Macromantics
Romy Hoffman, (born ca. 1980) is an Australian-born songwriter and musician, who has performed under the names Macromantics, Romy and Agender. Initially based in Melbourne, since 2014 she has worked in Los Angeles.
Macromantics | |
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Birth name | Romy Hoffman |
Also known as | Romy |
Born | ca. 1980 (age 39–40) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | |
Years active | 1995–present |
Labels |
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Associated acts |
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Website | myspace |
Life and career
Romy Hoffman was raised in a Jewish household.[2] In 1995 as a 15-year-old she started playing guitar with her high school classmate Ben Lee's pop, punk band Noise Addict.[2] With the group, she toured the United States where she encountered the New York-based hip hop culture.[2] She told Tim Colman of The Sydney Morning Herald, "I just did the last tour with them, which was great because I got to go to America."[3] While a member of Noise Addict she was recorded for the track, "Spritz", which is the B-side of their single, "The Frail Girl" (1995).[3][4]
She later returned to the US, to spend time writing, in San Francisco.[3] As a result, she released her debut solo seven-track extended play, Hyperbolic Logic, in 2004.[5][6] Colman observed, "It's a challenging listen, with Hoffman spitting tight, at times confronting, rhymes over dark, uneasy and engaging beats... The listening effort unearths a poetic and abstract wordsmith sharing personal experiences and insights."[3] AllMusic's Heather Phares noticed, "[the EP], which introduced her passionate and often witty MC style."[7]
2006 also saw Hoffman become the first hip-hop act (and only the second Australian act) to be signed to the US record label, Kill Rock Stars (home to The Gossip, Deerhoof, Sleater Kinney and Bikini Kill).[8] She released her first full-length album, Moments in Movement, in September 2006 created in collaboration with local producer Tony Buchen. The album was nominated for the 2006 J Award.[9]
2007 saw Macromantics undertaking a national tour and supporting Lily Allen's tour of Australia.[8]
In 2010, after two years of extensive touring, Romy began work on a dark electro pop record. The single "Sleep" was released in 2010 with remixes by DFA's The Juan Maclean and Brain Children. In 2011 she embarked on a U.S with JD Samson's group MEN. In 2011 she worked on another record as ROMY. This time, a house inspired record. In 2012/2013, the single "Elixir" was released on prestigious house label Nervous Records. The follow up "Home" came out on the chic underground cult label 100% Silk.[10]
Hoffman has always maintained her punk roots. In 2011 she made a "schitzo synthy paranoid punk" lo-fi solo record as AGENDER. She played all the instruments on the record. In 2013 AGENDER morphed into an all girl 3 piece, known for their intense, fast, tight knit punk shows. The band's record Fixations was released on French label Desire Records. The band toured the U.S in June/July 2014.[11]
Discography
Albums
- Moments in Movement (2006)
- Self (En)Titled (2011) (as Agender)
- Fixations (2014) (as Agender)
Extended plays
- Hyperbolic Logic (2004) Independent[5]
Singles
- "Four Facets" b/w "Conspiracy Remix" (2005)
- "Sleep" (2010) (as Romy)
- "Home" (2012) (as Romy)
- "Elixir" (2012) (as Romy)
- "Mani Pedi" (2013) (as Agender)
Guest appearances
- Mystro - "Guns 4 Hire" from Diggi Down Unda (2006)
- Foreign Heights - "Mean What We Mean" from Foreign Heights (2007)
- Prolyphic & Reanimator - "Dick & Jane" from The Ugly Truth (2008)
References
- "About". Agender Official Website. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
- Blackman, Guy (24 September 2006). "Romy with the Hommies". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- Colman, Tim (3 September 2004). "Punky Beat Star". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- "'The Frail Girl' – Noise Addict | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- "Release Hyperbolic Logic by Macromantics". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- Colman, Tim (8 April 2005). "Feminen wiles". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- Phares, Heather. "Biography – Macromantics". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- "Macromantics". Video Hits. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
- "Hilltop Hood win #2: J Award". themusic.com.au. 5 December 2006. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
- http://www.imposemagazine.com/tv/premiere-romy-home
- http://www.aagender.com
External links
- Macromantics on Myspace
- Romy Hoffman discography at Discogs