There are a lot of bands that list David Bowie as an inspiration, but you can only really hear it in some of them. The Human Circuit, based out of Austin, Texas, is one of those bands. Their new album, Electric City, was just released this past June, and it is already making the rounds through college towns and the like. Described as alt-rock psych-pop, The Human Circuit delivers on interesting sounds and cool concepts, and they’re never ones to take themselves too seriously.
What you’ll find in Electric City is experimentation and a lot of clever lyrics. The Human Circuit has a large band, one that includes horns, saxophone, flute, and trombone, in addition to the bass, guitar, keys, and drums. You get to hear it all and it’s a spectacular departure from your usual bands in this genre. Fun rhythms and great vocals makes this band, and this album, worth the listen.
“Running in a Nightmare” is a fantastic track that I especially love, with a big thanks to percussionist Andy Manns. The song is smooth, with a great rhythm (which is true for every song in Electric City). This song showcases the inspiration they get from Arcade Fire. The lyrics are what really makes this song stick out to me, though. “Running in a nightmare, and you thought this was a dream / Tried to close your eyes, but it’s exactly how it seems / The monster’s right behind you, starting to get close / Try to move your legs but then there’s nowhere you can go.”
“Envisioned Invasion” is not only my favorite track, but the one I feel most encompasses the band. It opens with some audio clips of people talking about UFOs, so you know right away that it will be interesting. It’s from the perspective of aliens that crashed landed on Earth before they were prepared to invade. All of their equipment was destroyed and they’re not really sure what to do about that. It’s a fun song that showcases the quirky side of the band the very best, as well as their fantastic editing skills.
“Do You Still Wanna Know” has the album title tucked into the lyrics, which is always fun to see. The song feels especially theatrical. It feels like you’re at the beginning of the second act in a play, when the stakes are high and you can see the finale closing in. Almost on the opposite end of the spectrum, “Silly Song” is… well, exactly what the title implies. It’s a ridiculous end to a fun album, one that somehow doesn’t detract from the typical strong end you’re used to in a closing track. If anything, it’s what determined my love for The Human Circuit.
If you’re a fan of alt-rock and/or psych-pop (or even if you’re not), I’d suggest that you give Electric City a listen. The Human Circuit is a great band with a fusion of sounds, instruments, and concepts. I love what they’ve given so far and I can’t wait to see where they go from here!
http://www.thehumancircuit.org/
10/10
Victoria Patterson
