RENT ROMUS’ LORDS OF OUTLAND WITH VINNY GOLIA – Edge Of Dark

Edgetone

This music was influenced by writers such as Frank Herbert, Philip K. Dick and H.P. Lovecraft; it is quite fitting, then, that a typo in the cover says that it was recorded in October 2011, namely almost five months from the moment in which I’m writing these lines. In truth, there’s no ultramodern approach in the improvisations of this gorgeous quintet; they just go with the flow in absolute empathy, trusting the total unclogging of the respective auricular channels. Purposeful stuff all the way, played with large doses of powerfully throbbing heart; evident fearlessness in attempting a collective appreciation of the thousands of unexplored facets through which Lady Melody seduces receptive musicians. The multitudes of contrapuntal designs ask to be followed, combined and rendered artistically significant, the group responding accordingly. The amicable disparity between the styles of the reedists (leader Rent Romus and Vinny Golia) is indeed manna for those who are tired of spelling a saxophone solo exclusively as “free-bop derivation”. The idea given by the pair is one of a two-headed injunction of meaningfulness, intelligent information released without surplus of virtuosic fat, with lyrical snippets to spare. Bassist Ray Scheaffer’s 6-string sturdiness fills the low frequency area alone; a constant troublemaking growl, still refined enough to produce feet-cramping subdivisions with restless drummer Philip Everett. Except for the anarchic twists of the title track, CJ Borosque’s contribution on trumpet and electronics is not instantly in your face (I realized about certain “deforming subtleties” only while listening via headphones). But try and exclude those silently destabilizing codes from the acoustic panorama, and the general taste is not equally spicy. Great record, unlegislated yet synchronized visionaries at their best. Get a copy.