Submotion Orchestra

Colour Theory

BY Laura SciarpellettiPublished Feb 17, 2016

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On their fourth album, UK electronic group Submotion Orchestra chose to focus on the wide-ranging musical talents of each of its seven members. An immensely polished collection of tracks that fuse ambient electronica, dub and jazz, Colour Theory has a very emotional, human side to it, expressed through vocals that explore one's place in the universe. Colour Theory's essence is that of introspection, carried by lyrical and instrumental poeticism.
 
Off the bat, with opening track "Jaffa" (featuring Still), Submotion Orchestra prove that their intention with the LP is to be radically different. "More Than This," featuring Billy Boothroyd, is a lovely, lyric-heavy serenade about clear minds and beauty, with its minimalist synths and focus on subtle percussion. Thing take a hip-hop-inspired turn with "In Gold," on which Ruby Wood's vocals creep slowly along in contrast with dub elements. "Empty Love" carries a soft intensity that begs us to "pray for better days," while "Illusions" is a refreshingly poetic take on electronic music. Lastly, "Ao," featuring Catching Flies, employs ocean vibes and pulsating piano interludes to accent the album's most nature-oriented track.
 
The cumulative result of these exploratory tracks is a meditative collection that stays true to Submotion Orchestra's house background despite exploring new auditory combinations.
(Counter Records)

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