It's double trouble from Touchin' Bass with two EPs from 214 (TwoFourteen) to be released simultaneously as an 8-track digital download and 4-track 12" vinyl. To sit at a table with the sounds of 214 is to be served large portions of honey-buttered electro beats, side dishes of synth-line treats, and dollops of IDM-get-down. Like most musicians, Chris Roman's path is rooted in a veritable melting pot of sounds. Some of the influences are obvious, others not so much. His Puerto Rican birthright and Miami upbringing ring apparent when he's pumping out sci-fi roller disco sounds, but when his vibe turns to the cold dark comfort of Detroit-esque minimal mind funk, it would seem this man forgets from whence he came. But it's not so much a lapse, as a love of diversity, a creative finesse with a variety of good tastes.
214 effortlessly blends lush Latin roots with robo-transformer trips, always maintaining a skilful balance between the nasty, the not-right, the cold, hard, and just-right, all at the same time. He's got plenty of tricks up his proverbial record sleeve, and he's been pulling them out for years now. 'Cascadian Nights' is named after The Cascades mountain range close to his home of Seattle, which has been a major influence on his music as well as his life, snowboarding there in winter and hiking in summer. Wherever you can find it, count on 214 for premium blend electro and assorted savoury flavours from the future.
An awesome release from one of our favorite electro labels - Touchin' Bass! |