Circadian Clock

How can we describe the events that transpired this past Saturday, June 20, 2015 at the Kymberle Project in Brooklyn? It was an event that many would find nearly impossible to pull off. Some of the best local NYC talent gathered together to celebrate the scene and life of one of its most awesome perpetrators, Melissa Vile of Circadian Clock. Music, comedy, improv, visual art, games, and drag, among other things served to provide the ambiance for an evening that most in attendance should not soon forget.

Circadian Clock was the act of the evening. All the tireless hours of venue searching and securing, organization and promotion of the event culminated with a performance that truly did all their unseen hard work justice. Not only was the lighting and sound on point, but the band’s performance reflected an energy and tightness that was well recognized as having been prepared for a show of this size. They entertained old and brought in new fans alike, with prog and indie rock classics like “Brightside” along with material from their upcoming album. They were truly the apple of the evening’s eye, thanks in no small part to their tenacity for setting up a truly well-thought-out and thoroughly riveting show. - NextMosh.com

Listen to the sound of 5 piece rock band Circadian Clock. Led by frontwoman Melissa Kingdom Folzenlogen and founded in 2008, the New York based band blend a mix of genres - rock, pop, punk, jazz, classical - to create a signature sound. And in regards to their name, Folzenlogen states: "I wanted something related to dreams, since the Circadian Clock refers to our inner clock that controls our sleep cycle, it fit.” Explore the music of Circadian Clock below.

By Alexander Aplerku, AFROPUNK Contributor - AFROPUNK

Circadian Clock is a band that’s not afraid to get in your face. Their music is rambunctious and well-crafted. Groovy riffs and intricate rhythms make for a rockin’ song that you can also dance to. You can’t help but tap your toes and sway to the underlying groove, but its danceability is bolstered by the playfully rhythmic vocal delivery (coupled with lyrics that are both engaging and beautiful).

The video is more or less a straightforward performance of their song, which I love because it highlights the music above all else, but also because it leaves me with the impression that both the band and the crowd had a blast at the performance. For some added variety, several strange masks and outfits can be seen throughout the audience, which not only adds artistic flair to video, but also makes the close-up shots really pop out. Combining motion with beauty, and art with bemusement, the video’s ultimate success lies in conveying how much fun it must be to see Circadian Clock live in concert.

"Liar liar, pants ablaze / Got your heart in a knot / Your shit on the spot / Your tongue in a twist / Your head in a daze / ‘Cause I’m so good without you" - Crash Chords

Article by Luis Vazquez

The best music often is found where it is least expected. The city of Pompeii didn’t know what hit it when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Similarly Circadian Clock has risen from a deep sleep to effect a similar response upon it’s local audience. A band that comes in a set of five is led by their mystery front woman, Vile. Circadian Clock has bode their time on the underground circuit and has determined that now is the time to unleash their brand of rock without the help of labels.

The rapid growth and sophistication of their music belies their age. Its something that resides in their lead singer and mysterious songwriter Melissa Kingdom Folzenlogen. “I was 14 when I formed the band in my freshman year of H.S.” Melissa reflected. “I wanted something related to dreams, since the Circadian Clock refers to our inner clock that controls our sleep cycle, it fit.”

The formation of the band was a study in fate. Melissa met her future drummer, Wes, at a summer camp. “I attended a 6th grade music summer camp.” Melissa recalls. “I said, Hey! You want to be in a band?” Wes responded “Yeah” One year later they met up, trying to find a keyboard player, and Wes is being chased by a screaming woman. Turns out to be Ayumi Sakashita, a future band member. “I was like ‘uh…. ” Wes introduces her, “So this is Ayumi that’s going to play keyboards.”

They found the position of guitarist impossible to fill. They went through eleven guitarists in an eight year period. Finally Melissa came across Ari Friedman, who is a producer at the Nightlife Productions studio where the band records and where Melissa also works. “I was 100% sure that Ari was way too good to be in my band.” They all laugh at the thought but seeing Ari in action brings one to recall Lindsey Buckingham in Fleetwood Mac. “Its playing good music with cool talented people that I knew for a long time that did it for me.”. In addition, a new bass player, Mike Defino, who met Melissa at Hunter, completes the recent refit. “I have played bass for 13 years throughout the city and Brooklyn, and I admire Melissa’s thought process. Its something I wanted to contribute to.”

A serious injury put Melissa out of action for awhile and changed her outlook on life. Also once very shy, She made a conscience change in diet and lifestyle. She also took it upon herself to be more of a social presence. The results are a re-formed unit that is working on their latest album after recently releasing their EP “Someone Out There Loves You After All”, and are ready to finally take their place in the world of contemporary rock.

Catch Circadian Clock at their upcoming video shoot for their song “Brightside,” on May 10th in Brooklyn, New York.

Facebook – www.facebook.com/CircadianClock
Website – www.circadianclock.net - Broken Records Magazine

As we’re nearing the end of the year, we’ve made this week’s episode a special one. For only the second time in CCP history, we devote an entire episode to a full-band interview in lieu of our usual album analysis. Peering deep into the local NYC rock scene, we unveil to you the vibrant and hair-raising ensemble known as Circadian Clock. With their transcendent melodies, backed by a formidable punch, Circadian Clock is poised to take NYC by storm, having released an EP last year called Someone Out There Loves You After All and a music video for their single, “Brightside”. They are currently working on an LP, slated for release next year. Rarely confronted by a band with such extensive and expansive musical roots, join us in hearing how these veterans of live performance forged their tight and incomparable sound. - Crash Chords

CIRCADIAN CLOCK Releases Video for “BRIGHTSIDE”

Words by Luis Vasquez

The rock band that is a musical melting pot of music is making waves with their debut album on the way and a new video which changed the dynamics of how independent videos are made. Circadian Clock, a 5 piece rock band, and that’s naming it loosely, has been refitted and are here to make a name that will resonate in music pantheons.

“Brightside” is the result of a single night in Brooklyn and a fan base that came to enjoy the music, being themselves in the process. It helps that the band , led by Front woman Melissa Folzenlogen, thinks out the box. - Broken Records Magazine

1. Who are you and what do you do?
Hey ho! I’m Melissa, aka Vile of the band Circadian Clock, I’m the vocalist and general person of contact with a face in the band. Nice to meet ya!

2. Why music?
Ah, well there really wasn’t much of any other choice for me. When I was a kid I would be running around my house singing made up songs that had chord progressions and resolutions, and I could play violin before I could tie my shoes (though to be fair, it took me till the third grade to figure out how to tie them.) The trouble with words is that when it really matters, they’re not enough. How do you communicate the depth of your love for your child, or the pain of losing the ones you love most with characters on a lifeless page? Music for me holds that element of expression that allows you to really feel that, to engage your emotions on a higher level. That’s what drives me to pursue music and to work on my band Circadian Clock, because that feeling is essentially what I live for. 
I’m also terrible at math.

3. What is your earliest memory of wanting to involved in music?
I’ve always enjoyed music, whether it was studying violin at Mannes Prep, or with my band. But the first clear moment I realized I wanted to really be a musician was when I saw Midori play live. It was at a large cafe in downtown Manhattan, and she was magnificent! Watching her bring so many ideas to life with her violin made me want to become a professional violinist. And while I do go to school for violin, as well as doing session strings for recording artists and teaching violin, I realized at 13 I wanted to be a rock singer when I heard Muse for the first time. As a classical musician who liked rock, I hadn’t heard anything like it and was completely mesmerized. I knew right then my new life path had been set.

4. What are your favorite subject(s) and style(s)?
I have a penchant when writing to approach the darker side of things. Exactly what is always up in the air, but in the concept album we’re currently recording, common themes include yearning, loss, desire, temptation, dreams, sin, addiction and drugs. A lot of these things are elements that make up your every day reality, and because they’re not high concepts, but relatable truths, it allows the listeners to empathize more easily, more honestly. I work in rock a lot for Circadian Clock, though there are elements of pop, punk, metal, and jazz in there as well.

5. How do you work and approach a new piece that you are working on?
Typically, little fragments of songs tend to float into my head at random times, and i’ll sing them into my phone as a quick reminder and then take it from there later when I can sit down with some instruments and make a full band demo of a track. I’m pretty precise about what I want my music to sound like, often times note for note, because I pay an annoyingly close attention to detail and counterpoint. I dissect everything, particularly in music, so often times my demos will be around 80% similar to the instrumentation of the final track. That kind of dissection is good for creation, but bad for the heart, and general peace of mind, I think, haha. Even when it comes to non musical things relating to the band, I like having a hand in the creative process, which I got the chance to do with our new music video, “Brightside”, produced by YW Productions. We had a lot of fun scouting out locations, organizing the event, and bouncing back and forth ideas and concepts until we had a finished product we’re all super psyched with, twerking zebras and all.

6. What are your favorite musicians(s), singers(s)?
My favorite singers/musicians are Freddy Mercury, Gerard Way, Esperanza Spalding, Casey Crescenzo, and Eric Nally. Freddy’s range allows for a great deal of expression, Gerard Way made me feel ok with being vulnerable, which really makes you powerful, Esperanza Spalding’s smoothness inspires a calmness and a sensuality that colors her work, Casey is a musical genius, and his raw grit and power are so charged it becomes electric, and Eric Nally’s voice, though I originally found to be peculiar, has so much strength behind it, it helped me to break out of my shell when I first started trying to evolve my singing style.

7. What are the best responses you have had to your work?
I’ve had people tell me my music has made them cry, talk to their family members again, end/start a relationship, practice/write their own music, and even preventing them from committing suicide. To know that your music has an effect on people drives you even more to make it the best that it can be.

8. What do you like about your work?
I’m not afraid to be vulnerable in my work, which allows me to paint tones, colors, settings, feelings and ideas that I don’t think are accessible to a lot of people otherwise. It’s hard to open up, and doing that as a writer allows the listener to engage a deeper part of themselves and walk away with not just a tune, but an emotional experience. Musically it may be complicated, but only for the players, not the listeners. I try to manipulate the words and sounds to resonate with the audience, to communicate the emotions and meaning of the songs to them so they feel and understand the story with their ears and hearts in addition to their minds. I’m always working on it and trying to get better!

9. What advice would you give to other musicians?
If you’re not able to communicate your intentions in your music, reflect on why that is and how you can more effectively bring that out. Do your words feel like they might be insincere? Then they probably are. Re-write it. Always push yourself. Does your performance make you feel anything less than proud? Analyze what you’re doing that isn’t working for you and what it is you want, and then work to do that instead. It takes time, but it does wonders!

10. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Hopefully, rocking out stadiums and touring! Nothing beats the feeling of putting on a good show, and I love being able to rock out with my friends with songs I am proud of, and a group I am honored to play with. It’s a privilege!

“Hello hello! My name’s Melissa, aka Vile of Circadian Clock. I’ve been playing violin for 18 years, singing for just as long, and studying just as hard! I’ve studied at Mannes College of Music, Laguardia High School, Manhattan School of Music, and Hunter College. I’ve gotten to play with artists like Foxy Brown, Micheal Barimo, Pasha, and I manage a recording studio in Manhattan called “Nightlife Productions”. I keep myself busy with the storms in my head and the songs in my heart. Currently working on Circadian Clock’s upcoming concept album with Multi-Platinum Producer Sean Gill of The Passengerz, due out summer of 2015. Stick around! We’ll keep you entertained!” - Arts Illustrated