Track Listing:
1. Dragon's Dance
2. Song Of Our Despair
3. Willow Tree
4. Wherever She Goes
5. Velocity Races
6. To The Fields
7. Bouree
8. This Is The Way
9. Reality's A Fantasy
Clocks Are Like People
Circulus
Psychedelic medieval prog-rock is not a pigeonhole that is exactly bursting at the seams with acts, and, as titles go, doesn't inspire confidence. It is with great relief that it's chief inhabitant, Circulus, are so much more than that title would suggest.
They conjure forth a world with corn fields as ripe as the belly of a pregnant woman, dragons flying and a supernatural underworld aching to burst into our sterile 21st Century world. They conjure these images forth with an alchemical marriage of medieval instruments, electric guitar, drums and the oh-so-special sound of the Moog analogue synth. In the blink of a witches eye you are whisked from a misty woodland glade to a drugged out hazy '70's love-in. Their towering achievement is that they make this so accessible, there is no prog styled over-indulgence in endless twiddly noodlings. This is beautifully crafted music.
The cut-glass enunciation of Michael Tyack dovetails perfectly with the sensually earthy vocals of the delectable Lo Polidoro. The bands instruments gathered from centuries far apart, work together so damn well that it seems natural that, given the chance, medieval mummers would have grooved to the Moog. Wind instruments that look more like something a shepherd would wield give the songs a breathy sense of open space. The only track that goes really bonkers is their arrangement of Bouree, the moog oscillating like it's intent on doing a '70's kids TV theme tune.
Wherever She Goes, sung by Lo Polidoro, is pure medieval myth. It dips it's toe in Celtic symbolism, Polidori's French accent being made for medieval Arthurian romance. her voice could send a shiver up the spine of a statue.
Reality's a Fantasy neatly sums up the apparent contradiction at the heart of circulus, they look intimidating in their medieval finery but they surprise the uninitiated with their warmth and energy.
Don't make the mistake of dismissing Circulus based on their appearance, or any assumptions of what they sound like. They craft albums that make you want to listen to them from beginning to end, and that is so rare these days.
In a castle far away
A band begins to play
The medieval disco lights are shining
Let's go the prince is dancing on his toes...
Iain Hazlewood