The musical triumphs that come from Colorado are much more than just obnoxiously repetitive “Ho Heys” and John Denver. Our growing populace of a once single-cow terrain has brought with it an engaging diversity. From indie sob-rock to punk, from electronic to experimental, all that and everything in between are important in growing the audible treats we call our own.

But not everything our state puts out is crème brulee and angel kisses. The notion of spending a night in a strange bar listening to a band nobody’s ever heard of is worrisome. For every one great band there’s fifty miserable ones, and with odds like that, we’re better off sitting at home with one in the chamber. That’s why we like to keep our finger on the pulse of the music life here in Colorado. This month, instead of featuring one great local band like we normally do, we’ve picked twelve of our favorites in a few of the genres our music industry has to offer.

Today we’re focusing on RUMTUM, the new face of STS9‘s 1320 Records. He’s a transplant to our fine area, but has nothing but love for where he calls home. Here’s an excerpt from our “Local Music Madness” feature that ran in this month’s issue and a collection of songs from the engaging experimental craftsman.

    Cleveland native John Hastings is electronic / experimental artist RUMTUM. He is probably best known for his work in the electro-funk outfit MR & RT (Monster Rally and RUMTUM). As a solo artist, RUMTUM has stayed in the comfortable sample-heavy realm, but moves closer to a hip hop influenced vibe than in releases past.
    A newcomer to the 1320 Records imprint, RUMTUM released his debut solo album “Mystic Wonders” on Sept. 17, 2013 and also signed with Endit! Management. The team also works with other massive acts like DeVotchKa, STS9 and Eliot Lipp.
    RUMTUM collected a large following with outlets like Soundcloud and Bandcamp. Notable online blogs took notice as he’s been featured on prominent hype machines through the connected realm. XLR8R, Impose Magazine, Potholes in my Blog and Waxhole are just a few he’s been highlighted in. The attention has gained him spots in events like the SnowBall Music Festival, Treefort Music Festival, and has given him the opportunity to open up for important electronic artists Geographer and Mouse on Mars, among others.

*As always, The Rooster asks that you support the artists that you like, and don’t be an awful person by downloading illegally what you should pay for. Contrary to popular belief, musicians are people, and people need to eat and pay their rent – that’s probably too damn high anyways – just like us common folk. Artists work hard to make this world a little less boring, and should be compensated as such.