Circles/Waves

Circles/Waves is a refreshingly unique, talented Brooklyn trio with a contagious energy and confidence.

BACKGROUND
Led by singer and horn player Claire Lorenzo, Circles/Waves is a trio rounded out by Marissa Mazzotta on guitar and Scotty Gervais on drums. They’re a Brooklyn band carving out their indie sound with a confidence in melody that lands as an optimistic surf-pop — a refreshing twist on 2017.

THOUGHTS
“Rosewood” plays out with a smoothness and fluidity that does justice to its human-centered design. In a way, it empowers lyrically, and engages through its instrumentation. The background is full of noisy guitars and feverish drums, but Lorenzo’s horn cuts right through the story and production, establishing the song’s melody from the start.It’s a catchy beach tune that injects optimism through its indie surf-pop sensibility. The video itself captures Circles/Waves’ energy, best illustrated in the concluding moments amongst the tide rolling in. We can’t argue much with a production featuring Danny DeVito. 4/5.

SUPPORT
You can find Circles/Waves on Spotify, Bandcamp, and Facebook. - Michael Brummet

Circles/Waves at Bowery Electric [8.30.16]

I walked into Bowery Electric just as Brooklyn based duo Circles/Waves were sound checking. Patrons meandered, chatted, bought beer, slowly nearing the stage with each burst of feedback, and drum flam.

The sound guy, one of the most meticulous and helpful I’ve seen in a smaller venue in a long time, scrutinized over each instrument. First with singer and horn player Claire Lorenzo, he fiddled with knobs and levels as she ran through brass lines, and then vocal trills on her second mic. Guitarist Marissa Mazzotta toyed with her pedal board, until it was her turn to transition between fuzz and clean channels on the amp. Joined by drummer and back up singer Cashel Barnett, he arranged and tightened his kit, finally walking behind it to run through some rolls, and sing head voice into the mic set up for him. Bassist Mike Farrell, in slim black jeans, and a buttoned down shirt looked like he was ready to groove.

Cleared for take off, the band kicked in for a quick minute, jamming on a tune over The Killers’ “All These Things That I’ve Done.” The crowd waited. Someone in the audience yelled, “let’s play.”

Only competence and professionalism ensued once the sound guy killed the speakers. The ladies started off by introducing the band, and all apt social media sources. Barnett thanked The Dives for putting on a great show earlier that evening, quipped about going swimming, and then started the band off: ethereal, reverb laden tunes filled with thick sultry vocals, measures of melancholy trumpets that hung in the air like smoke, washed out 7th chords, and steady beats and basslines that added undulating textures, but kept the songs from veering off into the stratosphere, it was all there.

Everyone was on point, and everyone gelled well, playing off one another, yet allowing plenty of space for each instrument to shine. This band spends time rehearsing. It’s refreshing to see musicians who’s main focus is getting lost in the music, who’s main focus is the performance.

At some point Mazzotta dropped her cell phone near her pedal board, kicked it off to the side and kept swaying to the music. They felt unstoppable. Lorenzo in a gray shawl, moving to the front of the stage, her feet behind the monitors, looked like a femme fatale mermaid chanteuse (whatever the hell that means) calling sailors back out to the sadness of the sea.

Amidst all the blues, the band thanked the crowd, urged them to move closer to the stage (which they did), and made jaunty banter about hot summer days, between swigs of beer. Barnett made phallic jokes supplied by his own rimshots. That’s why drummers shouldn’t get microphones. I kid. I kid.

They lightened the mood a bit with the buoyant “Sweetened Iced Tea,” which, supported by whimsical trumpet riffs, and jazzy hi-hats, shuffled along playfully, while Lorenzo sang with fervency “you want to know what we’re here for, you ought to know, the body is all we’re here for.”

These guys make a great impression on and off the stage. I mean, even Dan the bartender, from the restaurant next door, where the band had pre show drinks, came to check out their set. If you missed this one, they’re playing at Pete’s Candy Store on Sept. 9th. Go check them out. In the meantime listen to their raw EP: Wild. I wish them luck on their musical journey. Circles/Waves. Spaseeba. Paka. - Kiss Them For Me

Anyone who thinks pop music has become stagnant need to look towards Brooklyn, where bands like Rubblebucket and San Fermin are infusing classical instruments to give the genre, well, more pop! Following in their footsteps are relatively “new” trio Circles/Waves. Originally started in 2015 by friends Claire Lorenzo (vocals/horns) and Marissa Mazzotta (guitar), the duo have added drummer Scotty Gervais to give their music a slightly edgy and more boisterous vibe.

Last month, they released their self-titled, debut EP, and from it is the record’s highlight, “Rosewood”. The song is an absolute riot. It’s energetic and contagious, as the punk-pop guitar riffs and wailing drumming drive the tune while Lorenzo’s blaring trumpet takes the song to New Orleans during Mardi Gras. It’s a brilliant marriage of multiple genres into one stupendous track. Lorenzo’s vocals, too, have a dash of smokiness, akin to Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards, which means Circles/Waves can even branch out to other genres. It will be interesting to watch this little experiment evolve over time.

In the meantime, hear Circles/Waves in its entirety on SoundCloud or Spotify. - Ben Yung