This early summer, two simultaneous releases have drawn the focus of the opinion leader’s attention to the brit Rob Orne aka Submerse. Both of them show the 23-year-old from Cheshire as a pro in handling harmonies, which he weaves artfully around current club sounds. On his mini-album for Project: Mooncircle, he accentuates his Hip-Hop-affection, whereas on the 12" for R&S Records’ small sister label Apollo Records, the Tokyoite-by-choice strays more through electronic landscapes. The sound is more bare, more rough, has more echo, its coating is less sweet. This might sound like a chance at first. »8Bit Romance«, the first track, shows why: A beat, dry as a bone, vocal pitching heard from Burial, Synth-surfaces known from Dâm-Funk, everything accurately arranged, and in the last third, the most beautiful and less expected electronica-melody is put on top. In comparison to this, the rest of the 12" is disappointing. »They Always Come Back To Me« and »Give It Up« are both accommodating Dubtechno-tracks, solid and similarly arranged, without much climax. The souly vocal bit on »Give It Up« lacks any of the urgency Submerse usually uses to coat his samples. And »Cluster« can’t be considered a saviour, either. Once the bass starts rolling, though, one can get a glimpse of what is missing in the whole.
James Blake
Playing Robots Into Heaven
Polydor