Sirkulu cover

Sirkulu

Released

Swedish-Danish ensemble BITOI’s Sirkulu is a masterclass in understated maximalism, where electric bass and voices come together in unexpectedly lush configurations. Led by bassist and composer Cassius Lambert, the quartet pairs his deep, supple basslines with a rotating trio of singers (Alexandra Shabo, Lise Kroner, and Anja Tietze Lahrmann) whose voices shift from piercing clarity to ethereal softness. Across nine tracks, the group weaves improvisation, folky vocals, and phonetic bird-song patterns into a sound that is both otherworldly yet deeply bound to the natural world around us. “TI-RI-MA” opens Sirkulu with Lambert’s electric bass driving rhythm and melody, while layered vocals weave intricate harmonies. The track immediately draws the listener into BITOI’s deeply enveloping world, setting the tone for an album that balances improvisation, precision, and immersive textures. On “PA-SI-PA,” melodic motifs flutter over Lambert’s intricate bass ostinatos, while the closing “MA-A-GOA” drifts into meditative, almost sacred territory. The album’s minimal framework belies a dense, hyper-detailed listening experience that feels at once intimate and expansive.

Megan Iacobini de Fazio

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Ethiopian Records