Album of the Week - "Memory Box" by Rodney Cromwell

Rodney Cromwell is a singer-songwriter and artist whose hallucinogenic haze of electronica takes you down a minimalistic maze of synth-pop that transcends a dream-like state. Through his pristine production, Cromwell’s music is classically crafted and stays true to the avant-garde influences of synth-pop. Like a cool breeze of 60s lounge pop, combined with the innovative sounds of electronica, Cromwell’s music is an eclectic mix of swirly synths, neon-illumination and abstract ambience. Dipping in the DNA pool of Air, Kraftwerk, Neu, Stereolab and Goldfrapp, Cromwell is an artist whose politically infused and emotionally driven lyrics reflect the uncertainties and disillusions of our times.

Having released his debut LP ‘Age of Anxiety’ (2015) and ‘Rodney’s English Disco’ EP (2018), Cromwell has been busy touring across the UK and Spain supporting artists such as Pram, Marsheaux, Death & Vanilla, Rowetta and Steve Davis. In 2020, Cromwell also performed as part of Damo Suzuki’s backing band whilst gaining a growing fan base.

Following the success of his self-titled track, “Memory Box” released on 27th October 2021, and the single “Opus Three”, along with the B-side “Perception Management”, on 3rd February 2022, Cromwell has released his new album “Memory Box”. Released on March 18th 2022, via Happy Robot Records, “Memory Box” has been selected as my “Album Of The Week”.

Listening to Memory Box is like finding a secret treasure chest, in a dusty attic, that reveals a multitude of hidden gems, that links past to present and provides the missing link to the future. It’s a wonderous place, that digs underground and builds mysterious passages, tunnels and gateways into a world of synth-pop magic. It’s an album that jitters and reverberates from the circuit boards of euro-pop, whilst conducting from the electromagnetic fields of ambient trance. It’s a magnetic swirl of dreampop that sweeps you away and draws you in, to a faraway place of utopia and sonic soul searching.

Through the intermittent beeps and digital drones, Memory Box taps into the frequency of new wave pop, whilst transmitting a signal to its intergalactic space stations. Through its electronic explorations, Memory Box time travels to the origins of 60s psychedelic and bops in the hedonistic hallways of acid space-rock. It’s an eclectic mix of electro-pop that pulsates with a surge of Krautrock, that delivers with uber-cool resilience and nonchalant breeze. Through the robo-infused vocals, Memory Box regresses back to the heyday of 70s and early 80s of post-punk and reworks the sentimental stills of yesteryear. It’s a captivating album, that hopscotches back to the playful sentiments of youth and adds a sophisticated sheen of robust arrangements.

Like clockwork toys walking through the playground of electronica, Memory Box rotates and spins with a torsion spring of impetuous energy. It’s textured improvisation, that unravels its luminescent layers, whilst leaving a cloak of mystery and suspense. It’s a 3D of hybrids, a criss-cross of pathways, that strobe light beneath the disco-balls of experimental pop. Through the interludes of flicker synths and fluorescent flashes, Memory Box free-styles between the lime lights of new wave and chrome reflections of industrial pop. Travelling through the pipelines of fluty psychedelia, Memory Box, whistles aside the clangers and raves amongst the stars. It’s a unique work of art, that trails like a concentric comet, whilst sliding down the whirly worm holes and escaping into a parallel universe.

The ‘Memory Box’ LP is out now via Happy Robots Records with distribution by Cargo Records. Available on yellow vinyl, it can also be obtained in stores and digitally from all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Written and recorded by Adam Cresswell
Mixed & co-produced by Richard Bennett at Acme Hall Studios, NYC
Mastered by Pete Maher
Album artwork by Martin J Langthorne
Released via Happy Robots Records

UK LIVE SHOWS
19th March 2022, The Cavandish Arms, London with SPRAY & Circuit 3
25th March 2022, AATMA, Manchester with SPRAY and Factory Acts
3rd April 2022, New Cross Inn supporting A Flock of Seagulls