REVIEW: Social Circuit | Demo 2016 by Shahrizal Jasmi

BAND: Social Circuit (Malaysia)
RELEASE: Demo (2016)
LABEL:
Alt Records
REVIEWER: Shahrizal Jasmi
FIND MORE INFO HERE:
https://www.facebook.com/socialcircuitband

My first thought when I heard this tape was “Holy shit! Is this a blast from the past or what?!” SOCIAL CIRCUIT is a new band made up of the singer from hardcore band KIDS ON THE MOVE and another hardcore band MEDIANCOAST (who I have never heard of). Contrary to the current trends where people are heading to form heavier hardcore bands, these guys took a different path and started a melodic band.

They play the kind of melodic hardcore, or emo-tinged, mid-tempo pop-punk that used to be popular in the late 90’s or early 00’s. My thoughts about the vocals? Dean’s vocals sounds like an angrier version of Matt Pryor (THE GET UP KIDS), while musically the band reminds me of THE MOVIELIFE and TITLE FIGHT with a hint of LIFETIME. I see this as the continuation of Dean’s older band THE DEARLY MISSED – Social Circuit picks up where THE DEARLY MISSED left off, but with a harder edge and better musicians.

This is a 3-song demo tape, short and sweet but I wish they spent a little more money on printing the tape cover. I don’t mind the monochrome or grayscale or black & white effect but they really could’ve used better paper.

Nevertheless, I’m really looking forward to the next release!

Shahrizal Jasmi currently plays in The Mindless Show
https://themindlessshow.bandcamp.com/