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Description
**Romã** (2019) stands as the most coherent of Oruã's discography, a record where the band's chaotic, late-night ethos settles into a more focused, albeit still unhinged, crystalline form. While their debut *Reflectors* splintered across krautrock and psych, this album leans into a very trippy indie rock aesthetic, anchored by the trippy, fuzz-brained sensibilities that have defined their sound from the start. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro between 2018 and 2019 at Escritório by the ensemble themselves, the record balances the frenetic energy of acid jazz with the sprawling structures of experimental rock, all under the guidance of producer and frontman Lê Almeida and João Casaes. The collaboration is notably expanded with guests like Alexander Zhemchuzhnikov on sax, whose contributions breathe a smoky warmth through the arrangements, and Lucas Guimarães on ocean sounds for "Coral de Fé," adding a surreal, almost underwater quality to the mix.
The album's title, Romã (pomegranate), suggests fertility and complexity, mirroring the tracklist's intricate layering. "Volte Consciente," nearly an eleven-minute epic, serves as the record's magnum opus, weaving through the textures of psych and post-rock with a kind of restless determination. The lyrics, often sung in Portuguese, carry a gritty, working-class cadence that feels like a poor man's jazz, reflecting the band's origins in Baixada Fluminense. The songwriting is shared among band members, with tracks 3, 4, and 7 penned by Lê and João, while the shorter cuts-"Vitin" and "Alavantê"-showcase Almeida's more concise, sharper compositional touch.
Critically, the album avoids the clichés that plague so many psych revivals, instead carving out its own space as a neo-prog work with neo-psychedelic flourishes. It stands as a testament to the band's refusal to compromise their idiosyncratic vision, even as they refine their sound. Released on Transfusão Noise, Romã remains a cult favorite among fans of experimental rock from Brazil, celebrated for its authentic, unpolished charm and its ability to transform the mundane into the mystical. It's a record that demands to be heard in the dark, preferably with the lights off and the volume high enough to drown out the world.
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- [Oruã on AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/oru%C3%A3-mn0004636654)
- [Romã on Genius](https://genius.com/Orua-roma-lyrics)
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