CYRK

CYRK is at the forefront of a group of acts pushing the sound further than ever before. Already firm favorites of A-list electro and techno DJs like, Maceo Plex, Helena Hauff, Marcel Dettmann, Len Faki, Slam, Dave Clarke, CYRK burst onto the scene in 2015 with their ‘Tribute EP’ release on their own CYRK label.

Since then, they’ve released their first album ‘Escaping Earth’ on Childhood, and a  dozen of EPs. Their hot streak continues with this new two-track offering as part of the Sound of Berlin releases.

While ‘Steps EP’ effortlessly flicks between swirling cuts of electro and acid house, ‘Steps’ is the real standout here: it’s a banger backed up with lashings of stirring strings and bulbous brassy hooks that explores the space between prickly electro and cinematic melodies. ‘Lines’ is both straight-up electro, combining occult-ish soundscapes with noodling acidic leads, while the horror-inspired sound is like the dying embers of a John Carpenter soundtrack. ‘Steps EP’ might not be for everyone, but there’s a certain poetic beauty in the way CYRK finds emotional resonance inside of their bleak influences, as the real meat comes in the form of propulsive retro-futuristic acid sounds and grating bass rhythms, the latter of which is all contorted percussion and golden-hued pad work.

As the decade just started, it’s become clear that the recent surge in electro’s popularity is more than just a fad. Increasingly, producers are looking to electro in all its shapes and forms as especially fertile ground, adding new and innovative mutations to the genre’s diverse legacy.

CYRK proves once again they’re very well able to make waves with their unique blend of Detroit’s electro legacy, Warp Records‘ school of electronica, and their soft spot for melodies.

CYRK has been playing around the world as a live act, bringing their Detroit-influenced blend of house, techno, acid, and electro to some of the world’s best dancefloors. From their extensive hardware set up, they fuse tough, eyes-down grooves with lively basslines and restrained, melodic atmospheres. Their studio work has led to acclaimed releases on Rawax, Burial Soil, Vakant, Avoidant, Time Zero, Science Cult, Lone Romantic...