Circumnavigate - 'Keep a Moment'
Nordic alt-pop outfit Circumnavigate team up with The Parralax Orchestra on strings on delicate new single, ‘Keep a Moment’.
While lockdown has undoubtedly posed problems for bands globally, one that have seemed to take things in their stride are Norway’s Circumnavigate. Based between Oslo and London, the quartet were already used to piecing tracks together remotely and digitally thanks to work on their 2017 debut album, ‘When World’s Collide’ .
As such, while other bands took their time getting used to the madness behind such methods of working, Circumnavigate were album to hit the ground running, releasing a trio of singles over the course of that 2020 that finds the band moving away from the aforementioned debut, and culminates in their most recent release ‘Keep A Moment’.
Indeed, much like previous singles ‘Layer You Up’ and ‘Shy Love’, ‘Keep A Moment’ unfurls at a glacial pace befitting of a band from Norway. As such, each and every note seems to linger, allowing each subtle nuance to really be explored.
Interested in those moments we wish could last a lifetime, either that have passed or those that are yet to happen, ‘Keep A Moment’ succeeds in treading a fine line between nostalgic sadness and upbeat optimism. This is something that stems from the track’s rich musicality, its ability to effortlessly switch between minor and major keys, and lead singer, Sigrid Zeiner-Gundersen’s tender vocal delivery.
Though still icy in its execution, as one might expect from a Nordic pop band, ‘Keep A Moment’ overall still manages to feel both rich and warmth, its quiet optimism building throughout before blossoming forth in the tracks closing moments.
Though it’s pacing might well see some listeners lose interest, ‘Keep A Moment’ feels like the perfect closing track to a trilogy of releases that have allowed Circumnavigate to take the next steps of their career. And though 2020 has certainly been a year that came with challenges, Circumnavigate have emerged a stronger, and seemingly more focused band as a result.
Words of Dave Beech