Mackinlay Smith and Dan Gooch are Neon Circus hailing from Leicester, UK. With nothing more than a guitar and a home PC, these two became music allies. Spending much time familiarising themselves with software and experimenting with new sounds and synthesisers they eventually got enough money to buy a small studio set where they moved out of a bedroom and into a garage attic which they still continue to work in.

After seeing the forming of and break up of a six piece band, Smith and Gooch carried on their work which saw them set up Jacket Potato Records and the completion of an album.

At long last, following on from their previous singles, ‘Future Disco’ and ‘Digit-Izm’, Neon Circus are back with their debut album, Don’t Get Panicked. Boasting 14 tracks this is an album full of punk-funk bass lines, future disco drums, waves of ambient synthesizers, tight riffs and drawled rock n roll vocals.

This is an album with a difference. Neon Circus have brought with them to this album an array of different sounds from the '80s, oriental vibes, jazz and sultry relaxation sounds. There is a feel of the '80s in songs such as ‘5 Feet Down’ and ‘Solar Static’, while ‘This Way Up’ and ‘Call Of The Cobra’ have a distinct oriental feel to them.

‘Dirty Hall Ways’ has a funky futuristic jazz vibe about it. It’s quite a sophisticated tune, even though it’s only 2 minutes in length. This track moves us into the deep underground sounds of ‘Creeper’ with its distorted bass lines and heady synths. This song resembles something of a movie soundtrack.

I like the fact that these guys have been able to release an album with various different sounds and funny enough all go well together.

7

Helena Rea