CIRCLESQUARE PRE-EARTHQUAKE ANTHEM ALBUM OUTPUT RELEASE: DECEMBER 3, 2003 REVIEW: DECEMBER 14, 2003

Behind Circlesquare is a mysterious Canadian artist who calls himself March21. “Pre-Earthquake Anthem” is his first new release in four years.
Opening song “Trancenation” sets the tone with its sense of impending doom, and marries a threatening electronic pulse with warm slide guitars. The track stands as a rather good declaration of things to come – clean-scrubbed electronics and weeping slide guitars that circle over frozen dance beats in slow motion.
It’s a good sound, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with either the songs or March21’s soft vocals. But the constantly low tempo causes a kind of claustrophobia after a while, and this would, at least in my ears, have been a better album if there was some kind of release offered. But maybe that’s the purpose – to make us long for that earthquake.

KRISTOFFER NOHEDEN