Circa Waves – Never Going Under

Circa Waves are back for their fifth studio album Never Going Under, the follow-up to 2020’s two-part album Sad Happy. If Sad Happy was Circa Waves pushing their creative boundaries, it is safe to say that Never Going Under is the Liverpudlian group planting their feet firmly in the ground of their sound.

The album opens with the energetic title track, a high-tempo romp brimming with scratchy, blistering guitar lines, thumping percussion and a tinge of electronic tones. The trend continues with Hell on Earth – a bouncy, infectious groove that begins with a flash of rolling guitar and the roar of “The record store’s on fire/And all that’s left is conversation”. Written during the pandemic period by primary songwriter and vocalist Kieran Shudall in the face of political scandal and the turmoil of the last two years, it takes an approach he refers to as “sad euphoria”, where he balances the fast-paced electronic rhythms with the pessimism of his lyrics. “Another waste of time/As politicians lie/Again and again” plays upon the backdrop of stomping electronic beats, thunderous percussion and scattered synths. A fine equilibrium is struck here between Shudall’s political commentary and the vibrancy of the melody, and while it may not become the anti-establishment anthem that it purports to be, Hell on Earth’s upbeat, frenetic zeal is so compelling that it stands tall as one of the album’s best.

Lead single Carry You Home is an uplifting offering, once again filled with dashes of twinkly electronica, zippy guitar lines and clean, strong vocals. But while there are certainly big lashings of euphoric energy, the track is fairly one-note and feels like an exercise in modern British indie rather than the flagship single you would expect for the group. Circa Waves then proceed to strip things back with Want it all Today – a woozy, piano-driven turn with smooth bass lines, whirring melodies and restrained vocals. It’s a welcome shake-up from an album choc-full of dance beats.

At times, the record plods along an all too familiar path, and too often the group are at risk of repeating themselves, from the choral “oohs” and “woos” that pop up in tracks like Hell On Earth, Electric City and Your Ghost, to working with formulaic, well-trodden structures. That being said, Never Going Under is a solid, electronica-saturated entry into the Liverpool band’s discography, and while it may not be their most daring outing, they will certainly win over fans with their brand of hook-forward electro-pop.

Ronan Fawsitt

Never Going Under is released on 13^th January 2023. For further information or to order the album visit Circa Waves’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Hell on Earth here: