Six years after their last album, ‘Kites’, the UK-based group makes their long-awaited return with a five-track EP, ‘Five Points’, which was recorded over a period of two months and will be available via SMO Recordings.
Whilst featuring the uniquely fragile voice of Ruby Wood and their signature live instrumentation, ‘Five Points’ EP also delves into rhythms, soundscapes and effects that push their recognisable sound as far as it can go, and acts as the perfect taster for the forthcoming album that the band are currently recording.
After revisiting their past work with the Unplugged collections and a 2023 acoustic tour, Submotion Orchestra felt ready to explore new directions. The ‘Five Points’ EP was created with a more focused and unified approach, resulting in a seamless recording process. They experimented with Ruby’s voice, using it more as an instrument than a traditional vocal, leading to new and innovative performances. Five Points is more synth-heavy and experimental, stripping elements back to their basics to maximise impact. The lyrics reflect the band’s fifteen years together, touching on the challenges of adulthood, such as relationships, responsibilities, and the shift from youthful optimism to a more realistic perspective on life.
“We’ve been together 15 years now, and have gone through a lot of experiences both individually and collectively in that time. The lyrics allude to that stage in life when you’ve passed through youthful energy and optimism and are dealing with much more serious things in life – births, deaths, relationships ending, responsibilities that seem to come out of nowhere and rapidly dominate your life. This can be overwhelming and hopeless, but sometimes it can also lead to a little bit of wisdom and realism about your own goals and achievement.” – Taz (Submotion Orchestra)
Submotion Orchestra, formed in 2009 in Leeds, UK is a genre-defying band known for seamlessly blending deep electronica, jazz, soul, and ambient downtempo. Their music combines powerful bass and drums with lush keyboards, trumpet textures, and the fragile beauty of Ruby Wood’s vocals. They quickly gained attention with live performances and their debut album ‘Finest Hour’, which became a cult classic. Over the years, they released several acclaimed albums, collaborated with various artists, and gained a reputation for stunning live shows. The COVID lockdown saw the band return to basics by recording and releasing their Unplugged collections, featuring fan and band favourites performed in a stripped-back setting, which they brought to rapturous concert audiences in 2023 in collaboration with the Prism String Ensemble. 2024 sees the tireless band return to the studio for their most fascinating recording yet – the ‘Five Points’ EP, which ploughs a path through electronic, jazz, ambient and soul in the singular way that Submotion Orchestra can do.
We are presenting the fourth track ‘Side Two’.
‘Five Points’ EP will be available via SMO Recordings after the 25th of October HERE.
