Ever since the dawn of electronic music, the number of artists refusing to incorporate any electronic at all into their sound has been on the steady decline, and, within the past few years in particular, we've seen the number of songs including electronically produced noises spike to a dominating height. Now, don't get us wrong, we're not complaining about this in the slightest bit, but when we see an act like ROBB come along and use barely any noticeable electronic in their entire project, yet still manage to create something fresh and ear-catching, we become very interested in what they have to offer. The alternative-soul band declares themselves as being from Germany, Austria, and the US, but their style doesn't necessarily reflect any of these settings; rather, it gives off an authentic vibe that can't necessarily be assigned a strict location. Clay is the debut EP from ROBB, and they come out of the gate strong with "FOURBYFOURB", a perfect introduction to the group's smooth, especially euphonic sound. A powerful organ along with a fresh drum beat, sunny guitar strums, and an infectious bassline constitute the instrumental, and although the instrument set might come off as rather basic, the resulting sound is irrefutably captivating. A recurring quality throughout the album is the lead singer's exceptional vocals, which never cease to amaze as they range from urbane to soulful, from soft to powerful. Rob (the lead vocalist) delicately croons atop some charming piano keys in the first half of "BEYOND", but as the song picks up more instruments, his vocal strength picks up as well, and he displays an impressive vocal range just on the track alone. Once again, he embraces a low-pitched, soporific tone at the beginning of "VADUZ", which starts with no more than some acoustic guitar, piano keys, and a mellow drum beat. However, almost a minute in, the song unexpectedly erupts into a euphoric sonic burst of clarity, and the song proceeds to ride out to this newly embraced, bright vibe. By the time we hit their fourth effort, "SALUTE", ROBB is blatantly displaying their versatility, since we hear a new side of their sound with each song. Both a heavy drum kit and some sparse electric guitar add some ebb and flow to the track, and as the song moves forward, we see it develop through many different segments—one of which contains a valiant electric guitar solo. In their final track, and the EP's namesake, "CLAY", ROBB goes back to their tranquil, piano-glistened sound which they fabricate so phenomenally well. This emotive sonic roller coaster weaves through gripping falsettos and melancholic melodies, remaining true to the piano-and-vocal style through the song's entirety, and ultimately amounts to a brilliant conclusion to the enchanting project. As music as a whole consistently grows more and more complex, there are going to be a few artists that will go against the grain and keep things sweet and simple. ROBB doesn't use a plethora of instruments or electronic layers, but his genuine vocals, unique song structure, and smooth vibe all coalesce to create a project that we're going to be listening to for quite some time.
ROBB