Review Summary: The laws of gravity certainly do not apply here.
"
The law of gravity is nonsense, no such law exists. If I think I float, and you think I float, then it happens."
This quote is what greets you when you begin listening to Gravity. It’s a pretty self-explanatory statement, rather romantic and a little ridiculous. But, it sums up the mood captured on this album remarkably well. David Earle and his co-producers have a real knack for creating dark, soothing, swelling downtempo/trip-hop and Gravity is certainly the strongest it’s been seen so far under the Artemis project. You could easily fall asleep and pretend to float away listening to the relaxing beats and Artemis Robinson’s harmonious alto; you could probably do it without imagining it as well.
If you’re after some trip-hop with an atmosphere that soothes the listener without boring you to tears, then this should fit the bill pretty well. Sci-fi keys and squelchy bass is the main attraction on opener “
Sync or Swim,” no other song after it on the album really quite the same tempo wise, which was a smart move in hindsight. In comparison, its probably the only song likely to empower you to get up and move (which says a lot about the album’s mood). It helps to introduce Robinson’s vocal capabilities and flaunt the production skills present. The following songs set the tone better with the fantastic reverb, string (synths?) and keen sense of dissonance to capture the mood that downtempo is famous for. This heightened ear for ambiance is further reinforced on “
subterranean,” as mellow as the album gets. The whole atmosphere of the song feels as if you’re slowly sinking through space, the icing on the cake for what Artemis appear to have been aiming for with Gravity.
There’s not much on this album that shouldn’t be there, the band have found a place where they feel comfortable and stuck with it consistently throughout. The instrumentals are the perfect vehicles for Robinson’s velvety voice. While her performances do stop a little short of breath-taking, she can certainly do what she can well, which luckily is exactly what works with this kind of music. She possesses a wonderfully smooth alto register, never too high but just sitting in the middle octaves. When she does raise her pitch, it’s never overly loud, remaining like the aural equivalent of the texture of silk. This works very well on tracks such as “
Angel,” soft keys patter like rain on a window while Robinson’s talent for the flute is also heard and this is all neglecting to mention her uplifting lyrics. The album does pick up its mood in the appropriate places throughout the album, knowing exactly how to hold the listener, showcasing some excellent trip-hop with “
Hypno.” It builds its instrumental passages throughout the song, each time Robinson croons the chorus the hook feels stronger and stronger.
Artemis show just how enchanting trip-hop can be when it’s married with downtempo. Gravity exudes sensory numbing harmonies and comforting beats. Masterful production and a talented vocalist with a humble sense of restraint, nothing is out of place and every instrumental component complements each other. If you’re in serious need of unwinding, make sure this is on your radar.
