Robag Wruhme

2024 RepressH

Robag Wruhme is well-known for flights of the fantastic; his many productions, remixes and DJ sets act as conversations between melancholic, melodic tenderness, the urgent thrill of dancefloor-ready moments, and the neutralising power of pared-down minimalism. 2015 marks the return of Robag Wruhme to the Pampa Records fold, following the whirlwind of acclaim for his 2011 album Thora Vukk. The intervening years now prove to have been worth the wait: Cybekks EP finds Robag on stunning form yet again. Title track "Cybekks" leads off with a weighty tread, thundering downwards with heavy drums and robotic feel, but as always with Robag, there is more than initially meets the ear. His signature blend of shifting textures begins to emerge: cloud-like chords of suspenseful pads appear and disappear on the horizon, shuffling high hats appeal directly to the dancing instinct, while gleaming constellations of high-frequency sounds are dotted over the arrangement's second half. "Anton" returns Robag to melancholic brilliance, with a lilting piano loop and subtle digital trickery that blurs the edges of each note. It is a short reprise with deep emotional impact, and its poignancy remains long after the final fade out. "Volta Cobby" reinvigorates the classic collision of tech, house and stipped-back body music; exploring a multitude of moods via saw-edged melodies, fast-forward voices, and snatches of cymbals, all expertly combined for a late night trip into what makes a dancefloor tick. "Anton2" is the the yin to the yang of its predecessor, drawing on electronica with a pastoral feel to finish the EP on an uplifting note, evoking the dreamy, hazy sunrise of a brand new day. This is another thing of brief yet undeniable beauty, with a revealing glimpse towards the end of Robag's songwriting prowess.