Label: Ektro

CD:

$15.00 USD

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This 2004 Circle album is now available domestically on the No Quarter label (who’ve recently also brought us Psychic Paramount’s debut and the Earth remixes cd)! Same tracks as the Finnish import version on Ektro that we previously stocked, and very similar (but modified) artwork — the cover now boasts a “flame job” that wasn’t there on the original. So, here’s our review from before of this quite recommended Circle album:
It’s incredible how AQ’s Finnish faves ‘n’ friends Circle always manage to maintain their trademark sound — repetitive, hypnotic post-prog grooves — even as they produce new albums with such distinct, different identities. Their latest disc, Forest, is another great, unique Circle effort. This time around, they’ve gone semi-acoustic, kinda folky. Also spooky and sinisterly-synthed. In a way, Forest is perhaps Circle’s most “hippie” album. We know Jussi’s a big Dead fan after all. And the krautrock stuff they’ve obviously always been inspired by was hippie rock too. But there’s a back-to-the-land, pot smokin’ jam vibe here, although night-shrouded and mysterious, NOT rainbow-colored and dippy. This a Forest of nightmares, with whispering and groaning in the trees. Maybe Jussi and Co. have been listening to the likes of Kalacakra and Siloah and Amon Duul… and Goblin, and early Tangerine Dream… For sure it seems that the four lengthy tracks on here (shortest six+ minutes, one nine, the other two in the double digits) owe a lot to Can (maybe moreso than other Circle albums do) and also to…the blues! That’s the biggest shock. Vocalist Mika Ratto’s love ‘em or hate ’em operatic vocals are shucked in favor of a mumbling, moaning, singin’ the blues style. And, equally shocking, he’s singing in English this time! Not that you can make sense of much of what’s coming out of his mouth. And of course most of the time Forest is all-instrumental, spacious, suspenseful, grooved-out, darkness. The final, longest track dabbles in ambient, experimental witch-project drone before those Circle rhythms return and Mika moans his last. So good.