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.
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!
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