and is impossible to stop playing until you've savoured every last note, every influence that this music soaks up. It has an air of lasting beauty that never diminishes and creates an atmosphere you can cut with a knife. The band Romislokus now mostly live in Moscow, they released their first album in 2001 entitled "Between The Mirrors". The style/influence of this new offering stems from many varied directions and blends, such as classical, electronic, ambient, classic rock with female backing vocals and strings, all tinged with progressive rock influences. All musicians and singers involved display a caring passion for the music. The arrangements are full and complete and everything is held together with the cello and violin which grace the music with chilling yet soulful notes. The violin, but most especially the cello, is well used giving this whole body of work a haunting almost classical edge. The end result is an album and band who can compete with the best that Europe can offer. Lastly, I have to mention the vocals by Yri Smolnikov. He has a superb husky voice (all vocals in Russian) that adds to the beauty and dimension of this whole melodic album. It opens with "The Snow Of The Rails" which has a melodic, shimmering, almost ambient backdrop overlaid with programmed percussion, a very haunting track that bursts into life in the last quarter. The cello comes into play on the classic rock track "The Face Of A City" which has an infectious melodic tune and beat with chiming guitars and keys. This guitar style can also be found on the mighty "Miss The Target" which has a dark, sombre intro that eventually develops with the violin, cello and Yri's superb husky voice. Track 5, "It Is Winter", sums this masterful album up with its mix of tubular bells, strings and infectious rhythm that contains elements of acoustic, synth, progressive and yes, classic rock. Another new direction can be found on "A Tree By The Wall". This track has a Spanish/Latin sound that conjures up images of spaghetti westerns then darts off into ambient areas followed by some chilling cello notes, eventually returning to the opening theme. This really is quality composing. Finally, this album tips right into electronic music with track 8, "Tuner" which comes straight out of the territory where Tangerine Dream reside. To sum up, this is an irresistible major piece of composing and performing by all concerned. For the most part all the instruments are underplayed giving this project a truly professional sound where no one musician is trying to impress or overstate their importance over fellow members. As mentioned, the cello and violin are a welcome addition to this kind of music and hopefully more bands will pay attention to these instruments. The female backing vocals also add variation and depth especially on "The Face Of A City". On first hearing this album it sounded mellow and thoughtful but on further listening the power seemed to become more evident till this whole body of work gelled and became extremely consistent. This band prove that Russia should not be overlooked when searching for superb musicians and equally important, new music directions and ideas. They create the same passion and emotion in their music as the Estonian musician Igor Garsnek and the Italian Lucio Lazzaruolo. Romislokus bring a lasting breath of fresh air to a genre that sometimes can become predictable. Faultless. 100% http://www.tandet.freeserve.co.uk/romislokus.html Top Romislokus is an experimental musical force that should not be overlooked. These capable Russian musicians combine elements of acoustic and electronic music to construct a unique sound that is part progressive and part ambient/atmospheric, forming a fusion that is unclassifiable in any other way. The acoustic side of Romislokus' sound is represented by violin, cello, drums, and vocals, while the electronic side is represented by keyboards--the electric guitar falls somewhere in between, acting as the bridging force between these instruments. Though the song titles are in English, the lyrics themselves are sung (very skillfully) in Russian. However, this does not serve as a barrier to identifying with Romislokus' sound in any way because the music itself transcends language in its subtle brilliance. The digital noises that introduce album opener "The Snow Of The Rails" seamlessly lead to the song's clever drum, bass, and guitar interplay, which in turn lend their sound nicely to singer Yuri Smolnikov's soft but powerful vocals. Pristine and ambient, "The Face Of A City" utilizes staccato guitar melodies with precise rhythmic cohesion, and also includes a memorable chorus that is melded to acoustic instrumentation in the form of string accompaniment. An experimental ambience pervades over the keyboard and guitar driven "78" with its large-scale composition and mood shifting nature combined with a plethora of diverse sounds from bells, to violin, to distorted guitar. The eerie "Absolute Control" begins with powerful marching music and later shifts to a more progressive nature, showing this group's talent for combining electronic and acoustic elements. In "It Is Winter," musical bells ring both ominously and joyously in proclaiming the arrival of winter, as the song's crystalline guitar notes resound in a rich enveloping harmony. The bass driven "Miss The Target" is full of subtle ambience accented by Yuri's deftly restrained vocals, while "A Tree By The Wall" is an introspective piece backed by rich atmospheric keyboards, subtle rhythms, and excellent melodies. Surprisingly, "Tuner" leans toward techno/dance music in its bassy motions and catchy looping guitar notes, and on the opposite end of the scale, the emotional and mostly acoustic song "Substance" uses beautiful string playing and controlled vocals to deliver its musical power. Album closer "Smoke" proves to be a majestic song complete with smooth instrumentation and expressive melody, blending the album's pervading atmosphere perfectly. Overall, Romislokus' Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn is a very good album that transcends genres and, in so doing, presents a sound that is distinctly ambient and astoundingly memorable. Summary: A unique progressive/ambient musical experience http://www.interneted.com/Reviewpages/romislokusvinylspring.htm Top Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, June 2002 Romislokus are Russian band who create a very moody, sometimes dark music... if the truth be told, aside from the occasionally energetic arrangements, this is a very, very dreary album, all presented in a very understated manner. Aside from the rather cold sounds of the programmed drums, the instrumentation is often warm, and often sounds both like Marillion and mid-to-late period Icehouse, but mostly I'd say that Romislokus sound like Dire Straits. All of which results in something that I'd call progressive dance, except that I'm sure that term has already been appropriated by some corner of the progressive music world, or even co-opted by some genre that wouldn't ordinary come under the scope of this site... not to belabor the point, of course. If you are at all familiar with either of those bands, and can throw a bit of Pink Floyd into the mix, and a bit of country, you'll have a good idea of what to expect. Specifically, let me mention a few tracks. The opening track, "Cold," sounds like what Pink Floyd would be creating, having reached the dark side of the moon - that is, it's a little otherworldly and spacey. There are some electronic tones that appear sporadically that recall the X-Files theme. "The Wood Cutter" picks up the pace, with an almost dance-like rhythm; something that is picked up on "The Thunderstorm Is Coming," which also has a bit of country twang to it. It was with the former track that I thought of Icehouse. While the programmed drums allow for the creation of unique percussive sounds, here they are too obviously programmed -- though it seems real drums appear on the last two pieces, "Minute" and "Jackdaws." "The Mist" is a jazzy piece, that is very in line with what one might expect from, if not Dire Straits (circa Brother In Arms), then Knopfler solo. I can't see much of a sonic difference here with a real drummer, however. It continues in a country twang, has, at one point, spiraling keyboard effects that sound right out of "Cannibal Surf Babe," (again Marillion, but then I'm sure they were inspired by some 60s source themselves), but is delivered in an understated, almost dreary manner. The flute like tones here recall many a new age piece, and if it weren't for the darker, rounded, bass tones, would seem a little light. "Through The Love" is somewhat Marillion-esque musically. Two vocalists are mentioned, Evgeniy Gorelov (keyboards) and Yuriy Smolnikov (rhythm guitar), but I'm not sure which vocalist's singing lead -- other reviews of this and of their second album, mention Yuriy, so... Yuriy's style is an amalgam of mainly Bob Dylan and Mark Knopfler, and with a dash of Roger Waters here and there. "Three Colors," which closes the album, shows the deep bottom end of Gorelov's range. Almost Barry White deep, but not as seductive (nor intending to be). Those vocals are, by the way, sung in Russian. The lyrics aren't included, but are available in both languages at their website. http://www.progressiveworld.net/romislokus3.html Top Moscow based Romislokus stated out in Kirov, Russia in 1998 as a group of musicians who were keen to experiment with progressive rock music. Their first album, 'Between Two Mirrors', was released in 2001 and was generally well received by those who heard it. The band utilise the usual array of drums, guitars, bass - and by adding string instruments (cello and violin) they are able to create a warm, organic ambience within the music. In sharp contrast to this is the starker use of computers which define many of the rhythms used and which, in turn, bring their own mechanical edge. The resulting sound embraces folk, modern, progressive and electronic elements and brings them into a state of equilibrium. Throughout 'Vinyl Spring, Digital Autumn', the band's second release to date, Romislokus have stuck to their native tongue, rather than falling into the usual trap of trying to sing in English. While it is true to say that the Russian language can have a tendency to sound quite harsh, this actually stands them in very good stead in the long run... Getting things underway is 'The Snow Of The Rails' which, for the most part, has a smooth electro pop sound. Guitar and keyboards create a light airy feel, while the computerised rhythms that interject from time to time add a touch of discord and unease. 'The Face Of A City' continues with a gentle relaxed style utilising soft guitar play, accentuated by the contrasting textures created by the inclusion of the string section. The unforced vocals sit superbly in the mix, supported by some very well placed backing vocals, which create a real sense of warmth. There is a nice mix of styles to be found in the more progressive sounding '78'. Along with alternating electric and acoustic sections, the track also features confident keyboard and bass work creating a strongly melodic composition. The one aspect I was not so enamoured of here was the vocals; which at times seemed to work against the mood created by the music. There is a slightly sinister feel to the dramatic opening of 'Absolute Control', which sets the tone of the rest of the track. The use of violin, combined with mechanical rhythms, gives a very industrial feel and initially the mood of the track is very reminiscent of Steve Hackett's 'Darktown'. The mood changes with 'Miss The Target', which is a very down tempo track that uses keyboards to create an ambient canvas on which to paint broody cello and electric guitar parts. The vocals here, I found, worked far better with the music and seemed to better reflect the tone of the piece. 'A Tree By The Wall' is another track that shows the band's ability to good effect. Once again the track is fairly low key, but the lack of pace seems to serve well to let the instrumental sections evolve naturally without seeming forced. 'Tuner' continues where the previous track left off, using electronic keyboard sounds punctuated by bass rhythms to create a free flowing format that bubbles effortlessly along. This is another strongly ambient piece that seems to infuse aspects of trance and jazz to good effect - and the inclusion of female vocals works well for the most part. The last two tracks really give the album a strong finish; we are treated first to the delights of 'Substance', with its powerful instrumental arrangements and string work creating a sound not dissimilar to Van der Graaf; before coming finally to 'Smoke' where light, jangling guitar work is interlaced with violin and cello. The mellow vocals and reappearance of the tubular bells contrasts well with the more upbeat flow creating a very positive finish. This is a very enjoyable album, although in all honesty it is not really ground breaking in terms of its approach. Nevertheless, Romislokus seem to have developed a style of their own and have managed to create a very well balanced release that delivers the goods in fine fashion. Certainly worth a look in! Simon 8th May 2002 http://www.elrose.demon.co.uk/CD_Reviews/romislokus_cds.html Top After various weeks of listening to Romislokus "Vinyl Spring Digital Autumn", I find it to be a fine mix of well crafted songs (much in the vein of Peter Gabriel solo music of the "Security, So" & "Us" and the softer side of the "80's-era" Crimson). Although there is no new music ground broken, the band aproached with their own style to the electronic pop/prog mix with atmospheric keyboard/ guitar sounds, done in a modern fashion with the recording and approach. The vocals are mostly done in Russian by Yuri Smolnikov (also guitarist) who has a gritty low voice similar to Mark Knoffler. Yuri is joined by a second guitarist, Mikhail Voronov, and both have somewhat of a Fripp/Belew interplay of the afore mentioned 80's-era but not quite yet to the latter's technical abilities. Adding to the mix is tasteful mixture of strings (Violins and Cellos) and the usage of computers, possibly to "digitalize" songs, but since I'm not to proficient in instruments so I can be way off base on the role of the computer. ~Ron for ProgNaut.com [April 16th, 2002] http://www.geocities.com/prognaut/reviews/romislokus.html Top Anmeldt 9/4-02 av Rock Engh Roll Tittel: Vinyl spring digital autumn 2002 Utgitt pa Sverchok records, Moskva Russland Internett: http://www.romislokus.com/ Stilart: Progrock / Elektronisk rock Anmelders vurdering: 8/10 Russisk rock vet jeg fint lite om dessverre. Artig at det havner en cd fra Russland i postkassa fordi noen har funnet Rockeweb pa nettet. Rockens veier er som kjent uransakelige. Presseskrivet som medfolger forteller at Romislokus ble startet opp i Kirov, Russland i 1998, og at Vinyl spring digital autumn er deres andre plate. Bandet spiller en type progrock som virker a vaere basert pa en helt egen resept, ganske upavirket av tid og rom, trender og hyper. Progressiv rock er betegnelsen de gir musikken sin, men de strekker det begrepet vidt ut. Her er det nemlig bade elektronisk musikk, jazzrock og tidvis ganske eksperimentell rock hvor de tar i bruk en lang rekke virkemidler for a fa frem det de har pa hjertet. Latene er lange og utflytende og ofte ma man sjekke om neste lat har begynt, men som oftest har den ikke det. Som referanser kan nevnes tysk elektronisk musikk fra 70-tallet, Pink Floyd rundt 70-77 (Animals, Wish you were here, Atom heart mother) og litt lett melodios muzak som man ofte horer som bakrunnsmusikk, nar man ringer diverse selskaper som ikke gidder a svare deg for du har blitt kraftig irritert. Det er i det hele tatt masse rart her i positiv betydning, og mens man sitter og horer pa plata far man plutselig opp et bilde av Andrej Nebb i huet sitt. Holy Toy er faktisk ogsa likt endel av dette som Romislokus lager. Russisk og polsk er jo ikke altfor ulikt hverandre, som Arne Scheie ville ha sagt det. Lat nummer 3, som heter 78, kunne vaert hentet fra et Tortoise album, i alle fall det forste minuttet av lata, men sa forandrer lata seg helt. Periodevis er det altsa ganske spennende lytting og det slar meg med ett at det er mye sensitiv koring her, og samtidig oppdager jeg til min forskrekkelse at jeg ikke har skrevet noe om forhistorien til bandet. Mye er spunnet rundt Yuri Smolnikov, som er fodt i Ural regionen i 1955, da med navnet Chudinov. Det har seg sann at pa plata star de oppfort med navna du kan se pa ovre halvdel av denne sida, mens pa presseskrivet star de oppfort, i alle fall endel av dem, med fodenavnet forst og det navaerende navnet i parentes. Hvorfor de gjor det slik veit ikke jeg. Denne Smolnikov (Chudinov) viser seg a vaere en svaert sa banebrytende personlighet innenfor det russiske musikkmiljoet. Mens han studerte hydrology i Odessa (na Ukraina) stiftet han sitt forste rockeband som ifolge presseskrivet lagde classic rock. Her laerte han a kjenne en god del andre folk som drev med det samme, og da han flyttet atter nordover mot Kirov var han ikke snauere enn at han lagde sitt eget rockelaboratorium. Der har han i en arrekke laert opp nye musikere. Senere har han laget et laboratorium i Tomsk ogsa. I 1998 stiftet han bandet Romislokus sammen med to andre rockeguruer fra verdens storste land. Gorelev og Voronov kom fra bandet The Ocean, som spilte kunstrock. Noe av det viktigste som har kommet ut av dette samarbeidet er sammensmeltingen av elektronisk rock og progrock. De rytmiske monstrene pa plata har for eksempel blitt programmert av Karavaev. Bandet har turnert hyppig og vaert med pa mange uavhengige festivaler i Russland, og deres forste plate, Between two mirrors, fikk god omtale verden rundt da den kom ut i 2001. Plata du na leser anmeldelsen av anbefales spesielt til de som liker a lytte til plater som ikke sklir inn i skallen ubemerket og blir liggende og duve hjelpelost i en gjenlast skuff i hjernen. Her ma du jobbe litt nemlig, men gevinsten er et spennende mote med musikk man sjelden horer. Av later man bor laste ned fra nettet er spesielt a anbefale spor 2 og 7, The Face of a city samt den saerdeles melodiose A tree by the wall. Hvis jeg skal sette fingeren pa noe sa ma det vaere at lydbildet er ganske flatt og uten den futten man er vant til fra innspillinger i hoyteknologiske vestlige studioer. Dessverre har det heller ikke fulgt med noen anvisninger om hvordan plata kan bestilles, men svaret finnes nok pa hjemmesida som du finner linken til opp til venstre. Thank you, my friends from russia! http://hjem.sol.no/moengh/romiskul.htm Top In Oost Europa is de rockcultuur lange tijd onbestaande geweest of verdoken in een superunderground. Heden ten dage zijn er bloeiende scenes in Tsjechie en Polen, maar vanuit Rusland gebeurt het slechts mondjesmaat dat een muzikaal product hier verkrijgbaar is. Meestal gaat het dan nog over rudimentaire uitspattingen waar de productie te wensen overlaat. Vroeger was er Gorki Park, nu schieten me namen te binnen als Mental Home en Gods Tower. 'Vinyl spring digital autumn' is de tweede CD van Romislokus en over de productie valt niet meer te klagen. Maksim Karavaev is als vast lid ingelijfd voor de computereffects en Anna Goya is de groep komen versterken met zang en viool, hetgeen het resultaat zeker ten goede komt. Bovendien is er in de persoon van Dmitriy Shelemetev een drummer van vlees en bloed gevonden. We krijgen hier een verzameling liedjes die de sfeer van het Duitse BAP doen herleven, ook al is de voertaal het Russisch. Het duurt even eer de CD op gang komt want de 2 eerste nummers vind ik luchtig qua sfeer. Alleen de Russische taal drapeert een mysterieuze sluier over de iele composities. '78' blijkt dan plots uit een ander soort hout gesneden : een zwoel viooltje laat ons een aangenaam intro binnenglijden. Fluisterende zang mondt uit in beklijvende gitaarpatronen, deze krijgen een jazzy ondergrond. In deze zes en halve minuut gebeurt er zoveel dat mijn aandacht evolueert naar bewondering; want vervolgens scheppen toetsen en percussie een harlekijnsfeer van synchroon theater. Bij 'Absolute control' klommen Einsturzen Neubauten over de muur naar het westen in een industrieel intro. Alsook enige BAP invloeden bekruipen me naderhand, we zijn sociaal bewust bezig, laat ons zeggen. 'It is winter' is dan wel een hoogvlieger, de koude temperaturen in Rusland brengen het beste in de artiest naar boven. Op het eerste gehoor onopvallende deuntjes gaan zich na enkele luisterbeurten ontplooien tot herkenbare en mooie melodietjes. Let even op de melancholie van de viool die dit nummer een absolute meerwaarde geeft ! 'Miss the target' zwelt aan met een aarzelend kosmisch intro. Wederom een compositie met een veelheid aan indrukken waarbij het theater nooit ver weg is. Het lijkt me bijna een mime performance in bloedrood fluweel; de sfeer van het oostblok geillustreerd in zijn minimalistische kneuterigheid. Maar laat me vooral benadrukken dat de twijfel weggevaagd wordt door melodietjes die je inpakken en dat is te danken aan het gevoel voor drama van hoofdman Yuri Smolnikov. Neem nu het wederkerend gitaarloopje in 'A tree by the wall' : het doet me meteen denken aan het werk van Dave Stewart en de filmmelodie van Lily was here, met aangenaam strakke percussie als ruggengraat. Er wordt beheerst gespeeld tot het eindigt in een bewuste progchaos met jazzy invloed, waarbij men met enige goodwill naar de sfeer van Porcupine Tree kan evolueren. Waarom een draak als 'Tuner' de CD even naar de oceaanbodem moet torpederen snap ik niet : synthetische keyboards met dansritme en een smurfenstem doen me vlug verder zappen en dan krijgen we gelukkig nog twee nummers die dit werkstuk op een bevredigende manier afsluiten : viool, aangename zang, doomy sfeer soms, beschaafde gitaarpatronen en enige zweverigheid. Na veelvuldige beluistering vervult de CD me nog met gemengde, maar grotendeels positieve gevoelens. Het staat als een paal boven water dat deze groep compositorisch sterk staat en een belofte voor de toekomst is. Veel zal afhangen van hoe ze dit allemaal kunnen inblikken in de beperkende omgeving; want aan muzikaal talent en beheersing der instrumenten ontbreekt het hen niet. Bespreking: Vera http://users.pandora.be/prog-nose/albums_2002/romislokus_vinyl_spring_digital_autumn.htm Top Romislokus - Between Two Mirror's Country of Origin: Russia Format: CD Record Label: Wisky Studio Year of Release: 2001 Info: Website Samples: Website Tracklist: Cold (4:20), The Wood Cutter (3:14), Give A Glance (2:41), Through The Love (2:48), The Thunderstorm Is Coming (4:53), The Mist (4:11), Termites (6:00), Minute (3:55), Jackdaws (4:21), Three Colors (6:55) Admittedly, Russia is one country where my knowledge of progressive rock is near to nil, bar a few bands. Thus the album Between Two Mirror's was received with eager anticipation and I must admit to have been pleasantly surprised. The band has been around for about three years or so and is composed of Evgeniy Goerlov (keyboards, vocals), Irina Yunakovskaya (cello), Mihail Voronov (lead guitar), Mihail Brovarnik (bass) and Yuriy Smolnikov (rhythm guitar, vocals). Stylistically the band describe themselves as a progressive rock/ambient band, a description that could be attributed to them though one could also add that there is an element of alternative rock that forms an integral part of their style. Being Russian, the vocals are also sung in Russian and though this could be a drawback to those who like to focus on the lyrical content of an album, the language does not form any barrier to the enjoyment of the album. In fact Gorelov's vocals are carried out in an almost narrative style that blends in with the mysterious and dark nature of the music. Furthermore, my impression of former Eastern block bands is their attempt to re-create the sound of the seventies by rehashing material that sound so much like various other classical bands. However, Romislokus have managed to create an alternative and new style, that could still be attributed to various influences, though they manage to sound so very fresh and different. From the opening track, Cold, one realises that the band place a lot of importance on the ambient sound created by the keyboards. Sometimes the music does tend to hark back to the kraut-rock days of bands such as Can and Kraftwerk, and possibly the reason for the song being called Cold was the very fact that much of the works by these greats was described as being too cold and calculated. Furthermore the use of the keyboard effects, and the occasional drum machine, does at times remind me of a latter day Depeche Mode and even Talk Talk, especially on the The Wood Cutter. With Give A Glance the band start to come out of their shell of what seems to be calculated and somewhat over-cautious music. Not that there is a radical change in the programming, yet the addition of the cello to the whole musical aura gives the track a much wider listening range. Whereas with various other prog-bands such a diversion occurs via a guitar and sometimes a violin solo, Romislokus introduce a rich cello sound which further adds to the overall melancholy as well depth of the band's sound. At times the band do try bands such as U2 in their adaptation of computer enhanced effects that are merged together with their rock sound as happens on The Thunderstorm Is Coming, though it is with The Mist that the album suddenly takes a turn towards a darker and moodier approach. The sound has a Goth-like touch to it reminding me at times of bands such as Paradise Lost as various effects are merged in with the increasingly harder edged guitar work. As the rest of the album remains within the same ambient soundscape with Floydian surroundings amidst Eno-esque effects and at times Van Morrisonian vocalisations, we come to the closing number, Three Colours, which is in my opinion the highlight of the album. This track explores all the musical avenues that were portrayed on this album with the addition of some harrowing female vocals that further add to the dramaticity of the band's music. Between Two Mirror's is not your normal run of the mill progressive rock album with lengthy solos and complex time signatures. However the modus operandi of this band with the delicate introduction of various instruments as the cello make this album a must for those who like the rather more subtle side of progressive rock such as bands like After Crying and possibly even Brian Eno. Don't let the fact that the lyrics are in Russian discourage you as the way they are executed allows them to blend in perfectly with the music of the album. Conclusion: 8 out of 10. Nigel Camilleri http://www.dprp.vuurwerk.nl/reviews/0206.htm#romislokus Top Occasionally an album comes out that seems to be broken up into 2 completely different types of music. The Russian band Romislokus's first release is one of these. Between Two Mirrors begins as a rather mellow bit of avant-garde electronica. With the silky laid back feel of Roxy Music's late seventies sound mixed in with the trance ambient stylings of electronica today, the songs flow forth in an easy going flow. Fans that find this sound appealing will definitely enjoy this first half. The sound is far from being progressive and the electronic drums may not appeal to fans of the harder rock variations of prog rock. On "The Mist", track 6, the band suddenly changes direction. There's the hint of edgy guitar, flute samples and a proggy riff. Plus the band places their viola to the forefront. For the second half of the album, we suddenly hear a transformation to the darker moods of experimental bands like After Crying and the intellectual sound sculpting of earlier Brian Eno works. The electronica plays second fiddle to a more analog streamlined sound. The seven minute final track, "Three Colors," explores all avenues of avant-garde music and with its soft female vocals, maintains an accessibility and warmth. When I put on Between Two Mirrors, I find myself starting at this track and playing the CD to the end. And I do it over and over again. If you like electronica, and like smoother, moodier sounds, Romislokus is a band who has put out an album that is very original and should appeal to you. http://www.progressiveworld.net/romislokus2.html Top I went to my PO Box and was surprised to see a package from Russia. In all my years of covering independent bands from around the world, this was a first. I felt honored and flattered that a group from that far away would bother to send me their CD. Out of curiosity I took the CD and put it in my stereo and flipped through the tracks to listen to bits of each song. I heard Russian lyrics and some ambient music. I had my doubts if this was something that would catch my ear. I put the CD to the side with the intent on getting back to it the next day. What a difference a day makes. I had new ears and more of an open mind this time around to give this music a fair shot. I really liked what I heard. I didn't understand the lyrics but I did notice the lead singer had a good voice. The music is an interesting blend of ambient and progressive with just a slight hint of jazz around the edges. The entire CD was something new and different for me. That is something that a reviewer desperately needs at times and this recording filled that desire very nicely. There are some beautiful keyboards and vocals provided by Evgeniy Gorelov, Irina Yunakovskaya plays the cello to add the classical touch, Mihail Voronov fills in the spaces with some great guitar work, and Mijail Brovarnik holds down the backbeat on bass with Yuriy Smolnikov on drums. This isn't real exciting music, it's too ethereal and light to fall into that category. This is the kind of music you need to sit down and listen to intently to decide what it can do for you, it's simple as that. It was a relaxing trip to outer space for me. We all need to leave this plane on occasion to regenerate and this music opened that door. http://www.progressiveworld.net/romislokus.html Top It's a pity more bands out of Eastern Europe and Russia don't get heard in North America, because there are some great things going on there musically. Take for example, Romislokus. They dub themselves a "project" rather than a band, and are comprised of members from a variety of backgrounds ranging from economics to biotechnology to law to computers. A few of them are also classical musicians. Their idea is to bring their diverse non-musical and non-rock backgrounds together to create a unique and diverse sound. "Music is philosophy in practice," one of the band members said in an e-mail communication. "In any case, philosophical sight on the world is the attribute of every good musician. Music helps us to live." Listening to it, I hear a variety of styles blending together, including progressive rock, space rock, orchestral sounding pop, ambient, dance, and classical, the latter due in a large part to the moody cello-playing of Irina Unakovskaya - not something you hear often in rock music. Then again, they have a relentless passion for new ideas and new sounds. "As far as the professions of Romislokus are different from each other so everyone's approach to music is different too. Common opinion is achieved with the help of a common searching for new ideas. It is created on the place of crossing of everyone's knowledge and everyone's lifetime experiences. It is very interesting: to open the way nobody walks and to use it in our songs." You may think this might lead to something so experimental that it would be difficult on the ears, but the music of Romislokus is surprisingly easy to listen too. They manage to bring a very nice accessibility to their sound without sacrificing their integrity or their goals. The songs range from the spacey opener, Cold, with it's throbbing, slow sequences and it's curious X-Files-like melody courtesy of keyboardist Evgenity Gorelov, to The Thunderstorm is Coming, an upbeat, funky groove with great accents from Unakovskaya's cello. The dark and edgy Termites is a stand out, with its eerie electronic effects, chant-like chorus, and deeply spacey breaks, and is contrasted nicely by the breezier Minute, with it's jazzy rhythm guitar and psychedelic synth sounds. Vocalist (and rhythm guitarist) Uriy Smolnikov has a rich and versatile baritone. He can sing with a deep and almost menacing resonance, then turn easily to a light and emotional delivery. Sometimes he sort of speaks the lyrics too, sounding a bit like Till Lindemann of Rammstein when he does. The lyrics are all in Russian, a choice made by the band for a reason. "To our mind the English language gives the rhythmic basis of rock song," one of the members said. "The rhythmic structure of the Russian language is different from English; that's why our music has it's own specialty." Personally, I have always enjoyed listening to music with vocals in other languages than English, even if I don't understand what the vocalist is singing about. It always lends an exotic feel to the music for me. Whether Romislokus have achieved their lofty goals is probably up to the listener to decide. But I can tell you that this album was a great pleasure to listen to (and made for some great late night driving music too!) For more information you can visit the Romislokus web site at: http://romislokus.com/. (Yes, there's an English version) Reviewed by Jeff Fitzgerald http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue18/romislok.html Top From Russia... with a lot of creativity! An enjoyable surprise. This is hard-to-define music. Although you have the impression that you've heard it somewhere else, you can't tell where. This is maybe because of the combination of various elements: programming, cello, bass, guitars, the whole musical mood, the freshness, the use of their language (even if you don't understand Russian: you can check the lyrics at their official website), and finally, the fact that this music comes from Russia. The album opens with the ambient "Cold" (maybe I have to use the term "slower beat"). It's not until "The Wood Cutter" that you begin to realize what to expect of "Between Two Mirrors". The style begins to "change" although interestingly, the mood prevails thanks to the good guitar reverb and Yuriy's voice narrating -not singing- in "Through the love". The singing begins in my favorite for airing in the radio: "The Thunderstorm Is Coming" where the whole band make a superb job. Even when it's the track with the most synthetic drum programming, it's the album first single. The band continues to grow with the melancholic "The Mist". Cello and bass along with the bells identifies the origins of Romislokus in the powerful "Termite" (my favorite along with "The Thunderstorm..."), followed by the psicho-technodelic "Minute", the ballad on "Jackdaws" and the culmination with the superb "Three Colors". And please, don't misunderstand me: this album doesn't come to its final tracks from a less quality beggining. Romislokus open our ears track by track to a concert of creativity and good music. If we can obviate some production details that you may notice only at the end of each track: sometimes very abrupt (or it is my subconscious that doesn't want the songs to end?), this is a great debut! Ciro Velazquez, Septiembre 25, 2001 http://www.eufonia.net/html/romislokus.html Top |
