Circulus — Cassette

Intro

Circulus sounds like a time traveler from the 16th century who got stuck in 1972 and decided to start a band. It is a lush, strange tapestry where the buzzy, ancient tones of the crumhorn and rauschpfeife weave through the liquid oscillations of a Moog synthesizer. The music is fundamentally acoustic and earthy, yet it possesses a shimmering, extraterrestrial glow that prevents it from ever feeling like a mere history lesson.

What truly distinguishes the group is their commitment to a specific kind of 'high-life' mythology. Led by Michael Tyack, the band treats folklore, fairies, and medievalism not as costumes, but as a living reality. This sincerity results in songs that are playful and whimsical without being ironic. They bridge the gap between the pastoral acid-folk of the late 60s and the ambitious, multi-part structures of classic progressive rock.

Start with 'The Lick on the Tip of an Envelope Yet to Be Sent' to hear their most cohesive vision. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who loves the idea of Jethro Tull if they were more interested in magic than social commentary, or for those who want their folk music to have a healthy dose of cosmic synth-wiggle.

Circulus are a psychedelic/progressive folk band from South London, England, founded by guitarist and singer Michael Tyack. The band uses a mix of modern and medieval instruments, such as the lute, cittern, crumhorn and rauschpfeife, along with the Moog synthesizer, bass and electric guitars. Circulus were featured in a two-page spread of an NME issue in 2005, also appearing that year in a Sveriges Television music documentary called This Is Our Music in 2005. They were interviewed on BBC2's The Culture Show on 3 February 2007, as part of an item on the 'new folk'. Mojo magazine chose Circulus to cover Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds for their 40th anniversary Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band tribute album, Sgt. Pepper... With a Little Help from His Friends, given away with their March 2007 issue. The band performed on the 'Meltdown on the Thames' stage, at Meltdown Festival on 17 June 2007, one week later playing on the Park Stage at Glastonbury Festival. They performed at Green Man Festival in 2006 and 2017. In 2013, they provivded an original music soundtrack for the short film Eilmer The Flying Monk, which is based on the story of Eilmer of Malmesbury. In 2014 their music was used in the soundtrack of the documentary The Truth Behind the Dash For Gas.

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