It seems like we can’t get enough of all things Japan these days, and who can blame us? Submerse is the 23 years old Rob Orme, a producer from Tokyo via Cheshire, and he’s making waves all over the place. Prolific as well as globe-trotting, he’s the man behind a slew of dextrously produced EPs. Of his previous output, a definite highlight has to be 2011’s “Bento Box” EP which featured some robust vocal samples that took us back to those heady days of Sweet Female Attitude and Shanks and Bigfoot, but was energetic enough to fit right in with the 21st century maximalism everyone loves talking about. “Need To Know” is simply outrageously hectic, and “Monster” is the kind of high octane track that grinds against your very soul. It’s the late-night headiness of softer tracks like “Stay With Me”, however, that Submerse has carried over to the forthcoming “They Always Come Back” EP, to be released on R&S subdivision Apollo Records.
Stream: [wpaudio url=”https://truantsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/3-Give-It-Up.mp3″ text=”Submerse – Give It Up” dl=”0″]
“They Always Come Back” is a real showcase of Submerse’s ability to effortlessly glide from one genre to another whilst maintaining a robust musical identity. “8bit Romance” is exactly what it claims to be, opening with a Dillaesque bounce and the kind of sonic scintillations that wouldn’t sound out of place on a LuckyMe release, before unfolding into a dreamy digital ditty. “Give It Up” pulls some R’n’B vocals out of the bag for an electronic love affair without falling for the musical clichés so prevalent these days, which is no mean feat. The EP’s title track is the perfect example of the 4am ambient grooves that Apollo are becoming synonymous with, deploying its vocal samples with just the right amount of early garage melancholy, whilst the closer “Cluster” drops throws a tiny dash of disco into an musical melting pot and simply lets the magic happen. “They Always Come Back” confirms that whilst Submerse is clearly a skillful producer, he makes it look easy – and more importantly, makes it sound absolutely lush.
Stream: [wpaudio url=”https://truantsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2-They-Always-Come-Back.mp3″ text=”Submerse – They Always Come Back” dl=”0″]
“They Always Come Back” (Apollo Records) is out June 11th, vinyl and digital.
