Pitchfork

The legacy of Krautrock isn't so much in the heavy, repetitive strains of "Lokki" or the spaced-out ambience of parts I-IV of the title track on this live album by the Finnish band Circle. There's a case for the old German guard provoking the vaguely druggy, pseudo lo-fi curtain which clouds this recording, but then, any number of scenes (or drugs) could've been responsible for that. For all we know, it could've been an entirely isolated idea to obscure the small details of these tunes in analog haze, and Circle win points for their bizarre audience manipulations. The lasting effect is not one of aural namedropping, but truly out-there exploration; it's also definitely a rock album, as opposed to some acid trip with drums. Sure, things get a little out of hand in places, and Circle's sort of dank, medieval trance isn't the first thing I'd recommend to my sister, but everyone needs a scare now and then, right?

Circle's first EPs (Silver, DNA, Point) were too rare-- and possibly a few years early for the post-rock boom-- to make much of a splash outside of early-90s Finland. The band began as noisy proponents of the Krautrock groove (I'd say they were more Amon Düül II than Neu!), but could as often erupt into no-wave tantrums as hard, sweeping beat sagas. Furthermore, bassist Jussi Lehtisalo's old black-magic-via-Judas Priest vocals introduced a decidedly non-Kraut sense of dread into the mix, placing Circle nearer the lineage of mystical (bordering on mythological) prog, more akin to the darkest Magma. They've refined their sound a tad over the past few years, becoming either a great post-rock band, or one of the worst metal acts going.

For the most part, Circle play it cool on Raunio. Except for the chaotic drone of "Potto" (a possible Acid Mothers homage), the mean noise level is fairly low, and the dynamics are so extended as to hide any spikes. The most interesting moments occur during the markedly calm instances, especially on the title "suite." "Raunio IV" is the most serene of the bunch, featuring spoken word narration over a soft, humming noise-cycle, a synth chord, and the distant sound of someone flipping electrical switches (well, either that or dripping water, but the sounds are abstracted to such an extent that it's pointless to attempt a guess at what's actually happening). "IV" leads to the bonus track "Raubonmix", a tune that ups the lo-fi factor, churning out an otherworldly, dream-state stupor. The soaking wet Rhodes keyboard, which might otherwise suggest any number of hip (read: moronic) 70s soul-jazz throwbacks, lends an angelic timbre to an already light-footed trip.

Some of the music here does stretch out a bit too much, though. The aforementioned "Potto" is truly an affront to the senses, but after a time, you become numb. Likewise, the metallic motorik of "Lokki" is almost thrilling-- as thrilling as oppressive trance-rock gets-- for the first six minutes, but eventually I lose track of time, and wonder why this tune couldn't have taken the same route as "Dedofiktion" (from 2000's Prospekt), which substituted relentless propulsion for this bland, epic goth.

Excepting the sometimes-cloudy sound (which actually adds an appreciated mystique), this is a decent album for any newcomer to Circle's work. 1996's compilation of their early EPs (Kollekt) and the aforementioned Prospekt are where I'd head next, though it'll probably take some time to digest the murky stew of Raunio. Circle's popularity may never fall in line with fellow droners Tortoise, GY!BE or Mogwai-- especially since post-rock is on life-support anyway-- but freaks on the outer rim will know what's up.