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Connected & Invisible Man

Review: Electric Swing Circus – Connected & Invisible Man (EP)

Ragtime Records have certainly had a busy couple of weeks. Following the release of C@ in the H@’s Ragz, Riddimz & Rollerz at the end of last month, they’ve just come out with the newest EP from the Electric Swing Circus, featuring three new tracks from Birmingham’s finest six-piece.

Stream @Spotify Connected & Invisible Man

The EP opens with ‘Connected’, which starts off fairly mellow and quite chilled compared to what we’re used to from the band. One may also note the addition of a live brass section for this release, which comes to the forefront during the chorus of this track, featuring a Wall of Sound-esque array of layered instrumentation. The track also features a really interesting, almost ambient instrumental breakdown, with some real jazzy vibes to it.

Next up is ‘Invisible Man’, which immediately demonstrates a contrast with the previous song by launching directly into an unhesitatingly upbeat energy that doesn’t relent for the entire track. The song makes great use of the Swing Circus’s trademark vocal build-ups to the chorus, also featuring a fantastic synth underscoring the hook. Great breakdowns seem to be the theme of this release, as – like ‘Connected’ – we can also find a moment of instrumental intrigue here. This is easily the best track of the EP – it’s clear to see why it was chosen for the video single.

Finally, we have ‘Minotaur’, which is effectively the “bonus track” of the EP. This is a very festival-friendly tune, very danceable, and actually reminded a little of their previous song ‘Swingamajig’, written about the festival itself. I’d argue that this track makes the best use of the live brass section, which is used highly effectively here.

A nice little release from the guys at the ESC. I’d heard some of these tracks debuted live back at the start of May at Swingamajig, and it’s promising to see that they’re just as impressive on record. Indeed, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this release – my only complaint is that I wish it were longer!

Written by Chris Swinglis Date: 2019-06-19

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Electric Swing Circus Socials