Cercle Social US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Yet more evidence of just how unfair the American-British dominance of popular music is, Asylum Party should be fondly and widely remembered for their input and influence on the post punk-proto goth years of the mid-1980s. For many people, though, this collection of rare demos and compilation tracks will be their first encounter with the troupe.

Prepare to fall in love - or fall in love again, if this isn't the first time. Some Grey Mornings reflects just how innovative and intensely likeable, in a bleak kind of way, the group were. At times nodding to first-language-English titans like The Cure, in other moments giving them a run for their money in terms of pushing this sub-genre forward, or maybe guiding it to the left with these highly experimental, daring, neo-classical meditations like the staggeringly beautiful heart breaker 'Wet Button'.

Review: Canary Yellow is the latest offering of goth-tinged post-punk from Soft Kill. It is yet another reliable collection from the ever-reliable band that will provide plenty of familiar comfort to fans who know and love their sound. It features rather more acoustic guitar than their last album and has standout tracks like 'Congratulations Text' which build to an intense and gorgeous climax as well as plenty of great sounds to help accompany a great winter's day and some heartwarming vocal melodies to lift the spirits.

Review: 'Famously' describing themselves on everyone's favourite audio-visual cesspit Facebook as "sad rock", whether you buy into the term now constituting a sub-genre or not - a claim made by an increasing number of bands - there's no denying that Soft Kill ooze emotional resonance and power in every chord, line and key.

First formed in 2010, but deactivating around one year on due to vocalist and guitarist Tobias Sinclair's health problems, it would take until 2014 for the outfit to properly get back into the swing of things, releasing three full length records, culminating in 2018's Savior. We've waited until now for the follow up and it's certainly worth it, combining the pacing, melancholy and reflection of the post punk revival with pop sensibilities and just a little hint of the earthier end of Bloc Party.

Review: Soft Kill's Escape Forever is a poignant reflection on both past memories and present realities. With Chicago artist RBTayskii as a guiding force, the album delivers thirteen raw tracks that oscillate between nostalgia and contemporary chaos. Guitars and melodies take centre stage, offering a compelling exploration of creation amidst tumultuous times. Soft Kill grapples with the complexities of a world striving for harmony while acknowledging the struggles of the past. Escape Forever is a reverie on humility and intentionality in an increasingly intricate world. It hearkens back to bygone eras yet remains firmly rooted in the present, capturing the essence of our current environment. Overall you gave a terrific melodic post-punk album from a band poised enough to keep triumphantly succeeding at it again and again.

Review: Earlier in 2020, Soft Kill continued their impressive run of quickly made, DIY style post-punk albums with two sets of rushing, energy-packed demos. Dead Kids RIP City, their latest album, is a vastly different beast. It was reportedly recorded over two years and is a concept album of sorts: a 10-track exploration of Portland's dark underbelly that tells the "fractured and fragile legacies of those lost during the last couple of decades". Musically, it's a startling and surprisingly immersive set, with the band's poetic and often touching vocals rising above jangling, densely layered guitars, low-slung bass, and mesmerising production from former Pulsars frontman David Trumifo. As you'd expect, the album is dark and claustrophobic in places, but also bittersweet and surprisingly beautiful.