In his own beats: A conversation with Adrian Roman

Adrian Roman, a self-taught producer from Spain, is gaining recognition in the avant-garde music scene with his style that mirrors his emotions and tastes.

Photo credit: Adrian Roman – Official

His works are known for their elegant simplicity, visual appeal, and the signature strong beats and rhythmic patterns he crafts skillfully.

Recently, Adrian released his latest creation, ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’. It is available in vinyl format on microCastle  and digitally, exclusively on Beatport.

In a detailed conversation with EG, Adrian Roman not only talks about his latest album, but also offers a glimpse into his creative process, ongoing musical evolution, and future projects. Immerse yourself in the conversation to learn more about his distinctive sound, his perspective on the changing music scene, and his upcoming plans.

EG: Hi, Adrian! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? What have you been up to?

Adrian Roman: Hello, the pleasure is entirely mine. I’m doing very well, this year has been a good turning point in my career. The reception of ‘Oratorical Ability’, my latest release, has been very warm and I am now immersed in the promotion of the new album and moving part of my production studio equipment to a new location.

EG: Definitely! Congratulations on the release of your new microCastle EP, ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’! You must be thrilled. What has the initial reception been like so far? What are some of your initial feelings?

Adrian Roman: As you say, I am very excited and, in addition to being proud, grateful for microCastle. The reception has been very genuine from music lovers for this very special release. microCastle has always had an aura around itself that many of the followers of our sound value. From my side, I think that lately, I am taking great care of the followers to give them back everything I receive from them.

EG: Musically speaking, what can your fans expect to find on ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’?

Adrian Roman: ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’ is a concept. It really is a continuation of my musical evolution and a landscape of, as the title says, the sound that has represented me at a specific moment in my career. I guess it’s full of strident sounds, the percussion I usually use, and screaming synths arranged in 6 different contexts.

“It’s an honor for me to release on microCastle again, and the fact that this time it’s in vinyl form only makes it even more special”

EG:  Is there a thread or concept interconnecting these 6 tracks? What was the creative process for ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’ like?

Adrian Roman: Absolutely. Like I say, it’s a concept. All the tracks make sense individually, but I think the experience is not fully understood without enjoying the finished complete work. When I say work, I mean the entire pack; 6 songs, the design, the way we are communicating the release, and the visual elements. Everything has a common thread, or at least that’s what we’re looking for.

If I am not mistaken, I first produced ‘Faces of Belmez’ and ‘Mind Design’. After setting them aside for a while, I was able to finalize the concept with the remaining songs, making changes and trying to interconnect each of them until they took their natural position on the album.

EG: And this record sees you returning to microCastle, a label with a rather unique approach. Why did you decide to go with microCastle for this particular release? What’s your relationship with the label like?

Adrian Roman: It’s an honor for me to release on microCastle again, and the fact that this time it’s in vinyl form only makes it even more special. I’m not sure if it was me who opted for microCastle or it was Mitch who opted for me, but I do know that I am very grateful to him. To me, he is like a modern Medici. From Toronto, he is investing in artists from all over the world, putting at their disposal all the tools that he has with his record label so that the artist can express himself perfectly, all without losing his own usual aesthetic. I think it is something very difficult, genuine and unique.

For me, it was the perfect place to release this album, having tools that I would not have been able to have otherwise. On the back cover of the vinyl, you will find a dedication and Mitch appears without a doubt on it.

EG: What would be the perfect setting to listen to ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’? What would you like listeners to take away from the experience?

Adrian Roman: ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’ can be heard in any environment, to be honest. Over the last two years, I have been able to play all the tracks from the album in places as diverse as Dubai, Malaga, or Marseille. I’ve done that in different stages of the night and always, fortunately, I have received a good response. Obviously, you can also enjoy it more privately at home with the vinyl format, although it’s also worth having just for the great cover designed by Mauricio Seidel.

EG: Now, let’s step outside of the studio for a bit…What are your thoughts on the current state of the music scene? Are these gigantic LED screens taking too much away from the music? What’s your take on the use of AI?

Adrian Roman: I really have little to say about that. I value and respect everyone’s art and I don’t think I have to be the one to dictate what is right and what is wrong. It is a fact that the show focused on the combination of music and visuals is currently a success and this is a positive thing. As with everything, there will be cycles, evolutions, and regressions but people will continue to be free to choose what they want to consume.

Regarding the use of AI, it seems to me to be a positive finding inside and outside the field of music. It certainly did not cease to be, and I speak in the past tense, a fashion. There was a peak in the wave where we were surrounded by AI-generated products. Designs, songs, videos, texts…You could feel that they were created by AI. It really was like another pictorial style. Now it is no longer so present, and only those who have embraced it and adapted it to their way of working in a subtle and effective way will make it last. Criticizing it would be like criticizing Yamaha when they released the CS-80.

“As with everything, there will be cycles, evolutions, and regressions but people will continue to be free to choose what they want to consume”

EG: Has any form of AI been used on  ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’?

Adrian Roman: No, at the moment I have not used it directly. Perhaps a sequencer could be a primitive form of Artificial Intelligence. You set some initial parameters to which the sound has to follow up and the machine does the rest. But there is no AI inside. It’s something I definitely want to explore in the near future.

EG: Finally, can you provide some insights into what’s next for Adrian Roman? What can we expect from you in the coming months?

Adrian Roman: Fortunately there is a lot of music coming. After this album, there will be a three-track EP on a label that I already released on, and I will return with great enthusiasm. I am going to play for the first time in very prominent and symbolic places for me and I will continue trying to decipher new puzzles to express what I have in my head. I am very happy to be part of the Essential Part agency too, together with them I am working to express and carry out all the projects we have in mind in the best possible way.

EG: Thank you so much for your time, Adrian! We wish you all the best for the future. See you on the dancefloor!

Adrian Roman: Thank you very much for having me, I’m sure we’ll see each other there. A warm hug for everyone.

Adrian Roman’s ‘This Is What I Was For A Moment’ EP is now available via microCastle. Stream and download here.

Follow Adrian Roman: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram