Album Review: Never Going Under // Circa Waves

Known for breezy guitar bangers of summer festival sets passed, Liverpool based band Circa Waves return with their fifth full-length effort, Never Going Under. Directly informed by the global pandemic and frontman Kieran Shudall’s journey into fatherhood, the band’s personal circumstances have shifted and, as this record proves, so has their sound. 

Figuring yourself and the world out forms the basis of Never Going Under, an album which looks out at the world with a sense of anxiety and confusion whilst trying to remain hopeful. Across the 11 tracks, the Liverpool indie-rock outfit are letting go of their worries and trying to have a bit of fun with it.

The title track is a brilliant opener, a high energy guitar-heavy number with electronic notes which is sure to get the listener’s attention piqued for the rest of the record. The up-tempo sound bleeds into the follow-up track ‘Do You Wanna Talk’, with  acoustic flecks that feel like a nod to the days of their summer-soaked debut effort Young Chasers.

Sliding through the fast-paced, politically charged single ‘Hell On Earth’ and the smooth, almost DNCE reminiscent track ‘Your Ghost’, we reach ‘Carry You Home’. The catchy riffs remain but we also get Shudall grappling with the man he is and the man he feels he is supposed to be, as he sings “And I’m supposed to be superman / But I’ve just cried in my hands.” over the twinkling electronics and guitar lines.

This soft, personal feel continues into ‘Northern Town’, as Shudall reflects on his roots on a track which starts off slow but gradually builds into a high octane crowd-pleaser, guaranteed to get crowds going when they make a welcome return to gigs and festival sets this year. ‘Electric City’ feels reminiscent of the Liverpool band of old, full of choral ‘oohs’ and drum-heavy choruses, whilst engaging with the very modern reliance on technology. 

‘Want It All’ slows the album down a bit, with the twinkly piano melodies laced through, before The Killers-esque ‘Golden Days’ brings the mood back up again.

Penultimate track ‘Hold On’ is a slower track, with a personal, comfortable feel to it – gone is the bravado of their early days as Shudall lets the listener into his life, no matter how personal and dark it may get. 

Album closer ‘Living in the Grey’ perfectly captures the band’s new sound. The infectious hooks and sun soaked choruses may be peeking through but they have made way for tracks that are personal, inward looking and honest about life and its changes.

Unlike the crowd pleasers in their early days, the Liverpool outfit have leaned more towards a more electronic-pop sound on their latest offering. There’s a fearless approach to the production of the record, which results in the band’s most experimental and inward looking album to date. The blend of electro-pop and their typical indie sound is risky but it’s a risk that pays off.

Words by Jen Rose

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