By Robert Ham | Published May 2021
The scope of Tamil Rogeon’s career encompasses everything from orchestral work to deep house music to hip-hop/electronic pop fusion. The Australian violinist’s latest release, Son Of Nyx, is a narrowing of focus. The music is informed and influenced by all of the various projects Rogeon has been a part of, and sent through a filter of cosmic jazz from the ’70s—pocket-sized symphonies fueled by the whimsical wow of an ARP Odyssey synthesizer and funk-adjacent rhythms.
To place himself within the churn of Nyx, Rogeon chose to play the viola, often doubling up on melodies with a vocalist or synthesizer, or, as he does on “Bad Sandals,” plucking out a pizzacato solo. “Momus” is thrown wide open with the help of a vocal trio soaring wordlessly over the song’s frothy backbeat and a psychedelicized viola solo, while “Horns No Eyes” grows in size and power like an oncoming tidal wave.
Rogeon saves those tracks for the end. At the start, he eases listeners into his music with more accessible fare. But as his other projects have shown, Rogeon has bold ideas and has enough talent to make those ideas manifest. With Nyx, he’d have done well to go big early.
Son Of Nyx: Son Of Nyx: House No Wheels; Bad Sandals; Banished; Momus; Mount Olympus; Horns No Eyes. (43:34)
Personnel: Personnel: Tamil Rogeon, viola and synths; Sam Keevers, Daniel Mougerman, piano and synths; Danny Fischer, drums; Sam Anning, bass; Javier Fredes, percussion; Allysha Joy, Jace XL, Ladi Tiaryn, Rita Satch, vocals.
Ordering Info: Ordering info: soulbankmusic.com
