The Tokyo-via-Runcorn producer continues to try his hand at crafting glitchy, romantic beatscapes.

After establishing himself with (and getting pigeonholed by) an inventive blend of garage and J-pop influences, 25-year-old Rob Orme took a stylistic turn last year, first on the They Always Come Back EP for Apollo and the Tears EP for the Berlin-based Project Mooncircle label.

Submerse returns to Project Mooncircle for his latest effort, the seven-track Algorithms and Ghosts EP. While the Brainfeeder-influenced beat work returns, the nods to garage are almost entirely forgotten in favor of downtempo ambience and du jour R&B vocal samples; on lead track ‘Truth’, he even contorts the ubiquitous trap template into something lush and enveloping. His adopted hometown, Tokyo, remains an inspirational touchstone:

“I took a lot of inspiration from 3 main points of Tokyo City. There are traditional parks and shrines/temples that really take you away from the high rise buildings and make you feel like you could be in the countryside. Next, there are typical shops, neon lights, offices and general city life, and lastly, there is the red light area which is a great place to see all walks of life, from gangsters, working girls and strange things behind closed doors. I’m fascinated by this place, It seems like another world to me, I’m always drawn to it out of curiosity and the feeling I get while passing though is really inspiring.”

Algorithms and Ghosts is due out on March 18 via Project Mooncircle. Preview the EP below; the cover art (illustrated by Annita Maslov) and tracklisting follow. FACT interviewed Submerse last year; it’s still a fascinating look into the young talent’s headspace.

01 Truth
02 Algorithms and Ghosts
03 This Combo Could End Us
04 Here’s Looking At You
05 Dim Lights and Meteorites (feat. Sorrow)
06 Monochrome
07 Blips In December