The name RMB should be familiar to any fan of the hard trance genre from the mid-90s. RMB (comprised of the tongue-tying names of Rolf Maier Bode and Farid Gharadjedaghi) was out there rocking the nation with their fast-paced raving music, with such popular tunes as "Spring", "Redemption", and "Love Is An Ocean". Ever so quickly do the times change though, and RMB's former sound faded into oblivion as the massive crowds yearned for a more polished trance sound. Many once-popular raving bands disappeared into thin air, while others struggled to remain afloat. RMB had managed to keep their heads above water by adapting to the new club styles of the new millennium, and with material such as this particular double A-side, "April / Beauty Of Simplicity", it appeared as though they could bring some freshness to the trance community.
Unfortunately, strange things happen sometimes. Several vinyl releases were made (this one included) to serve as a promotional tool for their eventual album release of "Evolution". First is April, and although it takes a while to get going into the truly interesting part (about three minutes of introductory bass and beats lead the way), trance fans should be in a joyous tizzy once they get there. The use of guitar is sublime, adding a quaint rural feeling and a powerful emotional element to this instrumental track. Eventually, the guitar is melded with standard synth jabs that keep the song going strong! This is not one to be missed!
The other A-side here is Beauty Of Simplicity, and the name is a good descriptor of the song itself. Featuring the smooth vocal stylings of Christina Lux (who had worked with RMB on previous tracks in their career), this track is almost symphonic in nature, although it takes on a more electronic aspect with its use of synthetic strings and a more bubbly bassline than one would find in the London Symphony Orchestra. The vocalist sings of all the basic aspects of life: bread feeding the hungry, the sun giving us all life, and warm hugs on cold nights... all things that are simple, but can be considered beautiful! Well, except for the bread. Bread is not as beautiful as it is LOAF-ly! Get it? Do you--? ...er, anyway, this is a simplistic track in its own rite, but still serves as quality trance material. Perhaps it's not as danceworthy as the more mainstream popular trance, but it's more suited for personal listening when you want to relax after a hard day at the office or the quarry.
The full album, "Evolution," didn't get a full release until five years later in 2009, when it received only a quiet web release with little to no promotion. These tracks, along with many others, also mark the end of RMB, a legendary trance production duo, as the two have gone their separate ways. If you get a chance to listen to Evolution, you should be able to find something interesting within. If not, April/Beauty Of Simplicity serves as a brief yet accurate sampler.
