Wednesday 30 September 2015, 8pm
Haley Fohr’s music strikes a unique balance between the personal and universal. As Circuit des Yeux she creates music that embodies the complexity of human emotions, juxtaposing tenderness and grief, ecstasy and horror, using sounds as representations of the emotional spectrum that we all experience. Fohr’s striking voice, an impassioned baritone, is the music’s centerpiece and guiding force.
“Her songs escort you toward stillness and awe rather than requiring you to get there first. The music is immediate and enveloping, and because of her rich, stirring voice, it's sometimes even bracing. But once you're ensnared, it becomes quietly mesmerizing.” – Pitchfork
On In Plain Speech, Fohr is joined by some of the most progressive musicians in the Chicago music community; this new record represents the start of a new, more collaborative chapter for Circuit des Yeux. While previous works were solo affairs, not only in performance, but emotionally tied to a sense of confinement and place, these new songs were composed after a move to a collective living space, giving Fohr an opportunity to break free of the isolation that informed her previous albums. Her songs, while always potent when delivered solo, shine in this new band context.
Fohr will tour with the musicians who play on In Plain Speech throughout 2015. If the band’s debut show is any indication, these shows will be lush and captivating, the band enhancing her already compelling performances. Fohr self-released her 2013 album Overdue, which was praised by NPR, Pitchfork, Tiny Mix Tapes, and more – an impressive display of support for an artist working on her own. 2015 will certainly bring many more exciting chapters in Fohr’s ongoing story.
