Circuit des Yeux – ‘Halo on the Inside’ album review: reborn and ready to dance
THE SKINNY: Haley Fohr has been in the business of making haunting music under her Circuit des Yeux moniker for a decade and a half now. While there have been many slight adjustments to her sound throughout this period, from ambient folk to neo-classical composition, there haven’t been any changes that have felt quite as cathartically transformative as the one witnessed on her latest album, Halo on the Inside.
Her previous release, 2021’s -io, was made during a turbulent period in Fohr’s life. She was recovering from a series of traumatic events, and even though some of those demons were exorcised in the process of making this record, Halo sees her emerge from the other side as a woman reborn. The standalone single, ‘God Dick’, that was released last year was something that Fohr stated as serving a “chrysalis function”. If this is the case, she has risen from her cocoon as a beautifully metamorphosed artist.
Where -io served as a means of Fohr exploring how her work sounded with the accompaniment of a 24-piece orchestra – although she only ended up working with 16 performers – Halo sees her embrace minimalism by taking on the bulk of the work herself alongside producer Andrew Broder. This new focus allowed Fohr to explore the use of synths and electronics as the anchor point of her compositions. It makes her work a lot more danceable and groove-driven.
That doesn’t mean that her work has become any less dark, as there are still some haunting aspects that resemble the works of Diamanda Galás and late-period Scott Walker. Fohr’s vocals have always been a central focus of her art, and on Halo, they become a booming instrument of their own. Her exceptional range and projection help them stand out amidst the often crushing soundscapes.
Exploring themes of Greek mythology, rebirth and embracing parts of the self that she had previously been too afraid to bring out in her music, Fohr largely worked on Halo at night, isolating herself from the rest of the world during the process. While it may seem like these elements and external factors would lead to a record riddled with confusion and inner reckoning, it ends up being a cathartic celebration of her rebirth, even though pain had to be experienced to get there.
With some of her most accessible material to date mingling with some hauntingly exquisite performances, Halo on the Inside is a grand venture into the unknown for an artist who has not only reinvented herself repeatedly but continues to show bravery in every artistic leap she takes.
For fans of: Having a goth phase, stepping outside at 3am, embracing change.
A concluding comment from a recently emerged butterfly: “Yeah, I feel you there. It’s quite the process, isn’t it.”
Halo on the Inside track by track:
Release Date: March 14th | Producer: Andrew Broder & Haley Fohr | Label: Matador
‘Megaloner’: This moody opener sets the ominous tone for the album with a throbbing bass synth, introducing themes of embracing sexuality and discovering your identity. It’s a great opener, but there are finer examples of everything coming to fruition much later – think of this as being an appetiser for that. [3.5/5]
‘Canopy of Eden’: Here we’re given a much more explicit example of the transformation that Fohr has gone through as an artist, exploring the potential for making her industrial synthy soundscapes into dancefloor fillers, but also retaining the inner darkness that has always run through her music. [4/5]
‘Skeleton Key’: Beginning with a much softer palette, gentle pianos and icy sophisti-pop synth twinkles take control of the first half of the song with more expressions of sexuality in the lyrics, but the way the strings eke in as the second half erupts into an outpour of emotions with a frenzied guitar solo at the tail end create a stunning work of apocalyptic beauty. [5/5]
‘Anthem of Me’: A much more introspective cut, the structure of the song doesn’t necessarily go anywhere despite showing potential, although the textures on show continue to be astounding and brimming with a doomy sense of anguish. [3.5/5]
‘Cosmic Joke’: The mid-point presents the most desolate song on the record, with the piano being given the space to echo into the nothingness. It’s the best representation of the nocturnal atmosphere on the album so far. [4/5]
‘Cathexis’: Named after the act of having an unhealthy fixation on a being, the lyrics are clouded in vocal effects for most of the track which unfortunately obscures a lot of the themes of emerging from a process of recovery. Soundscapes are beginning to lighten and become more dreamy, which feels typical of the thoughts one might have on a late-night stroll. [4/5]
‘Truth’: Another dancy track built around an off-kilter techno beat and repetitive bass riff, this track slides into a no-wave and mutant disco vibe. The neo-classical composer we met on -io is a distant memory here, but the eeriness and otherworldliness are maintained as a throughline. [4.5/5]
‘Organ Bed’: The ‘80s synths make another return here, with the track sounding like it could evolve into a ballad. It’s another declaration of love, and a desire for it to be everlasting and much more upbeat than you might imagine considering the context of the album. A saxophone emerges from the depths of the churning synths at one point – an unusual but welcome addition to the timbres on show. [4.5/5]
‘It Takes My Pain Away’: A slow and almost ambient instrumental outro to the album but a beautiful cap on proceedings. While the main instrument of the album is Fohr’s vocals, their absence on this closing cut gives the listener an opportunity to reflect on what’s been a cathartic and emotionally raw experience. [4/5]
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