Submotion Orchestra - Mint Lounge, Manchester - Monday 14th March 2011 (Live Review)
Monday, 21 March 2011
Written by Jonathan Cockburn
I had the pleasure of going to see a band called Submotion Orchestra last Monday (14th March) at the Mint Lounge in the centre of Manchester. Having listened to them earlier on Soundcloud I was expecting a mostly electronic act, so I was pleasantly surprised to walk into the venue and see an array of instruments set up, including a drum-kit, various percussion, a bass guitar...you get the picture.
When they finally graced the stage at midnight, the crowd was bathed in glorious swathes of deep bass, syncopated beats and roaring crescendos of sound. Vocalist Ruby Wood’s haunting vocals float over the top of it all, adding a touch of melancholy to what I would describe as ‘Massive Attack meets Burial’.
I’m sure some of you will be turned off by the dubstep label, and I often am myself, but in the case of Submotion Orchestra you needn’t be. This is a band covering ground that very few have dared tread, and they’re doing it incredibly well.
After a bit of research it’s hardly surprising that they sound this good. Submotion Orchestra is a ‘super-group’ of sorts, consisting of various members of other acts on Ranking Records. Dom Howard is on live FX and production, but you might (if you keep up with the scene) know him better as producer and DJ ‘Ruckspin’. Drummer Tommy Evans is from Gentleman’s Dub Club – also a great dub act. Together they write the majority of Submotion Orchestra’s material.
The gig segued neatly into a cracking DJ set from Ruckspin himself, which after the mellow build-up from Submotion Orchestra was refreshingly groovy. Ruckspin is known for his unique take on dubstep, forgoing the usual screaming synths for a more understated but still brilliantly dance-worthy sound.
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