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Circle of Concern

by Emma and the Fragments

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about

“Circle of Concern” is the lead single from Emma and the Fragment’’s sophomore EP, Smile ‘Til It Hurts, which is set to release some time in 2021. Beginning with a faraway bassline and furious drums, listeners experience the sensation of emerging from somewhere deep underwater, only for a wave of icy, jagged-edged guitars to wash over them. The track then levels out into a mournful but quietly defiant plea, pulled along by the momentum of lead guitarist Donn’s stylishly sparse riffs and Emma’s lilting vocals.

The track, which was produced by JB Pilon at Buffalo Studios, takes its name from the psychological concept that inspired it. “Circle of Concern” makes anxiety manifest, personifying an unending stream of negative thoughts as a literal monster that plagues its victim. The story centres on the figure of a young woman struggling to be free from her illness, which poisons both her head and the outside world she has grown to fear so much.

The music video for “Circle of Concern” reflects this tension, illustrating how the spectre of anxiety has twisted both the woman’s mind and her surroundings into a hostile space. We see pastoral and idyllic images, like falling leaves in a woodland landscape, turned nightmarish and sinister by the woman’s own projected fear. Even her self-image is destabilised; we see her as a skeletal figure bound by chains, a haunting reminder of the way an anxiety disorder can make one panicked moment stretch out into an eternity.

“Circle of Concern” blends indie, alt-rock and even post-punk elements to envelop listeners in a soundscape of fear, drawing them in with an irresistible hook that makes the track itself impossible to escape. However, the force and forward-motion of the track, anchored largely by Jon’s relentless drums, are balanced by moments of morose calm. These moments, found in Emma’s driving but delicate vocal delivery and Donn’s twinkling guitars, evoke influences as divergent as The Cure and Tori Amos.

lyrics

Jagged teeth that stretch forever
Surrounding a dark abyss
Claw like hands are crowned with knives

Scraps of hair cling to its skull
Hollows for its eyes
Knows exactly what it wants to happen

In her circle of concern
Spinning round and round
It watches so she won’t escape
In her circle of concern
Whirling down and down
Any action is much too late

Every bad thought that she makes
Establishes her sad fate
It’s arrived and it won’t leave
Now she’s waking in a world where she’s afraid to die
And she’s equally afraid to be living

In her circle of concern
Spinning round and round
It watches so she won’t escape
In her circle of concern
Whirling down and down
Any action is much too late

She dreamt she walked without her shadow
She dreamt she’s standing ten feet taller
Air cleansing her lungs
No darkness to come
She stands in the sun

In her circle of concern
Spinning round and round
It watches so she won’t escape
In her circle of concern
Whirling down and down
Any action is much too late
Any action is much too late

credits

released January 26, 2021
Written and performed by Emma and the Fragments
Recorded at Bufffalo Studios, Limehouse, E1
Produced by JB Pilon
Mastered by La Maesta

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Emma and the Fragments London, UK

Emma and the Fragments are a dynamic indie rock band from the vibrant music scene of East London. Fronted by Emma and her husband Jon on drums, their deep connection and shared musical vision have been the driving force behind the band's success.

They create a sound that's powerful & nuanced, blending elements of indie rock, punk, and pop to create something truly special ... more

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