Submotion Orchestra

The seven-piece electronic/jazz ensemble Submotion Orchestra combined an eclectic mix of bass, soul, ambient electronica, jazz, and dub, which was complemented by the sultry vocals of singer Ruby Wood. The project began at the request of York Arts Council, when they asked founding members Tommy Evans (Gentleman's Dub Club) and Dom “Ruckspin” Howard (Author) to compose a classical/dub crossover piece to be performed at York Minster in 2009. After the success of that particular show, Evans and Howard returned to their hometown of Leeds, U.K., with a new musical vision and enough contacts to assemble the right musicians for the job. Submotion Orchestra were revered for their energetic live shows, first on a local level at their weekly residency at Leeds bar Hukaz. They soon hit the U.K. festival trail, where their music and the feel-good atmosphere they promoted made them a firm festival favorite. By 2011 they had released their debut album, Finest Hour, via Ranking Records, gaining the support of BBC Radio 6 DJ Gilles Peterson, who would continue to endorse their music for many years to come. The second album, Fragments, was released only a year later. After its release, Ninja Tune offshoot label Counter Records approached the band about releasing future material, leading to third album Alium (2014) and fourth album Colour Theory (2016). ~ Liam Martin