Circle
We here at Time Out Sydney are generally fans of the almighty polygon - but this week we'll make an exception.
By Brooke Salisbury
Don't I know these guys? Perhaps you do. Circle is the collective musical project of Radi Safi; an Enmore based musician/producer, and his friends. Since the band's 2003 inception it's seen quite a few incarnations. Originally known as Opanoni And The Raindrops they released an EP Stamps & Coins and an album, EGBDF before making the name change. Factor in a shuffle in members, including the departure of Safi's younger sister Tanya and the entrance of drummer Russell Crawford and you have the line-up as it currently stands.
What's their sound? A continental spin on Ben Folds, the bands music spells quirky guitar pop with a vaguely oriental flavour. Layered guitar is contrasted with dark and light melodies, while percussion adds an alternative, original air. "The more I play around in the studio, the more our sound changes," tells Radi, a multi-instrumentalist who finds himself toiling away day and night. "Having a set up at home is dangerous. The amount of time I'm playing around knows no limits."
What's the story behind the new cover art? Ex-member Tanya Safi is the mastermind behind the intricate cover designs on Just Keep Swimming. The brother-sister pair worked together selecting the images, scaling them down and creating the collection of creatures that define the cover. "I'm a graphic designer by trade so art really interests me. Hopefully the music's as interesting as the art!"
What's with the name change and musical chairs? "I love being surrounded by people who are better then me. That chase is something I find very inspiring. Things just weren't working for a little while, but the dynamic is amazing now," Safi smiles. As for the name change, there's something catchy about Circle. "It's a collective that keeps going round and round and round..."
What does the future hold? The band dropped Just Keep Swimming; their first full length effort under the new name (produced by J. Walker, the genius behind Machine Translations). Currently there's a little project on the bands MySpace site, delivering quality tunes to the masses for nix. Those on the receiving end have no complaints about this arrangement.
Where can I find them? You can hear ‘Would You Believe Me' by clicking on the player below but - as alluded above - you can also jump onto their MySpace site every week for the latest in their ongoing project, entitled "A Song A Week Until We're Famous": a new song written and recorded during the week and uploaded to their site on the Sunday night. Now that's a work ethic.