Cirkus - Laylower

  by Sarah Maybank

published: 10 / 8 / 2008




Cirkus - Laylower


Label: Tent Music
Format: CD X2
Compelling double CD from Stockholm-based electronica group CirKus who have released a new version of their debut album 'Laylow' under the title of'Laylower' along with a copy of the original to improved effect



Review

Got a record deal? Suddenly decide you loathe your new album? Your two choices: do a Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong and dramatically pull it on the day of release, valiantly weathering the ensuing tumult of good publicity. Or go the CirKus route and quietly release a new, beefed-up version along with a copy of the original. In the original, ‘Laylow’, the band ploughed a pleasing, but not particularly varied, musical furrow, marrying the melodic sense and relaxed tempo of Moorcheeba with stripped-down acoustic guitars and low-key percussion. Having reclaimed socially conscious Neneh Cherry from TV cooking programme hell, it’s no surprise that, lyrically, the band explore the darker side of society and relationships. But the lack of musical variety in ‘Laylow’ meant it soon had you drifting off – or over to something more interesting in your record collection. ‘Laylower’, though, infuses the original with a Tricky-ish brew of intense percussion, electronic flourishes and beefed-up instrumentation. Heavy metal guitars thuggishly transform the plaintive lament of 'Ruff Turf' into a compelling take on Death In Vegas’ ‘Dirge’, while ‘Fuc All The Doh’, with its horror film screams and tingling guitars, becomes, in its ‘Laylower’ incarnation, something so darkly paranoid you’ll be sleeping with the lights on for a week. The verdict? Even if your favourite saying’s "if it’s not broke don’t fix it", ‘Laylower’ will still have you screaming, ‘new and improved’ to anyone who’ll listen.



Track Listing:-

1 Laylow
2 Is What It Is
3 Cutting Out A Career
4 Failsafe
5 You're Such An.
6 Time For The Whistle
7 Ruff Turf
8 Fuc All The Doh
9 Starved
10 Love Can
11 Born Again
12 Fools
13 Sunny Tuesday
14 Laylow (Laylower Mix)
15 Is What It Is (Laylower Mix)
16 Cutting Out A Career (Laylower Mix)
17 Failsafe (Laylower Mix)
18 You're Such An... (Laylower Mix)
19 Time For The Whistle (Laylower Mix)
20 Ruff Turf (Laylower Mix)
21 Fuc All The Doh (Laylower Mix)
22 Starved (Laylower Mix)
23 Love Can (Laylower Mix)
24 Born Again (Laylower Mix)
25 Fools (Laylower Mix)
26 Sunny Tuesday (Laylower Mix)



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