ALBUM REVIEW: Cirkus
- Posted on August 4, 2008 4:12 PM
- 0 comments
Cirkus
“Laylow / Laylower”
Release 28th July
Review by Matt Killeen.
It’s a little unclear but this appears to be the first full release of ‘Laylow’, their debut album from 2007, now accompanied by a second CD, ‘Laylower’, reworking the original tracks 12 months on.
This project features Neneh Cherry, although the press release refuses to confirm this claiming it’s ‘f*** all to do with the music’. This is self delusional b******s of course which doesn’t do them any favours. You can hear her voice clearly, it has her imprint throughout and I would probably be more circumspect when reviewing it if I didn’t know she was involved. I would also have spent the review saying how much they sound like Eagle Eye & Neneh Cherry. The press release is sizzling with this kind of disdain for the reader and its poorly constructed sentences attempt to justify all manner of overblown claims. Hasn’t anyone taught these people how to write these things?
The album consists of acoustic electronic grooves with close microphone vocals very much like late Massive Attack but they have the advantage of several contrasting and strong vocals. The power of the music comes from their superior tonality and it allows for a laid back feel without sacrificing dynamics.
As a body of work it’s hard to judge from just a few listens but my first instincts are that the project loves itself just a little bit too much. A touch of humour like that found on ‘You’re such an ...’ would make all the difference. I’m also uncertain that it ever goes from being pretty to being beautiful, or unsettling to truly scary, in the way it clearly intends.
That being said, it is hugely worthwhile and the project is potentially very valuable. There is, on the second CD, evidence of genuine growth that a year on the road gives you and from the off it’s a better record. What is missing is that one killer track but I would say that with Ms Cherry’s track record they’ll get some leeway to develop into it. See? It is to do with the music after all.
I just hope that she keeps making ‘Neneh and Andi Dish It Up’. That would be a sad loss.
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