Music at Home: Fort Romeau

This time, Cin Cin label founder Fort Romeau, who’s kindly provided a picture of his cat Rhubarb, along with a book and film recommendation.

Check out Fort Romeau’s full Isolation playlist, which can also be used as a LINK playlist, so you can DJ these tracks at home. And read more below.

Why have you chosen these tracks?

I’ve chosen things I’ve been gravitating to during isolation: deep atmospheric techno and electronica, a lot of the music I’ve loved for a long time but maybe haven’t been listening to as much recently. Lots of early Warp stuff and some more “ambient” electronics, although I hate the term to be honest, unless we’re specifically talking about Brian Eno records!

How have your listening habits changed in isolation?

Well I’m mostly revisiting personal classics that I love, and listening a bit less to new music and promos. I’m also focusing a lot on listening to LPs and doing deep dives on Discogs and YouTube, looking for interesting things I’ve missed over the years. There’s several lifetimes’ worth of music out there so it’s hard to get bored!

Is there music you have rediscovered recently?

Yes I’ve been listening to a lot of jungle, especially the first Photek LP and the early Metalheadz releases, which I’ve not really listened to for many years. I love the sense of space and contrast in a lot of those records — they are actually quite deep and minimalistic when you break it down, which I think is why it appeals to me!

Do you view music differently than you did before the pandemic?

Not really. It’s quite interesting; the idea that there’s whole swathes of music whose primary purpose has vanished overnight. I think it’s a good reminder that music always has to connect to us on an emotional level first, and all my favourite club music always finds that balance between dance-floor simplicity and imagination and emotion.

What’s happening in the picture you’ve provided for us?

Me trying to coerce my cat Rhubarb into taking a photo, she protests by refusing to face the camera. I think she’s quite sick of me hanging around the house so much. I’ve also included a photo of my bedroom isolation studio, I moved out of my big studio a few weeks before the lockdown so I’ve actually been quite lucky I was able to access my equipment and keep working!

Is there a film, TV show, book or recipe that has helped you stay sane under quarantine?

Does pouring wine into a glass count as a recipe? I’m currently reading Tom Wolfe’s classic book on the hippies and psychedelic scene, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Movie-wise I’m going back to my favourites like Kubrick and Lynch. I would recommend Dr Strangelove to anyone who hasn’t seen it and feels like a whimsical movie about the end of civilisation.

Fort Romeau’s Fantasia EP, released via Permanent Vacation, is available for pre-order. Buy it here.