White Circle Crime Club

 Biography “It inspires me.” (Mike Watt, about playing after White Circle Crime Club in Switzerland, 2005) White Circle Crime Club is a four-piece band from Antwerp/Belgium consisting of Jelle De Cremer, brothers Jan and Sis Matthé and Krist Torfs. Around since 2001 and with a background in fast punk/hardcore bands at the end of the nineties, White Circle Crime Club so far have released the noirish e.p. These Are The Secret Sounds Of Fear (2003), the rough-edged Written in Black (2005, mastered by Black Sabbath roadie Alan Ward) and A Present Perfect (2006). Their third full-length effort is called Pictures Of Stares (2008) and was again recorded in their own Blue Hotel studio in trappist beer pilgrimage Chimay (B) by Bert Aerts and mastered by Alan Douches (Liars, Oneida, Panda Bear, LCD Soundsystem, Bad Brains) in NY. With their latest album, White Circle Crime Club have finally come home and for the first time musically succeeded in making a record that breathes one atmosphere throughout, in contrast with the eclectic, unfinished schizophrenia of a group still finding its feet on earlier efforts. Each and every one of the songs on Pictures Of Stares paints a pretty, abstract and dreamy picture, eloquently streamed consciousness full of love for time, travel and unreality, a focused vision on now/then/forever. Before and after releasing A Present Perfect in September 2006, White Circle Crime Club joined TV on the Radio twice on a European stint. They also played a VPRO radio session and successfully toured on their own, always and everywhere celebrated for the honesty and ferocity shows are delivered with on stage. Early 2007, White Circle Crime Club toured the larger part of Western Europe (from Oslo to Lissabon) together with The Blood Brothers. In summer they jointly paid the UK a visit and played Belgium’s biggest alternative festival Pukkelpop. The Present Perfect year was significantly finished off with an improvisational set at the Kopstoot! exhibition in Amsterdam about underground art movements in Antwerp since the end of the 70s. White Circle Crime Club’s albums were all part of the exhibition and pieces of the improvisation of that night ended up on the last record. Bands like White Circle Crime Club, willing to stick their neck out musically, lyrically and organisationally and confidently exposing a quality throughout whatever they do, cannot be cherished enough. As for their latest album Pictures Of Stares: there is much to discover, and to go back to, in the generous company of a document as beautiful as this. Jack Sipps, Antwerp 2008. Instrumentation Jelle De Cremer: vocals, guitar Jan Matthé: bass guitar, vocals Sis Matthé: guitar, keys, vocals Krist Torfs: drums Discography Pictures Of Stares LP (2008) A Present Perfect LP (2006) Written In Black LP (2005) These Are The Secret Sounds of Fear EP (2003)