8/10
Few albums arrive with the weight of real-life experience quite like 'Death & Love Pt. 1', the latest offering from Circa Waves. A collection born from fear, survival, and ultimately, hope, this nine-track record is both a deeply personal reflection and a powerful return to the band’s guitar-driven roots. Self-produced by frontman Kieran Shudall, with engineering by the esteemed Matt Wiggins (Adele, Lana Del Rey, Glass Animals), 'Death & Love Pt. 1' is a testament to why Circa Waves remain one of the more compelling forces in modern indie rock.
At its core, this album is a sonic and emotional purge—a necessary reckoning with mortality after Shudall’s near-death experience in early 2023. Faced with an unexpected and life-altering heart condition, the frontman channelled his fears, anxieties, and ultimate gratitude into music, crafting a record that pulses with both urgency and euphoria. The opening track 'American Dream' wastes no time setting the stage—an explosive, anthemic introduction that radiates the unshakable feeling of clinging to life’s most precious moments.
From there, 'Death & Love Pt. 1' moves through waves of nostalgia and self-reflection. 'Le Bateau', named after a beloved Liverpool club, captures the fleeting magic of reckless, youthful nights, while 'Hold It Steady' and 'Blue Damselfly' lean into the album’s quieter, more introspective corners. But make no mistake—Circa Waves haven’t lost their knack for crafting arena-ready, fist-in-the-air choruses. 'We Made It' feels like an affirmation, a defiant anthem that celebrates resilience, while 'Let’s Leave Together' and 'Like You Did Before' are tailor-made for the festival stage, bursting with infectious hooks and exhilarating momentum.
Since their 2013 debut, Circa Waves have evolved from scrappy indie upstarts to seasoned hitmakers, and 'Death & Love Pt. 1' reflects that evolution without losing sight of what made them thrilling in the first place. There are echoes of the classic indie-rock that first inspired Shudall to pick up a guitar—touchstones of The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and The Vaccines can be felt throughout—but this record is unmistakably their own. Every riff, every lyric, and every carefully constructed melody is infused with the weight of real experience, making for one of their most vital and affecting works yet.
A band at the peak of their powers, Circa Waves have delivered something truly special with 'Death & Love Pt. 1'. It’s an album about fear and survival, loss and love, past and future—all wrapped up in the kind of guitar-pop brilliance that makes you want to turn the volume all the way up. This is a battle cry, a love letter, and an open heart all at once. And as they prepare to bring these tracks to life on stage, one thing is clear: Circa Waves are far from finished. In fact, they’re just getting started.