Stubborn Heart

Stubborn Heart One Little Indian***

As many have demonstrated, with varying degrees of success, dubstep’s parameters can be extended. In the case of Luca Santucci and Ben Fitzgerald, the duo behind the act named after an old Northern Soul tune, the post-dubstep palate has room for soulful, slo-mo, downbeat pop, and icy, Warp-friendly electronica.

Stubborn Heart’s ducking and diving produces classical textures with traces of The Blue Nile, Mark Hollis, James Blake and Sade offshoot Sweetback in the often austere small-hours symphonies and sweeps of their debut album.

Santucci, who has worked with experimental queenpin Leila, has a marvellous falsetto that coats the tunes with just the right notes of melancholy and fragility. You'll wish they'd occasionally delve deeper in search of stronger emotions, but this is, nonetheless a compelling listen. stubbornheart.com

Download tracks:Need Someone, It's Not That Easy