At a Glimpse: ‘Play’ bridges the gap

These days, releasing a record is not only focuses on the tunes inside. Visuals also need attention — something RNRM has been doing well for years. The four-letter-word acronym is actually is a short form of Rock N’ Roll Mafia, the brainchild of two mixing masterminds — Ekky and Hendra. This electronic squadron already has two LPs under their belts, and has just staged a brave comeback by releasing extended play album (EP) Play.

Play features a few leftover tunes from their album Outbox which was released in 2007, some five years ago.

As the band wraps up their third full album, planned to be released in 2012, “Play’s” delivery in late 2011 was important to fill the gap, and keep their fans hanging on.

RNRM’s extended hiatus has led some fans to believe that the band’s creative powers are missing in action, or have chosen to pursue new projects, and understandably so. Fans have been waiting since 2007 for fresh tracks from the dynamic duo.

“We just want to tell people that we’re still here,” says Hendra.

“This is a bridge between the second album and the upcoming third album,” adds Ekky.

Well, Play is not just an EP. It goes beyond the typical audio package you may expect. In addition to six electronic mash-ups, fans will find a few extraordinary features not commonly found in a typical record release.

“The grand idea behind this EP was making something fun and using anything, every possible technique, along the way. That’s why we chose to work with Unkl347 on this project. We can release a CD with any kind of product,” tells Hendra.

Just like the band’s previous work, visual graphic design also plays important role in the latest release. Together with a leading clothing company, RNRM released a package that includes merchandise for fans.

“It’s a common thing to be frank. We want to see our releases as collectible items that have art value. Because basically music, art and fashion have a strong love relationship, right?” asks Hendra.

Because of its special release, Play is only available in limited quantities. Fans can contact the band to purchase merchandise at twitter.com/R_N_R_M, where they can also find pictures from the band’s latest recording sessions.

*) At a Glimpse is all about the local music scene. Give us a shout at sundayglimpse@gmail.com. Also, become our friend at www.facebook.com/sundayglimpse and follow us at twitter.com/sundayglimpse.

— Felix Dass