NEWS
EVENTS
Artist of the Month: Bob Moses
House | Sunday 1st February 2015 |
Jimmy Valance and Tom Howie have come a long way since their shared hungover Thursday art classes at school in Vancouver, Canada. Whilst Tom used to be in a punk band as a teenager, Jimmy used to spin trance in the big clubs of the area. They used to occasionally chat about music, but it wasn't until their paths crossed again as young adults starting out in New York that they began to collaborate. Experimenting in the studio together, Tom's background of singing in bands complimented Jimmy's extensive knowledge of DJing, production and sound engineering to create the inimitable blend that we now know as Bob Moses.
They released their first 2 EPs, 2012's Hands to Hold and 2013's Far From The Tree on hot upcoming NY label Scissor & Thread. Both received glowing reviews, with "All I Want" from the latter EP even becoming an unexpected Ibiza hit. Soon the duo were approached by influential UK indie label Domino, who also represent left-field electronic acts like Four Tet and Caribou. They released their first EP for the label last year, First to Cry: the A-side a more bluesy, indie affair whilst the B-side, Grace, is a truly original piece of electronica. Now they've been touring worldwide - they've taken their show as far away as Australia, South America, and across Europe.
"Deep house" is a phrase that has been thrown around a lot recently, but it seems like a fitting description for Bob Moses' sound. Their tracks certainly have danceability, yet the bassline is subtle, downbeat and dusty, perfectly complimenting Tom's languid vocals. There's a real sense of soul in every track; whilst some are more indie and some are more house than others, every one is undeniably Bob Moses. Speaking in a Resident Advisor interview, Jimmy described their sound as "underwater... It's not sharp on the high-end, the bass is more hinted at than obvious. It's this deep, pulsing thing, but its melodic. Maybe its just that Pacific Northwest thing that's in us... It's raining and grey everyday." Perhaps this would help to explain why their tracks seem so ideal for walking round rainy London streets.
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Words by @MiriamEJohnson
