Skatman - Aromanticism (2021)

Following his latest contribution to Innervisions Limbo compilation and a personal EP on TAU, Skatman returns to his home of Scatcity Records, offering up his second album Aromanticism.

This eight track collection defines Skatman's current artistic direction as well as his vision for the future of his label and the melodic scene. We see him bring his sound forward as a more minimalistic approach to the deep and melodic sounds that have shaped him o-ver the years.

Skatman's mission with this LP is to bring back the integrity to the sound he loves, taking it to a new level and triggering a change of direction within the niche that is melodic electronic music. The name 'Aromanticism' is a reference to the revolutionary aspect of the realism movement that happened as a reaction to what dominated art and literature in the age of romanticism in the 19th century.

'New Era' is up first, introducing you to the album with delicate lead lines and a mellow, broken house groove that eases you into the sound of Skatman. 'Sophie Maria' is again melodically driven, with a soft underlying bass line carrying reverb soaked chords and twinkling flurries of synth patterns.

Skatman starts to darken the mood with 'Moonlight Shadows', bringing much tripper and adverse sounds to the stage, paving the way perfectly for the more minimal sounds of 'Orient Maze'.

'Intergalactic Knights' launches into vinyl number two with echoing snare hits and more mind boggling hooks before the chugging, meatier 'Words Don't Make Sense' storms through with an ethereal vocal sample and marching percussion.

'Purple Rain' begins the journey back to earth with rattling hi-hats carrying reverb dren-ched leads and a monotonous bass line. Closing the show is the title track 'Aromanti-cism' which sees Skatman offer up a groovier percussive backbone and 80s influenced pads, gelling around a slightly acidic bass foundation.