The coming decade will likely be defined by an endless stream of content within the music industry; Patreons, Remixes, NFTs and further social media. There are still bands out there resistant to this shift, one of them being UK outfit Rolo Tomassi, who are set to return with Where Myth Becomes Memory. Since the release of 2018’s Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It and following touring, Rolo Tomassi have been quietly putting together their follow up to one of that year’s finest records. With one show to their name post-lockdown, performed in Brighton last year and three singles to date, the group have built anticipation in a more traditional manner, leaving you never feel like you see too much of what they have to offer, leaving you wanting more each time. Singles like “Drip” and “Closer” have given a peak into what now appears to be a band fully entering their golden years.
What Rolo Tomassi have done on previous records, and continue to do with Where Myth Becomes Memory is create an ethereal world that is preserved within the run time of the record. That essence they have crafted quickly engulfs the album with Rolo’s gentle opener, a structuring that will be familiar to listeners of their discography. Eva Korman’s gorgeous clean vocals are certainly the crux of “Almost Always“, but this is to not discount the key work of James Spence, whose chord progression on the bridge gives the first heart-stopping lyricism its potency.
“Are you listening to your heart?
What happens when it stops?
Are you waiting for a sign? A goodbye?
What do you do when you’re lost?“
The celestial nature of the track fools the mind. The longest track on the album passes by like a pleasant daydream, and lulls a forgetfulness that the ferocity that Rolo are known for might just be on the horizon. In what can be considered the album’s first act, the roaring guitars from Chris Cayford blend with Korman‘s intense vocals on “Cloaked“, with the groove on the drums from Al Potts giving the track its spine. The blunt use of C# on the opening of “Mutual Ruin” and following frenzied instrumentals advance the blistering sound, as “Labyrinthine” reaches the almost shouted vocals of “Set in time”, “Pour your heart into it“, any worries that Rolo might be taking a softer route on this album are almost immediately quelled.
The trio of tracks, which more than match up to previous scorchers such as “Rituals“, with the sublime and tight production at hand give these heavy moments an extra punch that hasn’t been present in previous albums. Nothing in the mix feels out of place, and it builds a mosaic of sound, with each guitar chord and drum hit glistening on the production. These heavier cuts give mid-point track “Closer” its revitalising quality, with the delicate nature of the track. It is a testament to Rolo Tomassi that they are able to replicate their outstanding quality in these gentler moments, with Korman’s cleans being some of the finest in the scene today.
Act 2 of Where Myth Becomes Memory gets off to a slightly wobbly start with “Drip“, with an introduction that resembles somebody beating and vacuuming the dust out of their carpet. The now familiar passionate turmoil of the album make its return in a now familiar fashion. There are layers of vulnerability and strength intertwined in this track, both lyrically and sonically. In its closing moments, the way the chord progression of the piano keys are layered in between the vocals and wider instrumentals perfectly reflects this. With both this and “Prescience” there is an eye of storm atmosphere to this section of Where Myth Becomes Memory. It’s unrelenting in every aspect, which each moment being an unrelenting barrage of emotion. With the verse and performance on the following verse epitomising it;
“For those of us leaning into harm’s way
With everything to lose
Was this the grand conclusion?
To sink with everything that’s gone“
As the final trio of tracks begins with an introspective interlude with “Stumbling“, in which the weary and tired mood present has a natural and relatable quality after the outpouring of emotion present in previous tracks. The detail present on a simpler track like this, using chords such as Am7 give it the tense and lost atmosphere which the next, and arguably best track, “To Resist Forgetting“, will provide catharsis to. The penultimate track is one of the heaviest and best the unit have penned to date. Everything is amped a notch to give it a feeling of grandeur with the album’s song writing reaching its peak here. As the dual vocals between Korman and Spence hit, it’s a perfect closing moment for Where Myth Becomes Memory before it drifts into its epilogue.
It is a challenge to put into words how poetically beautiful the final track “The End Of Eternity” is, the way the guitar and piano move up from the lower chords to the effortless transition into crashing hooks. It encapsulates the divine lyricism on the record with verses like;
“An empty space, glittering gold
Our hearts grow bolder, so I’m told
Moments seem eternal
Full of mistakes, words can’t convey
But what if there’s an accident?
That gives us no chance to pretend
What if my days were all misspent
What if I don’t see you again?“
As the final chords strike it is difficult not to be in awe at was has occurred in the albums run time of just short of 50 minutes. As an album Where Myth Becomes Memory goes beyond the usual confines of the genre to create Rolo Tomassi’s finest album. It thrives in both its gentle moments and moments of intensity, and their ability to gracefully combine these is commendable. There is a poetic essence that distinguishes it from its companions, that a tale has been told through various chapters and acts within the album. Where Myth Becomes Memory is a deeply rewarding album for those are willing to spend time with it and embrace it, and in it will find new moments of beauty with each listen.
10/10
Rolo Tomassi – Where Myth Becomes Memory is out this Friday via MNRK Music and can be pre-ordered here.