Robert “Rob” Haigh, also known as Omni Trio, is a British electronic, ambient and experimental musician.
Anyone into drum & bass will know Robert Haigh from his nineties’ project, Omni Trio, but Haigh had a busy musical existence before that successful time. In 1980, he formed Truth Club and Fote, both exploring the industrial and funk genres, along with the creation of his own label, Le Rey Records. It was two years later, in 1982, that, in addition to working with Nurse With Wound on several projects, Sema was born. Between then and 1984, Haigh released four albums as SEMA: Notes from Underground, Theme from Hunger, Extract from Rosa Silber and Three Seasons Only.
When it came to SEMA, Haigh wanted to explore other musical urges, “…that catered for my love of minimal and ambient music. I started SEMA. But I didn’t want it just to be pretty background ambient music, I wanted it to also have a darker and discordant side to it. As I progressed I became more and more interested in composing for piano. I’ve always been a fan of Erik Satie, I was impressed with how he juxtaposed melody and discord — the tonal and atonal — in works such as the Six Gnossiennes and the Five Nocturnes. I’ve always enjoyed subverting what appears to be melodic material with atonal elements. This is still what I do to differing degrees.”
For those used to Omni Trio, Sema isn’t vastly different. The real difference was the introduction in to a whole new world of technology for SEMA. Haigh was like a kid alone in a toy shop, he had a whole new set of play-things, “All along, through that period, I continued to compose piano stuff. Some of it found its way into Omni Trio stuff. The original sketch for Renegade Snares was like a Philip Glass progression.”
Haigh’s works often use a growing tension, building blocks of piano wrapped around a fattening tone, helping to grow like the sun drawing up a rose from the soil. Haigh’s music sucks you into an often meditative state but he does so while keeping you alert. Unlike other productions of the same ilk, he never sends you to sleep. You want to see what’s over the next hill. (by theaudiophileman.com)
Personnel:
Robert Haigh (piano)
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Sema (instruments)
Tracklist:
01. Empire Of Signs 18.02
02. Three Seasons Only 8.10
03. Two Feats Of Klee 3.20
Music composed by Robert Haigh
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