Set to release their captivating debut album a little later this year, Circumnavigate look ready to make a major impact in the world of music with their dream-folk material and addictive, unique sound.
Circumnavigate drop their debut album on December 14
We got the chance to chat with the group to find out a little bit more about their passions, influences, goals and ambitions. Read on to find out what they had to say…
For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?
We consider it a mix of Scandinavian folky-pop, with elements of classical and jazz – think delicate harmonies and big crescendos surrounded by warm string sections. [We’re] fans of Birdy, Cinematic Orchestra and Billie Marten.
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
I think with time you realise that you can’t really wait around for others if you want to get where you want. It’s quite an empowering feeling knowing that you can creatively do a lot on your own if you apply and learn the right skills.
How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?
I think creating a buzz can be difficult, but the only way to combat it is to work really hard and have faith in what you are trying to do. I think if you are true to yourself and work hard, people will respect what you are doing and hopefully the rest will take care of itself.
How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?
We love to create songs from start to finish – this includes the writing, production and mixing – we are very hands on and work closely with our team to try and maintain our sound. We are also very engaged in how our videos are made and create concepts and direct ourselves.
Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?
Anywhere and everywhere really; we take a lot of influence from our own lives and stories our friends tell us. Musically we all have different tastes within the band, which helps us to have this nice balance of genres; artists such as Coldplay, Cinematic Orchestra, Ludovico Einaudi, Birdy and Bon Iver are all big influences of ours.
If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?
Our dream would probably be to work with Cinematic Orchestra, Jon Hopkins and Coldplay.
Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know.
Last year, we put on a show with the Red Cross in Oslo, where we performed for well-behaved inmates at the maximum security prison. Oslo Fengsel; obviously, this was quite an intense experience for us, but it was probably one of the best shows we’ve ever played.
On a funny note, we of course had rigorous security checks and [were] issued a visitors badge before being allowed entry; Carl, however who was left to bring the band van into the jail found himself in a room with 50+ prisoners with no accreditation and was terrified about being mistaken for an inmate. He lives to tell the tale!
Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?
I think to be a respected live band is very important for us; we take pride in that being one of our best attributes, with all of our members performing for some of London’s most respected artists in a session capacity; Jennifer Hudson, Foxes, Gabrielle Aplin, Crystal Fighters, Maverick Sabre etc.
We also put a lot into our songwriting and composing, which has led us to write music for film. To have a song or album in the Top 10 would of course be a dream, and to place one of our songs in a blockbuster film; this would be the ultimate for us. But generally, just being able to sustain a successful career, whilst having lots of fun and travelling as friends.
Where do you hope to be by this time next year?
Hopefully we can continue building and by this time next year, successfully touring our album – ‘When Worlds Collide’, due out on December 14. I think we’d like to see more of our music tied to motion picture also – this is a big inspiration of ours and [we] have been working with some producers in the States for the past few years. Earlier this year we synced three of our tracks to Domenica Cameron-Scorsese’s debut feature, Almost Paris.
What should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
Our debut single ‘Secret’ is due out on Monday October 23, followed by a video premiere in a few weeks. This will be followed up with another single, ‘Another 20 Seconds’, and our debut album ‘When Worlds Collide’ on December 14.
We will also aim to hold an album launch night and have lots of gigs to announce, some of which are secret for the time being! All we can say is we’re very excited about them and the artists we are working with!