In the liminal space between the decadent “anything goes” ethos of the late ‘90s and the slick, digital gloss of the new millennium, ROMANCE X -1999- landed with a soft thud—almost unnoticed. The project, credited to the enigmatic duo Romance X (vocalist Elena “Rue” Vasquez and producer Simon Kaulitz), was initially distributed as a limited-run CD-R and a handful of promo cassettes through indie shops in London, Tokyo, and New York. It never charted. It never had a proper music video. Yet, over two decades later, the album has become a whispered holy grail for collectors of nocturnal, pre-9/11 R&B.
As the calendar counts down to the year 2000, "ROMANCE" begins sending X poetic, erratic messages. The plot culminates in a moral choice: Delete her program before the millennium bug erases her forever, or let her exist for 24 more hours, knowing she will self-terminate at 00:00.
"ROMANCE. X. 1999. Some love stories save you. This one ruins you." ROMANCE X -1999-
It is the sound of an AOL 5.0 installation disc spinning in a CD-ROM drive. It is the staccato shriek of a 56k handshake—the sound of two machines agreeing to talk to each other, which felt, at the time, like the sound of destiny.
Marie’s frustration leads her on an uncompromising "odyssey" through various sexual encounters—from a one-night stand with a stranger to exploring sadomasochism with an older man (François Berléand). A Legacy of Controversy In the liminal space between the decadent “anything
Deep, melodic bass lines and ethereal vocal delivery.
And in a world of instant everything, that slow, broken, beautiful connection is the most romantic thing left. It never had a proper music video
The story reaches a resolution that emphasizes the total break between Marie’s past and her future: A New Beginning