Circle X - Prehistory LP

This reissue of Circle X’s debut LP recorded in 1981, but not released until 1983, has me pondering their weird place in the landscape of US music. Circle X formed in Louisville, Kentucky then moved to New York, then to France for nine months. Their pleasant sojourn in Dijon produced one of the most vicious punk EP the other side of 1980, with an intensity and force that would make even a YDI fan blush.

Historians may disagree but I’d say it’s closer in spirit to No Trend’s Teen Love, than anything in the No Wave cannon. And also like No Trend, Circle X thwarted whoever might be considered their audiences’ expectations relatively quickly with a debut album of sparse tremolo’d guitar textures, polythrums-ish tribal drums, dubbed out howls… a big slab of world beat art rock!

Spose they’re not the only act who has shifted from urgent and venomous punk release to a strategy of avant-garde tension… Flux Of Pink Indians, Wire-into-Dome, ATV, whenever LP2 from Queensland’s snazziest Pious Faults sees the light of day.

After having their Self Titled EP in my life for 15 or so years, ‘Prehistory’ is very welcome and enjoyed, but even more so makes me want to see what happened next on 1994’s ‘Celestial’! — Nic