Circle
Aptly named, Finland's Circle emerged in the early 1990s with an elliptical approach to experimental rock. Combining ambient, jazz, psychedelia, Krautrock, heavy metal, new wave, progressive, and post-rock, the group's mercurial sound is similar to English and U.S. post-rock and electronics-fueled instrumental acts such as Loop, Surgery, Trans-Am, and Tortoise, but has remained wildly idiosyncratic over the decades. They have released scores of EPs, LPs, and live albums since issuing their debut, Meronia, in 1994 -- their 32nd studio effort Terminal was issued in 2017 -- and have collaborated with a host of like-minded artists, including Sunburned Hand of the Man (2007's The Blaze Game) and Richard Dawson (2021's Henki).
Circle was founded in 1991 in the west coast city of Piri by bassist and vocalist Jussi Lehtisalo, who remains the group's sole constant member. The band's earliest work leaned heavily into Krautrock textures and featured lyrics in an entirely self-created language. After the release of 2002's Sunrise, Circle solidified around a core lineup consisting of Lehtisalo, keyboardist/vocalist Mika Rättö, drummer Tomi Leppänen, and guitarist Janne Westerlund, and adopted a more progressive metal sound.
Although their material occasionally crosses over from a meandering grooves-and-textures romp to full-on prog rock and heavy metal overload, the group's most inventive moments have at least managed a fascinating balance of the two. In addition to their 50-plus albums under the Circle moniker, the band has spawned multiple spin-off groups, including Pharaoh Overlord, Rättö ja Lehtisalo, Steel Mammoth, Doktor Kettu, and many more. They have also spent considerable time collaborating with others, with highlights arriving via the largely improvisational The Blaze Game (2007) with Sunburned Hand of Man, and the flora-themed Henki (2021) with English art-folk insurgent Richard Dawson.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
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Paris-Concert (Live)
Jazz - Erschienen bei ECM Records am 02.05.1972
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
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The Halleluja EP
Oper - Erschienen bei Circle Music.co.uk am 14.02.2022
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Songs from the Heart
Folk - Erschienen bei Circle Music am 25.09.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Sunrise
Alternativ und Indie - Erschienen bei No Quarter am 23.10.2007
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Vaudeville (Remastered)
Rock - Erschienen bei White Russian Records am 01.06.2003
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Circle 1: Live In Germany Concert
Jazz - Erschienen bei Concord Records am 01.01.1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Radiostation Infiltration (Remastered)
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei White Russian Records am 01.06.2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Circle 2: Gathering
Jazz - Erschienen bei Concord Records am 01.01.1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Frag-mentos
Verschiedenes - Erschienen bei Unreleased Goa Records am 31.10.2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Like This
World Music - Erschienen bei Circle Music.co.uk am 30.09.2021
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Vocal Play: Campus Music Olympiad, Pt. 2
K-Pop - Erschienen bei WM Korea am 20.11.2019
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Another 69 Love Songs
Progressive Rock - Erschienen bei Monday Records am 22.11.2019
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Gone Too Deep
House - Erschienen bei Worship Recordings am 15.06.2015
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Coco and Charlie
Folk - Erschienen bei Monday Records am 23.03.2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Enharmonic Intervals (For Paschen Organ)
Electronic - Erschienen bei Sige Records am 17.11.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -