Pharaoh Overlord "Circle"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Instrumental Electronica, Krautrock
Label: Ektro Records
Format: CD, vinyl
Release date:April 30, 2015 (CD),  June 12, 2015 (vinyl)
Tracklist: 

1. Eläin rientää kotiin - 06:05  
2. Tarkennus - 06:07  
3. Verbi - 05:26  
4. Villaa - 08:02  
5. Raide 2 - 05:38  
6. Ystävinä ja pariskuntina - 05:27

Line-up: 
Julius Jääskeläinen (Circle)
Pekka Jääskeläinen (Circle)
Jussi Lehtisalo (Circle)
Tomi Leppänen (Circle)
Janne Westerlund (Circle)

Description/Reviews: 

Circle, and their not-all-that-different-really side-project band Pharaoh Overlord have now simultaneously released albums with the titles "Circle" and "Pharaoh Overlord", no, not self-titled albums, the Circle one is called Pharaoh Overlord and the Pharaoh Overlord one is called Circle. And they have very similar art/graphics. Yep. That's what they do for laffs up in Finland, although knowing Jussi, he probably has some very serious, meaningful reason behind this scheme, but the explanation would be impossible to understand. It makes a circle or something. Regardless, what we've got here are TWO NEW Circle and/or Pharaoh Overlord albums, however you slice it, and that's a good thing! Of course, they just showed up yesterday, the day before our list, but we already have spun these a bunch of times and know we will spin them lots more, so sure let's make 'em both Records Of The Week! 

On Pharaoh Overlord's Circle, they indeed do their best Circle impression - not so hard since the band consists ENTIRELY of members of Circle after all (the lineups on these two albums are identical except that vocalist/keyboardist Mika Ratto only appears on the Circle one, which also has a guest horn player). And while PO were originally conceived as the heavier, "stoner rock" alter ego of Circle, here they evince a lighter touch than what Circle do on their parallel Pharaoh Overlord album, less heavy, less dark, instead being delightfully upbeat and sunny sounding, but of course with lots of the usual rhythmic urgency, gently directed. The all-instrumental music is layered with lots of pretty synth sizzle, almost giving it a 'new wave' vibe, uplifting and sprightly, even. We like the bloop bloop lava lamp sound going on throughout track two, "Tarkennus", and the first track, "Elain Rientaa Kotiin", features a melodic synth flourish that sure reminds us a lot of Stereolab... as of course does the similarly Neu! derived motorik beat. "Villaa", track 4, really blurs the lines between the typically krauty pulse of Circle and loop-based dance music. And so it goes. Providing a blissful rhythmic workout overall, this is a great Circle/Pharaoh Overlord/whatevertheywannacallthemselves album that we'll for sure be returning to on days when we need a sweet, lively, Circular pick me up. Recommended, as is the other one by the other band. (aquariusrecords.org)

Media/Samples 
Elain rientaa kotiin 
Raide 2

Links:
Web page (Circle)
ProgArchives
Proggnosis