It took awhile for Young Circles to come around. They started out as Blond Fuzz, a garage rock band in South Florida, where they built up a small following. However, the loud noise and exceptional guitar riffs were quickly becoming less intriguing for the trio, their hearts more interested in slower tempos and more experimental electronic beats. So, they changed names, dropped a new albumtitled Jungle Habits, and watched the fuzz float away.
When listening to this album, it’s difficult not to feel like something is about to happen. It’s like watching a horror movie, one where the scared teenager goes to look behind the door for the killer but finds nothing. It’s as if the old-school rock riffs are right around the corner only they never pop out to scare. Opener “Triangles” has a very slow, steady, yet danceable tempo, as if it’s building up to some climax, but the track abruptly fades away instead. The vocals recall Cage the Elephant vocalist Matthew Schultz, but this group is the anti-Schultz, opting for a more psychedelic sound, as opposed to pure rock and screaming.
“Summer Noose”, the album’s slow, acoustic ballad, proves that this isn’t just an electronic band, but they’re not quite indie, either. They’re just kind of doing their own thing. “Love Hitch” experiments with vocal effects and produces a satisfying club-like beat, although it does run a bit long. “2012”, the album’s best track, employs trippy lyrics and an enjoyable rhythm.
Young Circles have evolved steadily away from their prior existence as a rock-oriented band. There are strong undertones of their previous selves here, though, and it will be interesting to see how long it takes them to bring both halves of their history together.
Essential Tracks: “2012”
