From the London streets and across the Atlantic, Rowe appear on the scene in an undefined form – a project established to be co-produced with beatmakers J£zus Millions (Charli XCX) and Clarence Clarity amongst others, the latest video adds another captivating piece to the puzzle. What is apparent is the telling mixture of sounds – there is a underlying thread of the Dirty Hit stylings of the 1975 in its sleazy, coiffed and confessional lyricism, but this is an iteration that takes In the distinctly London glitchy, dark and frenetic electronica of an A.K. Paul or SBTRKT, and marries it to a definite slab of futuristic R&B.
It’s a constantly shifting cloud of a track – potentially indie pop at its heart, but filtered through a prism of London backstreets and American gloss. What’s interesting is the distinctiveness of the layers operating throughout ‘King’ are always present but never confusing or overshadowing of each other. This clarity and complexity is echoed in the new visuals through displays of vividly coloured abstract broadcasts – yet another teasing instalment to this enthralling venture.
ROWE is a project with a considered sound, and an ambitious one at that. The first release from an act that plays on a multitude of strengths to craft something as polished as the two (known) contributors. A compelling experiment that leaves us curious and wanting more.
