Rob.V has taken a detour from guitar-centred music to create a debut album that’s packed with groovy synths and atmosphere.
Every artist worth his salt understands the need to exit the comfort zone to further their wellspring of creativity. Rob.V, predominately a guitar player, does exactly this on debut album Illusions, to great effect.
Synth-heavy single Deep Blue and the funky Forever Be Your One got us well anticipated for a full-length project, and now it’s here. Let’s unpack some of the most memorable moments from Illusions.
Opener New Age gently introduces you to the project by layering some wet synths over a crisp high-hat sample and tasty bassline. “Synth’s have an amazing way of creating atmosphere and adding layers of colour,” Rob.V explains. In the second half of the track, the drums let loose on a godly snare sound, and the guitar trickles through, foreshadowing some of the bigger tracks to come.
Deep Blue is one of the most interesting sounding tracks on Illusions, with its reversed snare drum hits, and female harmony vocal chorus hook. You’ll know it when you hear it. You’ll try to work out what she’s saying, give up, and submit to the groove instead. Forever Be Your One showcases some lyrical prowess from the artist, as he sings a love song about the moon and the sun. “I’m revolving you, but never cannot touch.”
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Blood Red Wine should take you right back to the hedonistic age of the ’80s, for some blood-red wine and maybe a little something else. It’s big and it’s bold, don’t party too hard. A little later in the tracklist is The Karman Line, a trip to space with droney synths. We’d recommend any David Bowie fans out there give this one a whirl. The 5-minute Love And Hate strips back all the synths for a haunting acoustic and vocal performance. The vocals sound gravelly and well-worn, and the idiosyncratic chords and hammer-ons make it obvious this is an instrument Rob.V knows inside and out.
Another clear standout on Illusions is the thumping Girl Is Mine. It begins sounding dark, like The Chain from Fleetwood Mac, but quickly evolves into a killer, singalong chorus full of passion and feel-good nature. Psychedelic closer Burning Sun clocks in at a stunning 8 minutes, and Rob.V pulls out all the stops. Dynamic drumming, slide guitar, and psychedelic violin – amongst more surprises, we’ll let you find out yourself.
Rob. V has challenged himself both songwriting and production-wise on this record, and his ambition is admirable. As he puts it, “this new approach has opened up a lot of possibilities”. There’s a track here for everyone, though lovers of synth-pop are especially going to gravitate to Illusions.
Listen to the debut album below:
