Circu5 has always been able to walk a fine line between proggy complexity and alt-rock energy, and never has this been more evident than in their latest single, “Clockwork Tulpa.” Here, such blends of spiky, technical playing and aggressive sonics create a brilliant ebb and flow between the muscular and the melodic, the poised and the powerful.
That is the secret to their mercurial musical blend. Even at its most full-on, something is always going on: a background riff, an interesting breakdown, or a clever groove is at work, lifting the song about just rock for rock’s sake. And conversely, when “Clockwork Tulpa” plays its more accessible sonic hand, it is a handful of ornate guitar lines and intriguing lyrics, edge, and atmosphere. The dynamic is never as simple as being on/off or loud/quiet. It’s always much more interesting and exciting than that…..nuance is the name of the game.
And, although Steve Tilling and the gang might not thank me for drawing such a lazy comparison, especially given their post code, there is something of XTC to be heard in that initial blend of staccato spikiness and infectious hook. However, here, it errs on the side of the more technical and is soon washed away by the band’s heavier inventiveness.
It’s been a long wait (checks notes) seven years since the last album, but as they say, good things come to those who wait, and on the strength of this title track for the forthcoming album, the wait seemed a price worth paying.
