As a Submotion Orchestra superfan I was pretty chuffed when they were announced as part of this year’s Tramlines lineup, and as expected they didn’t let me down.
After some confusion over their start time, Submotion took to the stage at the Octagon on Saturday night to the sound of an appreciative Sheffield audience. Beginning the set with the first track of their latest release, Alium, the fast synth build up and characteristic trumpet of the instrumental ‘Awakening’ mirrored my own anticipation for the set ahead. Ruby Wood, the singer, floated into the spotlight for the second song: a relaxed smile and natural grace that matched her enchanting, effortless vocal performance.
The work that went into creating such a smooth, flawless set was evident, yet, as my friend pointed out, they make it look so easy. Just as is the case on all of their albums and EPs, every element of the 7-piece band slotted perfectly into place in the mix. The haunting tone of Wood’s voice and the lyrical trumpet solos took it in turns to soar above the layers of synths and complex, jazz-influenced percussion. Submotion know their strengths and play to them.
Showcasing their progression and slight variations in style, the band played songs from their three LPs and a combination of instrumentals and vocal-led tracks. A guaranteed crowd pleaser was ‘All Yours’ off their first album Finest Hour which had the crowd singing along and swaying to its chilled out brilliance. ‘Hymn For Him’ I thought was an interesting choice, also from their debut release. As one of the tracks more obviously a fusion of their jazz backgrounds and classic trip-hop sound, it was perhaps a little slow for a Tramlines audience on a Saturday night. However, it was executed to perfection, with the mysterious piano introduction melting into rumbling bass and improvised-sounding percussion.
‘Trust / Lust’ maintained its cool, captivating edge that had drawn me to it instantly when Alium was released, and ‘Worries’ held onto its majestic build up and breathtaking poignancy, although slightly hindered by a bass overload. ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’, from their second album, Fragments, demonstrated their ability to blend their jazz roots with experimental dubstep rhythms and drops.
Come midnight, as effortlessly as they had begun, Submotion Orchestra left the stage, and Tramlines Festival, with the crowd chanting “One more song! One more song!”
Words by Frankie Vera