Hayley Gaftarnick Circles This excellent, long awaited album release from Hayley Gaftarnick bears the hallmarks of the confidence and effortless technical ability that characterise her life performances and has the lush feel of a homegrown modern soul classic. Aided and abetted by fantastic backing players and the contributions from some of the finest local talent, Circles is an intoxicating listen, steeped in a mellifluous soulful vibe which envelops the listener. Gaftarnick launches an irresistible two-pronged attack, wielding both ferocious rhythm guitar playing and a deeply resonant, rich, gutsy vocal, as illustrated on the sun-drenched, jaunty To Close for Comfort and the shuffling, horn punctuated singalong I Don’t Mind. Title track, Circles, is a belting old school soul ballad in the vein of the great Etta James. It’s gladdening to find that, contrary to popular belief, they do make ‘em like that anymore. The Reggae inflected Forgive Me is a little more low-key but soars due to the lush vocal arrangements and harmonies. The lovely Don’t Leave, which comes across like a 60’s girl group number (and features a tasty little guitar solo), and Forget You showcase the band’s skilful and sensitive ensemble playing which frames Hayley’s stunning vocal perfectly. Hayley’s heavily rhythmic approach to song writing and performance means that she requires a band behind her that can work a groove. Happily, on this record she’s assembled musicians more than up to the task. The playing is roundly solid throughout, the production has a seductive warmth to it and Hayley’s voice is placed right up front. The faultless vocal performances here display a distinctively raw and honest voice with scope for both the power of a battle cry and the intimately confided vulnerability that runs through the lyrical content. I’ve long held Hayley Gaftarnick in particularly high esteem as a live performer. She’s got choice guitar chops, she’s got a voice that makes you sit up and listen, but, most importantly, she’s got the songs. It’s pleasing that this superb recording manages to capture all the excitement and visceral thrills of her live sets while rendering definitive versions of the tunes which feel timeless. It’s a little bit of a shame that the release of this album has been delayed until now. It would have made a perfect soundtrack to the glorious summer we’ve just enjoyed. Listening again, it’s clear that Circles is set to become a perennial favourite, the songs and instrumentation have been crafted and honed to perfection and suggest that a lifetime of listening enjoyment is in store. So, better late than never, Circles proves to be absolutely worth the wait. North Leeds Life Review by Brendan Campbell