Leeds-based seven piece Submotion Orchestra proudly present their debut album 'Finest Hour' on Exceptional Blue Records. Bewitchingly beautiful, perfectly crafted and conveying the melancholy menace of what Marvin Gaye called 'Inner City Blues', this is at once classic and utterly current.
Album opener 'Angel Eyes' sets the tone as warm, transporting sounds unfurl spaciously, before the bass not so much drops, as slides in effortlessly at just the right moment. The album's first single 'All Yours' demonstrates what can be achieved when the basic paradigm of dubstep is modified and morphed, in this case creating a stunning love song akin to Innerzone Orchestra remixing an Anita Baker vocal, written by Terry Callier. With every track as high-calibre as the next, all perfectly programmed to work as a fantastic whole, the album closes with the aptly titled 'Perfection', which concludes things with masterful pathos.
Submotion Orchestra have been making waves and rapidly building a reputation as one of the most intriguing ensembles to surface in the last twelve months. With a focus on live musicality and originality, their take on dubstep has won respect from cutting-edge bass bods, discerning fans of quality dance music, to soul and jazz heads. They are the brainchild of Leeds music heavyweights Tommy Evans (also the drummer in Gentleman's Dub Club) and international DJ/producer/orchestral player Dom Howard, AKA Ruckspin. The Orchestra are an ensemble of multi instrumentalists at the top of their game, who've played with many respected and renowned artists.
Their debut release, the 'Finest Hour EP', released on Ranking Records gained much organic online and DJ support with no marketing or promotion involved. It also brought them to the attention of Gilles Peterson, who instantly became a believer. Heavy rotation on Mr Peterson's show ensued, followed by a license for 'Finest Hour' on his 'Brownswood Bubblers' album series plus a Maida Vale session. High-end DJ support has come from the likes of Laurent Garnier, Oneman (Rinse) DJ Flight (Metalheadz/Rinse), Simbad (Defected), Tayo (Kiss), plus Ashley Beedle and Rocky.
We believe that this album will stand in the pantheon of iconic British soul/bass music, alongside Massive Attack's 'Blue Lines', Soul 2 Soul's 'Club Classics', 'New Forms' by Reprazent, Goldie's 'Timeless' and James Blake's eponymous longplayer. The spot-on arrangements, instrumentation and production are adorned with the sublime vocals of Ruby Wood - reminiscent of Jill Scott, but with added heartache. One way and another 2010 was quite a year for Submotion Orchestra. 2011 promises even more.
Submotion Orchestra are on the rise, and for good reason - Q
A truly exciting proposition - Clash
It blew me away. Somewhere between Cinematic Orchestra and dubstep - just right - Gilles Peterson
Their talent is that they can do this music live, with skill and energy - Music OMH
Earth-shaking, lush and celestial, they draw upon dubstep, soul and electronica. Their music is at once delicate and heavy, spacious and dense, highly atmospheric but firmly-rooted - The Head Phone Commute
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![Finest Hour by Submotion Orchestra - Exceptional Records [EXLPCD1102]](https://media.kudosdistribution.co.uk/exlpcd1102/800/cover.ki)
