First Phase by Circling Dunes

Circling Dunes is the latest project from Rob Shiels, also known for his work as the space rock outfit Trigona, and is a lighter, mellower, and more atmospheric take on psychedelic music. Inspired by ambient music, First Phase uses reverberated sounds and pads as its starting point, and then combines loops, synths, mellotrons, and layers of bass, before adding melodic guitar lines to create expansive, instrumental works.

Spread over 13 tracks, First Phase features a number of richly-layered songs, a handful of sparser guitar-focused numbers, as well as a few experimental tracks that take their inspiration from old tape loops and sound on sound recording techniques.

Rob has described Circling Dunes as ‘ambient leaning’. Perhaps there’s too much going on to be called ambient, but the genre’s influence on the album is undeniable. If Trigona is all about getting you somewhere with forceful propulsion, Circling Dunes is all about slowing down and taking some time away to block out the noise of the world. First Phase is a very psychedelic record, but a relaxed, contemplative, and weird type of psychedelia.

Purveyor of fine frequencies.