ALBUM REVIEW: On Circles – Caspian
From their quiet corner in Northeastern USA, CASPIAN have built themselves the reputation of kings over their fifteen year existence. Deservedly earning a seat at a table of post-rock’s finest, the Massachusetts-based sextet have forged a career in creating the most beautiful of cinematic soundscapes, churning out record after record of genre defining classics. Sweeping and densely layered, their forte lies in igniting the imagination and painting abstract imagery in the listener’s mind.
And yet with their latest offering On Circles, they have dared to be different. Immediately polarising opinion with the lead single Circles On Circles, this fifth full length will test the loyalty of their fanbase and likely go some way towards redefining what the band are. Why? Because for the first time since their inception we have heard a CASPIAN track that features vocals. In a genre that largely steers clear of any lyrics at all, co-founder Philip Jamieson has dared to open up his voice and add even more texture to an already ambidextrous sound. Quite how the decision will sit with fans once the full album is released remains to be seen, but the band certainly feel confident that it’s a risk that will pay off.
Sonically the album begins exactly how you would expect. Gradually building, Wildblood is a fairly safe lead into the album, opting for a calm and collected approach that showcases distant brasswork accentuated by distorted guitar. It is a cautious lead into one of the album’s longer tracks, and as further instrumentation arrives with a crash, things begin to take shape. Time-earned experience allows layer after layer to seamlessly build like sediment, until we are lost in a swathe of post-rock mist. The devil lies in the details, and CASPIAN certainly excel at impressing through technical skill.
Given that the opener largely feels like an opening act, drifting into Flowers Of Light is a pleasant experience. Again, the build up is patient, as the band clearly feel no rush to blind us with science. In fact the first moment that things feel really shaken up is in Nostalgist, where the elephant in the room finally rears its head and we hear those vocals for the first time. Featuring the celebrated voice of Kyle Durfey of PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH, the track plays out like a post-rock/melodic hardcore hybrid, driving forward in a blur of cathartic riffs and appeasing vocals. It is a step away from the CASPIAN we know, but rather than feeling like a band stuck in an identity crisis, they have put their necks on the line. It may work or it may not, but regardless it’s a bold move that seems to have paid off.
For the large remainder of the album CASPIAN return to form, walking us through a variable landscape containing a surprising amount of colour. From the heavier, dense approach of Collapser to the much more stereotypically post-rock structure of Ishmael, there is plenty to keep our minds occupied before we arrive again at Circles On Circles and Philip begins to sing lavishly. Led in by a soft acoustic guitar, it certainly allows the band to display an innate emotion that wasn’t preconceived, rather a natural evolution in the writing process. It plays out the album well, and neatly fits the overall tone. There can be little argument that On Circles is a great addition to the CASPIAN discography. Perhaps not their greatest work, but it certainly seems to be a strong statement as to how they expect their future to look.
Rating: 7/10
On Circles is out now via Triple Crown Records.
Like CASPIAN on Facebook.