Review: Circle & Mamiffer’s Enharmonic Intervals is Pleasant, Ambient Noise

Not at all a Mumford & Sons spinoff, Circle & Mamiffer is actually two bands of some noise notoriety (noiseriety? Ehhhh…no). At its heart, it’s a mash of Seattle experimental/ambient/”sound art project” (that’s Mamiffer) and some Finnish avant-metallers (hello, Circle).

But really, you’ve read this far because Aaron Turner of Isis fame  is involved.

So, these merchants of underground noise convened in an ancient church in Finland for a day, made a racket, and later fine-tuned the results. In the days of laptop recording, I suppose this counts as old-school and should be applauded.

But “name” artists and fun backstory do not a memorable album make, said anyone who’s ever heard a Contraband or Device record. So what to make of Enharmonic Intervals (subtitle “FOR PASCHEN ORGAN”… lest you forget)?

Pleasant, ambient noise. “Kaksonen 1” feels like a symphony’s warm-up with some added guitar skronk. Guttural shouts inhabit the otherwise moody synth piece “Parting of Bodies.” Speaking of synths, you might have found “Tumulus” on a sci-fi flick soundtrack in the 70s (until the chanting comes in). Only on the final few tracks does a fair bit of cacophony arrive, and not in any way that approaches furious guitar riffing.

Best to think of Enharmonic as an experiment… maybe an attempt at making a OK Computer/Kid A for the metal community. Or something geared toward your average Swans/later-era Boredoms fan.

Or — something fun to slip to the Mumford & Sons fans in your life. “Here’s something different,” you say. And you wouldn’t be lying.

Circle & Mamiffer’s Enharmonic Intervals (For Paschen Organ) is out now on Sige. Stream it here and purchase it here.