Review – Rome Will Burn’s Latest EP
By Brett Stewart
In this review, I’m delving into a rather compelling outfit, Rome Will Burn. The dynamic duo’s self-titled EP dropped last month in an effort to redefine electronic pop with intriguing new musical notions and themes. Do the eclectic performers do an apt job flipping a genre around? Well, surprisingly, yes, they do. Let’s dig into ‘Rome Will Burn.’
‘Chameleon,’ the opening of the EP, also acts as the definitive ‘single’ highlight of the collection. This dance-infused piece is remarkably well produced. It’s worth noting that when I review a piece, I actually go to the studio and queue the material up on monitors; I’m not sipping a coffee at Starbucks with Apple earbuds in. I mention that because Rome Will Burn is an absolute treat on a quality sound system. The incredible production of ‘Chameleon’ takes danceable pop to an entirely new level, utilizing immensely fascinating vocal layering, harmonies, string sections, and tight, superb beats.
Alyssa Suede and Manifesto, the moniker of Carlton Moody, make up Rome Will Burn with a partnership that was, as Suede says, ‘written in the stars.’ Suede’s vocal presence on the EP is authoritatively beautiful. She commands listener attention, accented wonderfully by an experimental soundscape. The ballad ‘These Three Words’ exhibits the duo as masterful interpreters of familiar content. There isn’t anything new about the subject matter of the song; it’s even a bit stereotypical. The way the two tackle it, however, breathes fresh energy into what would otherwise be a forgettable ballad.
As I briefly touched on, Rome Will Burn does a pretty solid job of effectively redesigning the pop electronic dance landscape. The classical influence is definitely a huge part of that – there are some string sections in this pieces that stand out because they aren’t synthesized. Some modern acts feel too comfortable to take on string sections from behind a Korg keyboard. The authenticity of the strings on Rome Will Burn is noticeably agreeable with their persona. ‘Waging Romance’ has nuances of that throughout, a song that actually takes those romantic tropes and revitalizes them further.
In addition to some classical vibes and heavy electronic pop influence, there are tinges of house and dub throughout ‘Rome Will Burn,’ though not to a significant extent. The duo’s wall of sound seems to explode, or rather, ‘drop’ at certain times. ‘Live By The Beat,’ a wholehearted dance tune if there ever was one, definitely embraces that on the latter half of the track. For what it endeavors to do, ‘Live By The Beat’ succeeds through every avenue.
The EP technically ends with ‘Body Language,’ one of the more complex pieces of the collection. The instrumentation is some of the best, utilizing some innovative production techniques and musical styles akin to funk. Actually, I’d argue it’s the epitome of a modern funk track since it incorporates so many contemporary pop and electronic styles so effectively. The final piece of the effort is ‘Chameleon,’ a clean version of the already-stellar track.
Check out ‘Rome Will Burn.’ They’re great and are actually reworking their niche in a way that feels effective and consistently compelling. It’s fun music with a surprising amount of depth, especially instrumentally. It’s some of the best indie pop music of 2015.