s/t (Thrill Jockey, 1996)
Rome was Richard Smith – bass, melodica, Elliot Dicks – drums, drum brain, Adam Gruel – synth. Rome is focused on space and depth in the literal sense. Richard uses several manipulative machines on his bass-delay, pitch shifter, electo magnet to alter not only the tone but the time. Adam recycles Richard’s live bass through a condenser mic on a cheap Yamaha sampler- originally designed as a toy to mess with short phrases- and then feeds the line through various effects, including delay. The results are gorgeously amorphous soundscapes undergirded by the familiar muscle of dublike bass lines. This textural exploration is not without form; however this form is far removed from the verse chorus verse more commonly found in rock. They do however retain the visceral energy of rock with the pulse provided by the drums of Elliot Dicks.
