Valere Aude is the debut LP from Romans, courtesy of the Bunker New York. The collaboration marks the joint forces of New York techno kingpin Gunnar Haslam and Vienna-based Johannes Auvinen, also known as Tin Man. The duo have been making techno as Romans since 2014, bringing together Tin Man's deep, 303-driven sound and Haslam's exploratory, modular textures.
Valere Aude is a psychedelic adventure through the hallucinogenic, acid-tinged veins of techno. The sonic heritage of acid house is particularly evident on tracks like "Legia," though it serves as a coarse garnish on several more throughout the record. "Locria" is driven by an illustrious spray of arpeggiated bells and marimbas, while "Via Agrippa," "Cyrene" and "Sobratha" reveal a coy affinity for abrasion and ambience.
Wedged between the delirious and erratic structures that underscore the majority of the record, the ambient segments stand out as Valere Aude's most impressive components. Although Romans is a collaborative effort between two dance floor heavyweights in their own right, the largely dark sound that has distinguished previous releases from Haslam emerges as this record's strongest aspect.
(The Bunker New York)Valere Aude is a psychedelic adventure through the hallucinogenic, acid-tinged veins of techno. The sonic heritage of acid house is particularly evident on tracks like "Legia," though it serves as a coarse garnish on several more throughout the record. "Locria" is driven by an illustrious spray of arpeggiated bells and marimbas, while "Via Agrippa," "Cyrene" and "Sobratha" reveal a coy affinity for abrasion and ambience.
Wedged between the delirious and erratic structures that underscore the majority of the record, the ambient segments stand out as Valere Aude's most impressive components. Although Romans is a collaborative effort between two dance floor heavyweights in their own right, the largely dark sound that has distinguished previous releases from Haslam emerges as this record's strongest aspect.