Ancient Africa is a compelling early concept album by Dutch synthesizer artist Romerium, officially released on February 28, 2014. Following the historical and mythological thread of his 2008 debut Pharao's Immortality, this instrumental record shifts its focus back to the dawn of humankind. It acts as an anthropological and ecological sonic timeline, tracing millions of years of human evolution, migration, and the shifting geography of the African continent.
Style of the Album
The album is heavily built on foundational electronic subgenres, explicitly categorized by the artist as Ambient, Mysterious, and Dreamy:
Textured Ambient Drone:
Rather than relying on his signature fast-paced Berlin School arpeggios, the album relies on massive, evolving drone walls and expansive synth pads to simulate vast geographic landscapes.
Cinematic Soundscapes:
Romerium layers orchestral textures, flute-like synth patches, and deep reverbs to build an imaginary documentary-style soundtrack.
Minimalist New Age Electronic:
The tracks use gradual, slow-evolving musical progressions. The focus is placed heavily on melody and environmental simulation rather than complex rhythm arrangements.
Mood of the Album
The emotional tone of Ancient Africa captures the deep awe of prehistory and survival:
Mysterious & Primordial:
The album carries a strong sense of stepping into an untouched, ancient world. Tracks like "A Million Years Ago" and "Origins of Human Race" possess a heavy, ancient weightiness.
Dreamy & Drifting:
Soft synth sequences provide a weightless, floating feeling that mirrors the steady, slow movement of early nomadic journeys.
Desolate yet Hopeful:
The music balances the harsh isolation of survival with moments of warmth, beautifully capturing the transition of the continent's ecosystems over millennia.
Critical Review
On Ancient Africa, Romerium successfully demonstrates his talent for thematic storytelling through electronic music. The tracking on the project is exceptionally deliberate. Pieces like "Green Sahara" vividly illustrate a time before the desert dried up, using bright, refreshing, and fluid synthesizer layers.
Meanwhile, tracks detailing early human migration, such as "Lucy Australopithecus", "Traveling towards a new Source of Water", and "Following the Herds of Animals", excel at building a slow, hypnotic rhythmic cadence that gives a physical sense of movement and survival across unforgiving plains.
While listeners expecting the high-energy space-synth or mechanical driving beats of his later works might find the pacing a bit slow, the album stands as a beautifully patient, deeply relaxing, and immersive historical journey. It remains a standout entry for fans of highly atmospheric concept music.
Style of the Album
The album is heavily built on foundational electronic subgenres, explicitly categorized by the artist as Ambient, Mysterious, and Dreamy:
Textured Ambient Drone:
Rather than relying on his signature fast-paced Berlin School arpeggios, the album relies on massive, evolving drone walls and expansive synth pads to simulate vast geographic landscapes.
Cinematic Soundscapes:
Romerium layers orchestral textures, flute-like synth patches, and deep reverbs to build an imaginary documentary-style soundtrack.
Minimalist New Age Electronic:
The tracks use gradual, slow-evolving musical progressions. The focus is placed heavily on melody and environmental simulation rather than complex rhythm arrangements.
Mood of the Album
The emotional tone of Ancient Africa captures the deep awe of prehistory and survival:
Mysterious & Primordial:
The album carries a strong sense of stepping into an untouched, ancient world. Tracks like "A Million Years Ago" and "Origins of Human Race" possess a heavy, ancient weightiness.
Dreamy & Drifting:
Soft synth sequences provide a weightless, floating feeling that mirrors the steady, slow movement of early nomadic journeys.
Desolate yet Hopeful:
The music balances the harsh isolation of survival with moments of warmth, beautifully capturing the transition of the continent's ecosystems over millennia.
Critical Review
On Ancient Africa, Romerium successfully demonstrates his talent for thematic storytelling through electronic music. The tracking on the project is exceptionally deliberate. Pieces like "Green Sahara" vividly illustrate a time before the desert dried up, using bright, refreshing, and fluid synthesizer layers.
Meanwhile, tracks detailing early human migration, such as "Lucy Australopithecus", "Traveling towards a new Source of Water", and "Following the Herds of Animals", excel at building a slow, hypnotic rhythmic cadence that gives a physical sense of movement and survival across unforgiving plains.
While listeners expecting the high-energy space-synth or mechanical driving beats of his later works might find the pacing a bit slow, the album stands as a beautifully patient, deeply relaxing, and immersive historical journey. It remains a standout entry for fans of highly atmospheric concept music.