Hardwicke Circus is the name of a seven-piece from Carlisle who specialise in bringing some heavily melodic rhythm and blues music in a complete package that really packs a punch. Following their self-titled 2015 EP, the band have now returned with Social Music, another a five tracked EP acting as a brilliant taster to what this band are all about and how much they have to offer audiences.

Kicking things off is ‘Nowhere Left To Run’, a piano led intro that instantly bursts into a kaleidoscope of instruments: a bit of synth, trumpets, bass and guitar all intertwine for a few bars before vocalist Johnny Foster’s husked vocals kick in, carrying the track in a different direction than expected. The transition into the pre-chorus’ high “oohs” is fantastic and really shows a lot of range in Johnny’s voice. The track only continues to grow as each instrument proceeds to fade in and out of the ear and the occasional flourishes from the guitar really boost the song in such a way that it makes for an interesting listen throughout. The structure is somewhat abnormal is hitting the ear in an unusual, but delightful way before heading into a superbly played saxophone solo that simply comes out of nowhere. A great start and a great introduction to the band.

It is often hard for a seven-piece to truly utilise their full potential, however Hardwicke Circus’ following number, ‘Ride On The Track’ uses each instrument in such a way that it does not dominate Johnny’s vocals but simply makes for some incredibly well used backing sound. The almost western vibe to the track is incredibly different from the predecessor yet still makes for an equally pleasant listen, the simple but incredibly bold guitar solos add a beautiful dynamic which forces the head to bob along to. Just like making the most of their instruments, it is equally easy for seven piece bands to overcomplicate, however the simplicity of this track is what really brings it to life, it really does feel as though each instrument is working together instead of trying to trump the rest, which makes for an overall listen that is definitely something remarkable.

‘Love Her Madly’ stresses a far faster tone and a lower tone to Johnny’s voice, whilst yet another drastically different sound is created and, compared to the other numbers, the track does not particularly shine out from the rest of the record. Not only are the vocals somewhat too hard hitting. There doesn't seem to be much of a message and the instrumentation definitely overpowers the song. The song does grow into a more interesting listen with the sporadic flourishes from the trumpets and, as the other sounds begin to pile up, they do reach a nice level of composition. However the track feels like a minor bump compared to the rest of the record’s overall tone.

The variation throughout Social Music is definitely admirable as, in the space of just five songs, Hardwicke Circus have managed to successfully demonstrate almost every aspect of their sound. Whether it be through the subtle nuances of the backing instrumentation or a powerful solo, the record seems to have most aspects covered. ‘Woman’ holds an incredibly driven bass and guitar intro which catches the ear instantly and feels like the most ‘rocky’ part of the record. The backing bassline bounces brilliantly off of Johnny’s lyrics and yet another subtle spring from the keys really morphs the track into a holistic package and possibly the highlight of the record.

Subtlety definitely does a lot for Hardwicke Circus and they have clearly learned to feature the trait into their tracks and, as such, Social Music is a brilliant demonstration into what the band are all about. Is the record revolutionary? No, but nor does it set out to be. As the title implies, Social Music is about just that, providing a chilled out vibe that people can bond over and, in that respect, whether it be seeing this band live, or simply listening to it in the background with a mate, Hardwicke Circus have achieved their goals and have produced an EP that I feel many will come to enjoy. I feel like we are just on the tip of the iceberg with Hardwicke Circus and they are still only just finding their feet. Whilst their sound definitely does pack a punch, I personally am intrigued and can’t wait to see how they manage to grow it further.
Ben Walker

Facebook: facebook.com/hardwickecircus
Twitter: twitter.com/hardwickecircus