LISTEN: Romance Delivers Five Tracks of Broken Bliss
“designed to be a cohesive experience in the realm of introspective dance music”
The above quote describes the excellent five track reckless romance EP from Cameron Lee aka romance (small ‘r’). And it couldn’t be more apt, it’s a release which feels super tight. Cameron is no stranger to us: he is the Penelope Two-Five beatmaker from Queensland drifting slowly into Australia's wider dance music consciousness. Alongside being the debut romance release, it’s the first one too for the Pray Tell label, a new venture from the Brisbane-based arts and events platform with the same name. And it’s a win all round.
The EP is a ride through haunting beats and ghostly melodies which will reward multiple listens. In fact, the tenebrous tones make it feel like it was produced in a photography darkroom. Yet nothing feels bland, it’s all polished perfectly, and each track is rooted in fractured yet flush rhythms that wouldn't sit out of place on Ben UFO's Rinse FM show. Check the cracks inside the rolling and moody drums of 'unlocked' and ‘crumble’, it’s tailor-made for the shimmering melodies to seep through. Opener 'kin' is a slow release of poison that will hook you before you know it, while closer 'vitalite' delivers a blissful ride through breaks. The chanting sample and rubber-band bassline of ‘morpho' is strangely uplifting, and the slight drum pattern shift towards the end is a spicy change of energy.
Safe to say its the ultimate start to any discography - and debut releases don't come much better than this. Sign us up.