Roman around is the vehicle for the music composed and arranged by Roman Rivera (they/them). The multi-racial artist grew up in Fresno, CA, where they currently serve as a music educator. Rivera challenges traditional gender norms while fostering a safe place for themselves and others in the LGBTQ+, POC, music, and general community. In their late teenage years, after touring the country as a drummer for various bands, Rivera began experimenting with writing their own music. Years of communal exposure to beat making, singing, guitar, and drumming allowed them to quickly craft their own vision. Roman around’s sound blends hypnotic rhythms, hazy atmospheres, and shadowy textures that will please fans of Mk.gee, From Indian Lakes, Cocteau Twins, DIIV, and Toro Y Moi. Performing with various musicians in Fresno, their band can range from a multitude of different members.
Employing a lo-fi pop aesthetic and filtering its tropes through their colorful worldview, roman around strikes left-field pop gold on “Moves.” The way their plush vocals and jovial melodies cascade around the neck-breaking drum pattern creates enticing textures to get lost in. “Moves” is an overall infectious outing, borrowing more nuanced elements from modern music, but how roman around positions their influences makes the single feel so refreshing. The surf-rock guitars and drum-and-bass style percussion put an interesting spin on punk, while the artist’s cloud-like, pop-leaning vocals give the song an eerie yet inviting feeling. “Moves” showcases a young artist on a fast track crafting their own sound as roman around creates an undeniable single that shines a new light on pop music.
