Roam (musician)

Last updated

Roam
Roam aka RoamGarage.png
Roam in studio
Background information
Origin Toronto, Canada
Genres
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • MIDI
  • guitar
  • synthesizer
  • vocals
Years active2017–present
LabelsIndependent, Biblioteka Records, Pyramid Blood

Roam is a Canadian electronic musician, record producer and songwriter based out of Toronto. Roam gained notoriety in late 2017 for his production style which often blends UK garage, future garage and 2-step garage influences with modern Toronto hip hop sounds and production techniques. Roam has released 2 full-length studio albums, 1 compilation album, 4 EPs and several singles since 2017. In 2022 he was named 1 of 8 artists shaping the future of Canadian electronic music [1]

Contents

Musical career

2017–2018

Roam released the singles "Taker" and "Say It" in 2017, the latter of which prompted NOW magazine to claim Roam was both a "musician to watch" as well as the music producer bringing musical styles such as UK garage, trip hop and early 2000s minimal house to Toronto. [2]

On 14 February 2018, Roam released his debut album, Remnants on Vice. Noisey writer Phil Witmer claimed Roam was "the producer bringing dark UK garage to Toronto" comparing his music to the work of UK Bass and Future garage artist Burial. [3] Witmer also stated that Remnants emphasized the cultural and musical ties that London and Toronto share. [3] The album received warm praise from Kevin Press of Exclaim! Magazine who made note of Roam's production and sampling of R&B vocals. [4]

Shortly after the release of Remnants Roam released the single "Echoes" in early spring. The single was included in a NOW Magazine playlist made up of music from Toronto's "Rising Stars". [5]

In April, Toronto rap duo HardToKill released their self-titled project Hard To Kill featuring "Papercranes", which was produced by Roam. [6] [7]

In July, Roam released a 4 track EP, DEPTHS, which was inspired by a three-year period during which he struggled with mental health complications. [8] Depths also received praise from Exclaim! Magazine. [9]

In October 2018, Roam premiered the acoustic UKG song "Embraced..." on Complex's UK site. [10]

2019

In March 2019, with the help of writer Melissa Vincent, Roam published a series of poems on Canadian music and pop culture website A.Side to help illustrate the meanings and circumstances behind each song on DEPTHS. [11]

On the same day as the release of the poems, Roam also premiered the song "All Night" on indie music blog Ohestee.

In late spring, Toronto-based arts and culture publication Demo Magazine published their 15th Issue highlighting Sean Leon and Roam, framing them as "new artists who are just emerging onto the dynamic Canadian music scene." [12] The issue included a 2-page interview feature on Roam in which he was dubbed "Toronto's Future Garage Producer". [12]

Later that year, Roam released the song "Regrets".

2020-2021

In early May, Roam released the lead up singles "Momentum" and "Fools Errand", shortly afterwards releasing his second album, The Wraith, on 16 May 2020. The album was featured on Resident Advisor and XLR8R. The Wraith was about what it feels like to "drift apart from our oldest & dearest friends, the ones who we often assume will be around forever & with whom we’ve shared considerably large parts of our lives." [13] The title ‘The Wraith’ is a metaphor for "the memory of the bond you had with someone and how it can haunt you before you accept reality & move on". [13] North American RA Editor Andrew Ryce stated that "the album features gorgeous, perfectly swung tracks". [14] Jordan Darville of The Fader called the album "a hidden gem with flashes of brilliant color dancing across its overwhelming greyscale". [15]

Roam's production on The Wraith draws elements from various other musical genres in addition to the genres Roam usually employs. The album includes a re-worked version of Roam's 2018 single "Embraced..." that featured different drums, more guitar elements and a modified arrangement. The tone of the album was inspired by films such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , Her and Lost in Translation , featuring dialogue from each film. The final song "Fools Errand" (the third of the album's three bonus tracks) was inspired by the collective societal anxieties induced by the physical distancing and self-quarantine protocols used to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. [16]

In July, while fundraising through Bandcamp for initiatives that support Black Lives and Anti-racism Roam released the song "Reckonings", a song inspired by the global BLM protests against racial injustices as well as his own experiences as a Black Person. [17] The song was featured on NOW Magazine's Best Music of 2020 List. [18]

In early August, Roam released the song "Whispers" with independent experimental label Biblioteka Records.

On 19 October, a music video for the song "Fools Errand" was released and was featured on Resident Advisor. The video, much like the song itself was also inspired by the COVID-19 physical distancing and self-quarantine measures. [16]

On 21 December, Roam released "How To Let Go". The single was featured in The Fader, Resident Advisor and NOW Magazine. The Fader called the single an example of sonic hauntology with "inviting synths that dance like butterflies over the skittering beat, as stretched vocals moan like ghostly choirs." [15] The Resident Advisor piece revealed that the song was intended to be "a bit of an early xmas gift that encouraged people to positively look towards the future after the horrendous year we've had". [19] NOW included the song in their "Start 2021 on a High Note" music feature. [20]

Later during 2021 Roam released the song "ChangeOfHeart".

2022–2024

On 14 August 2022 Roam released a 5 song EP called "Paid Dues (Vol.1)".

The following year in April Roam released a single called "THE ONE" which was included on a new 4 song EP called "Paid Dues (Vol.2)" released in May. A week later Roam released a new version of his 2020 album The Wraith entitled "The Wraith (Remastered & Abridged)" featuring improved mixes, arrangements, some added instrumentation and a more concise runtime.

In November 2023 Roam released a single and music video for the song "TRADES" the lead single from his 6 song EP "REVENGE" which followed very shortly after.

In June 2024 Roam released the single "Nasty"; later revealed by CBC Music to be a part of a compilation project entitled "DEVIANTS" [21] released exclusively on Bandcamp with physical editions published by Pyramid Blood Records.

Discography

Studio albums

List of full-length albums, with selected details
TitleAlbum Details
Remnants
  • Released: 14 February 2018
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download
The Wraith
  • Released: 16 May 2020
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download
The Wraith (Remastered & Abridged)
  • Released: 16 May 2023
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download

Compilation albums/mixtapes

List of compilations and mixtapes, with selected details
TitleAlbum Details
DEVIANTS
  • Released: 26 July 2024
  • Label: Pyramid Blood
  • Format: digital download, physical release (CD and Cassette)

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details
TitleEP Details
Depths
  • Released: 31 July 2018
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download
Paid Dues (Vol.1)
  • Released: 14 August 2022
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download
Paid Dues (Vol.2)
  • Released: 8 May 2023
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download
REVENGE
  • Released: 30 Nov 2023
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: digital download

Singles

List of singles as a lead artist, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Taker"2017Remnants
"Say It"
"Echoes"2018non-album single
"Embraced..."non-album single
"All Night"2019non-album single
"Regrets"non-album single
"Momentum"2020The Wraith
"Fools Errand"
"Reckonings"non-album single
"Whispers"non-album single
"How to Let Go"non-album single
"ChangeOfHeart"2021non-album single
"The One"2023Paid Dues Vol. 2
"TRADES"2023REVENGE
"Nasty"2024DEVIANTS

Music videos

List of music videos, showing year released and directors
TitleYearDirector(s)
"Fools Errand"

2020

Jamie Hurcomb
"TRADES"2023Roam

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-Trak</span> Musical artist

Alain Macklovitch, known professionally as A-Trak, is a Canadian DJ, record producer, and record executive. He came to prominence in the late 2000s as an international club DJ and remix artist, known for incorporating highly technical turntable skills and scratching into his genre-spanning work. He is also president of the record label Fool's Gold, which was founded in 2007, and is credited for developing the careers of artists such as Kid Cudi, Danny Brown, and Flosstradamus. Among other collaborative projects, he is part of the DJ duo Duck Sauce with Armand Van Helden and was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for their song "Barbra Streisand".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shad (rapper)</span> Canadian rapper and broadcaster (born 1982)

Shadrach Kabango, better known as Shad or Shad K, is a Canadian recording artist and broadcaster. He has released 7 full-length albums and 3 EP's since his debut in 2005. He won a Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year in 2011 and 5 of his albums have been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, the most short-list nominations of any artist in the prize's history. In 2013, CBC Music named Shad the second-greatest Canadian rapper of all time. Shad hosted Q on CBC Radio One from 2015 to 2016 and hosts the International Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution on HBO Canada and Netflix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BadBadNotGood</span> Canadian instrumental group

BadBadNotGood is a Canadian instrumental band and production team from Toronto, Canada. The group was founded in 2010 by bassist Chester Hansen, keyboardist Matthew Tavares, and drummer Alexander Sowinski. In 2016, they were joined by frequent collaborator Leland Whitty. Among other projects, the group has released six solo studio albums, with the latest, Mid Spiral, released in July 2024. They have had critical and crossover success, finding audiences in the hip hop, jazz, and alternative music communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arca (musician)</span> Venezuelan musician (born 1989)

Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, known professionally as Arca, is a Venezuelan musician and record producer based in Barcelona, Spain. She initially began releasing music under the name of Nuuro. After attending the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Ghersi first released the EP Baron Libre (2012) under the name Arca and subsequently released the EPs Stretch 1 and Stretch 2; the latter experimented with hip hop and brought her attention from prominent music publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PUP (band)</span> Canadian punk rock band

PUP is a Canadian punk rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 2010, originally under the name Topanga. PUP's debut album PUP was released on October 8, 2013, on Royal Mountain Records. In December 2013, PUP signed with SideOneDummy Records and re-released their debut album in the United States on April 8, 2014. The group was in the studio in late 2015 recording their second album The Dream Is Over which was released on May 27, 2016, through SideOneDummy. The band's third album, titled Morbid Stuff, was released on April 5, 2019. This Place Sucks Ass, a six-track EP, was released on October 27, 2020. Their fourth album, The Unraveling of PUPTheBand, was released on April 1, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keys N Krates</span> Canadian electronic music band

Keys N Krates is a Canadian electronic music band formed in 2008 out of Toronto, Ontario. The group consists of drummer Adam Tune, keyboardist David Matisse and turntablist Jr. Flo. The band started as a live hip-hop act reliant on rough a cappella loops on top of heavy bass-driven beats. The band has had their music synced via EA Sports, FIFA, SkySports/SoccerAM, Toronto Raptors, Apple and more.

<i>Blank Banshee 0</i> 2012 studio album by Blank Banshee

Blank Banshee 0 is the debut studio album by Canadian artist and producer Blank Banshee. It was released for free via Bandcamp on September 1, 2012.

Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca has released ten studio albums, one remix album, two mixtapes, one compilation album, five DJ mixes, one box set, five extended plays (EPs), twenty-nine singles, twenty-three music videos, and ten remixes.

<i>Pharma</i> (album) 2017 studio album / Remix album by Nmesh

Pharma is a double album by American vaporwave producer Alex Koenig, also known as Nmesh. It was released August 4, 2017 on Orange Milk Records. It follows the same vaporwave style as other Nmesh albums like Nu.wav Hallucinations (2013) and Dream Sequins (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Housewife (band)</span> Canadian indie rock artist

Housewife is the Canadian indie rock musical project of Brighid Fry based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its founding members are Brighid Fry and Pascale Padilla, with a number of guest players joining them for live shows and recordings. Padilla left the band in late 2022.

Charlotte Day Wilson is a Canadian contemporary R&B singer-songwriter. She came to prominence in the mid-2010s with her single "Work" and collaborations with other Toronto-based artists like BadBadNotGood and Daniel Caesar. Wilson released her debut album Alpha in July 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yves Tumor</span> American musician and producer

Sean Lee Bowie, best known by the recording alias Yves Tumor, is an American musician and producer of experimental music, born in Miami, Florida, and currently based in Turin, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flava D</span> British DJ

Danielle Anne Louise Gooding, professionally known as Flava D, is an English UK garage, grime, bassline and drum and bass DJ and music producer. She was previously signed to the Butterz record label and is now signed to Hospital Records. She is one third of the supergroup TQD, alongside fellow producers Royal-T and DJ Q.

<i>Working Class Woman</i> 2018 studio album by Marie Davidson

Working Class Woman is the fourth solo studio album by French-Canadian musician Marie Davidson. It was released on Ninja Tune on 5 October 2018.

<i>Overload</i> (Georgia Anne Muldrow album) 2018 studio album by Georgia Anne Muldrow

Overload is a studio album by American musician Georgia Anne Muldrow. It was released on October 26, 2018, by Brainfeeder. Overload received a nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards.

Mustafa Ahmed, known as Mustafa, formerly known as Mustafa the Poet, is a Sudanese-Canadian poet, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker from Toronto. He released his debut studio album, When Smoke Rises, in May 2021.

TRP.P are a Canadian R&B and hip hop duo from Toronto, Ontario. The duo consists of producer Truss and singer-songwriter pHoenix Pagliacci.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luna Li</span> Musical artist

Hannah Bussiere Kim, better known by her stage name Luna Li, is a Canadian Toronto-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim rose to prominence after a series of videos of her home-performed multi-instrumental jam sessions, featuring her playing the harp, keyboard, guitar, and violin, became viral on social media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PTP (artist collective)</span> American artist collective

PTP, also known as Purple Tape Pedigree, is an American artist collective and independent record label based in New York City. PTP has been called "New York’s experimental incubator", and the collective has released recordings named among the best in new experimental, hip hop, metal, avant-garde, and electronic music. Pitchfork noted that "PTP's mission seems to be to annihilate genre boundaries and revel in the brilliant debris", and VICE has called PTP "home to some of the most boundary pushing music being made".

Debby Friday is an electronic musician based in Toronto. Her debut album, Good Luck, released on Sub Pop in 2023, won the Polaris Music Prize.

References

  1. ↑ Adams, Kelsey (4 August 2022). "8 artists shaping the future of Canadian electronic music".
  2. ↑ Streeter, Mark (31 January 2018). "Toronto musicians to watch in 2018: electronic edition".
  3. 1 2 "Roam Is the Producer Bringing Dark UK Garage to Toronto on 'REMNANTS'". www.vice.com. 16 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Roam Remnants". exclaim.ca.
  5. ↑ N. O. W. Staff (13 April 2018). "Rising stars shine in this playlist of new Toronto music". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "Hard to Kill's Self-Titled Album Is Rap for Surviving Anything". www.vice.com. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  7. ↑ "Hard to Kill's Brief but Banging "Paper Cranes" Shows That Size Matters Not". www.vice.com. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  8. ↑ "Demo 15". Issuu. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  9. ↑ "Roam Depths". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  10. ↑ "Premiere: Producer Roam Takes An Acoustic Approach To UKG With New Cut "Embraced..."". Complex. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  11. ↑ "Roam shares the poems that helped him achieve emotional catharsis". A.Side. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Demo 15". Issuu. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  13. 1 2 "The Wraith". XLR8R. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  14. ↑ "Friday Bandcamp Roundup: May 15th". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  15. 1 2 "Toronto producer Roam shares a new garage dream in "How To Let Go"". The FADER. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Watch the video for Toronto artist Roam's new single, 'Fools Errand'". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  17. ↑ "Bandcamp Friday: July 3rd". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  18. ↑ Trapunski, Richard (15 December 2020). "The best Toronto albums of 2020". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Toronto's Roam releases new single, 'How To Let Go'". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  20. ↑ Trapunski, Richard; Adams, Kelsey (31 December 2020). "Best new Toronto music: Start 2021 on a high note with these 6 songs". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  21. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/music/new-music-alessia-cara-anjulie-japandroids-sunsetto-tia-wood-1.7272507
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.