[above image credit – DGTL Records]
Fort Romeau, born Michael Greene, has been on an incredible journey since the inception of his career as an independent artist in 2012. His first release, ‘Kingdoms’, for 100% Silk, shot the artist to widespread prominence. Tracks like ‘Jack Rollin” and ‘Theo’ from that EP have stood the test of time as benchmarks of quality electronic music from the early 2010s, and served as a far cry to the synthpop that Greene had previously contributed to whilst keyboard player for La Roux.
Since this release, Greene has been involved in a staggering number of projects. His next major release came in 2015 in the form of the ‘Insides’ EP for Ghostly International. Whilst this didn’t quite hit the highs of ‘Kingdoms’, it still demonstrated his unquestionable talent for combining catchy synth hooks with dance floor-ready groove, particularly on tracks ‘Folle’ and ‘All I Want’.
With ‘Untitled II / A Familiar Place’, it appears that Greene has finally arrived at his destination. Much darker in its approach, this release takes a clear step away from the affable vibes that he had previously made his own. No longer can you expect Fort Romeau’s music to soundtrack your sunset. This is solid, 3am party material. ‘Untitled II’ is particularly menacing. With its repetitive, digitised arpeggios and unrelenting bass line, this is a rollercoaster of a record.
Here’s hoping Greene’s future releases will remain as bulletproof.