Rome’s ‘Martial Ambient Series’ with its bleak, industrial soundscapes – mostly made of restored period audio material – transports us back to Europe’s blood-drenched past, when – much like now – ideologies were battling each other to the death on European soil. This fifth and final instalment of the series focuses on the life and legacy of General Guisan, Switzerland’s most famous soldier, best remembered for effectively mobilising the Swiss military and population in preparation against a possible German invasion in 1940.
What started with ‘Käferzeit’ (2019) and ‘Gärten und Straßen’ (2020) and was later expanded on ‘Haus der Flieger’ (2021) and ‘Blätter und Steine’ (2023) finds its fifth and final rendition in ‘Aster und Edelweiss’. ROME invite the listener onto a sombre sonic wandering via intricate sample work and dream-like, organ-driven sequences full of dark grace and fragile elegance: An immersive and breathtaking journey into the realm of duty, perseverance and sacrifice.