sean roman: sweetboi
Francisco Espregueira
Toronto's underground veteran Sean Roman is stepping into a new era. Old-school drum and bass heads will remember him as Mutt. However, he has spent the last ten years smoothly shifting gears. He now champions a rich blend of deep house, UK garage, and disco, presenting a brand new full-length project titled Sweetboi. It just dropped on vinyl and digital via Lately Bass Records, and serves as a creative milestone and a deeply personal evolution for the Canadian producer. He beautifully channels decades of DJ experience into a fresh, modern groove. The record feels warm and hypnotic. It is expertly crafted for both solitary headphone sessions and packed dancefloors alike. Roman weaves in local field recordings from northern Ontario, which is an element that subtly gives the project an organic, lived-in atmosphere.
The music glides effortlessly between peak-time club energy and quiet introspection. The journey opens gracefully with the mellow, ambient textures of "Jo." From there, the rhythm simply locks in. "Batchewan Ridddim" serves up lush pads and swinging house drums. He also brings some serious local talent into the fold. Toronto MC RasThug injects commanding energy into the skippy 2-step cut "Move Fast." Later, the vibe plunges straight into the after-hours abyss. The stripped-back, low-slung groove of "Goin’ Up" provides the deepest moment on the wax. Finally, the breakbeat closer "Skylines" wraps things up beautifully with emotive vocals from anarose. Sweetboi perfectly distills his vast club knowledge into a soulful, forward-thinking statement. Available on vinyl.