Artists

‘Music for Underwater Supermarkets’ new album by Roman Angelos in Peaceful Radio Show 1477

18 February 2022 Artists

“Insanely cheerful and groovy lounge muzak. It’s fantastic” ~ Electronic Sound
“Pretty Glorious” ~ Stewart Maconie, BBC 6 Music
“This music is spacey, it’s chill, it’s clever and it’s fun – it’s about time someone is
doing this” ~ The Record Stache
“Fluid and meditative, yet so catchy – taking the best concept of elevator music to
new lounge-loving heights, Roman Angelos puts the thrill in chill on what would be
ideal sonic accompaniment to future modernist design” ~ Amplify Music Magazine
“A fun escapist collection of music” ~ The Electricity Club
“The whole thing sounds as though it was played with love shot through with a
dash of humour… You could do far worse than treat yourself to Spacetronic
Lunchbox and put a grin back on your face” ~ Freq
“Guaranteed to stick in your brain” ~ Shindig!
London-based label Happy Robots Records has released his sophomore
album ‘Music For Underwater Supermarkets’ by Brooklyn-based electronic
artist Roman Angelos. This ten-track collection paints a sonic dreamscape where
the mundane act of grocery shopping meets the future.
A dreamy aquatic meditation that is an ode to joyous childhood memories, this
record was recorded live to tape, all together in one room, with most of the tracks
being first takes.
Ahead of this, Roman Angelos previewed the lead track ‘Swimming Through The
Aisles’, a snaking composition in 7/4 that propels the listener through water like a
diver looking for signs of life in the deep. A dark combination of ‘Kind of Blue’ and
50s exotica, this mysterious tune is reminiscent of modular jazz with some
wriggling synths sprinkled on top.
Roman Angelos is the solo project of producer Rich Bennett, developed as a
vehicle for Rich to explore his obsession with library recordings of the 60’s and 70s,
muzak and exotica. Exotic, dreamy, and wistful, this is the sound of a jazz sextet as
channeled through synths and drum machines, creating a spacey feel.
2020’s debut for Happy Robots ‘Spacetronic Lunchbox’ was a burst of sonic
nostalgia that boasted 11 songs in 10 minutes. It gained praise from Freq, The
Electricity Club, Electronic Sound, Shindig!, as well as radio play from on BBC6
Music from Cerys Matthews and Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone, plus Bob Fisher at
BBC Tees.
Beyond the world of library electronica, Rich has been involved in a diverse group
of musical projects, including the newly reunited outsider/60s proto-punk group The
Shaggs, dream pop outfit Mahogany, and Brazilian funk group Limoncello, in
addition to production work with Stereolab’s Morgane Lhote (aka Hologram
Teen).
‘Music for Underwater Supermarkets’ continues and extends Roman’s obsession
with the library and soundtrack music of the past. This time, he fuses that aesthetic
with childhood memories of being pushed around in shopping carts and visiting
strip malls. Vibraphones chime alongside woodwinds and vintage synthesizers,
creating an immersive sound that feels exotic and smooth.
“This record is very near and dear to my heart because it is filled with so many
personal childhood memories. A lot of the musical ideas and vibe are drawn from
aural memories I had while shopping with my parents when I was younger,”
says Rich Bennett.
“The underwater idea came to me while I started working on the tunes – so much of
the writing seemed to have this hazy yet buoyant quality, and the idea of placing a
supermarket underwater seemed to give the music both a bit of whimsy and
seriousness. Which I’d say I always try and straddle”.
Produced by Rich Bennett at Acme Hall Studios in Brooklyn, this album was
recorded by Colin Marston (Jarboe, Sailors With Wax Wings) and mastered
by Justin Colletti (Soundpool, Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis, Dead Leaf
Echo).
The ‘Music For Underwater Supermarkets’ LP, distributed by Cargo Records, is
now available digitally and on green vinyl. Limited to 200 copies, it was pressed at
Deepgrooves, rated as the “greenest vinyl pressing plant in the world” due to their
eco-friendly vinyl pressing policies. The album can be found on Spotify and Apple
Music, and can be ordered in all formats via Bandcamp

Benno Veugen Music for Underwater Supermarkets, Roman Angelos