Full Circle
by Hælos
  • Record Label: Matador
  • Release Date: Mar 18, 2016
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
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  1. sebinho9
    Mar 18, 2016
    10
    This album is fantastic. Industrial beats puncture the silky harmonies while the synths keep everything moving along with such drama. The tracks are perfectly ordered and textureed, providing juxtaposition after juxtaposition, yet seemingly flowing like a story of a difficult night out in a city. Here's how I read it:

    Full Circle starts with excerpts from Alan Watts' Spectrum of Love    This album is fantastic. Industrial beats puncture the silky harmonies while the synths keep everything moving along with such drama. The tracks are perfectly ordered and textureed, providing juxtaposition after juxtaposition, yet seemingly flowing like a story of a difficult night out in a city. Here's how I read it:

    Full Circle starts with excerpts from Alan Watts' Spectrum of Love lecture, letting us know we're in for an existential experience, then glides into the punchy and portentous Pray- "pray don't fall down". Debut track Dust distils the mood after the initial rush before perhaps the most "pop" track of Earth Not Above takes us to the part of the evening when things start to spiral.
    Thereafter, Oracle provides a moment of contemplation before ascending into a Chemical Bros-like dance track. Alone perhaps describes the part of the night where you've lost your friends and the demons set in. The staccato, running synth (reminiscent of BT) is offset by the haunting vocals.
    Finally, the denouement (or rather renaissance or redemption of the night) begins with the 90s/Olive-like synths and XX-like dual vocals of Separate Lives and steadily grows via Sacred and Cloud 9 which lament and rail against love lost. Finally we come to Pale (presumably referring to the pallor induced by going through a night like this) which rises through the fear and anger into acceptance and a banging dance track with deep lancing synths. Here the vocals move from head to soulful chest, giving the impression of courage and true redemption. Time to go to bed before the demons set in again.

    What a debut album. Now that their sound is secured, I can't wait to see how they branch out.    … Expand
  2. Ceccon
    May 9, 2016
    10
    Este album é fantástico. Voz, melodia e letra, tudo incrível. Não consigo nem descrever o que sinto quando ouço (que aliás, está nos top 5 albuns mais ouvidos por mim recentemente haha). Se você gosta de um "eletrônico" alternativo bem diferente, essa banda é a opção certa. Mandaram super bem nesse debut album.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. No Ripcord
    Apr 13, 2016
    60
    The sound HÆLOS have refined is the perfect foil for truly spectacular things to happen, but with the exception of the album’s centerpiece, Oracle, Full Circle consistently gives the impression that the tools aren’t being used as efficiently as they could be.
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  2. The 405
    Mar 23, 2016
    65
    What it is, is a nice collection of dark trip-hop pop songs influenced by some great names but without forcing you to remember the name of HÆLOS. A little more substance over style will lead HÆLOS to bigger and better things.
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  3. Clash Music
    Mar 23, 2016
    80
    Full Circle might not break any new ground, but with their simple yet thought-provoking approach to songwriting, HÆLOS have crafted one of the best debut albums in 2016 thus far.
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