REVIEW: M/X - The Circle
Bristol stands as one of the most beloved cities in the UK for punks and alt kids, housing a plethora of iconic venues, a rich history within the punk movement and birthing plenty of big names and local legends. Such artists would inspire M/X, a trio created within the south-western city, who are one of those unassuming acts that leave a lasting impression on any soul to witness them at a gig. The band, consisting of all queer members fronted by Max Pickering, emerged in 2023, releasing their first single Dress To Impress that same year, which already demonstrated a keen, catchy style full of cheek and venom delivered confidently by the young vocalist. Dash a few years forward and you will find the band on the verge of releasing their second EP, The Circle, in which you can discover how the trio have tuned their sound to have immense potential.
The titular song The Circle kicks off the record fiercely, featuring an infectious clash of punchy drums struck by Mimi Edwards and juicy, distorted guitars performed by Liv Allen. The track explores the idea of identity constantly evolving, almost like a pattern that revolves, which is played into through the repetition in vocals and sound, plunging the listener into this repeating cycle to emphasise the theming in an effective, catchy manner. The chanting of the phrase “I fall into the circle” sounds desperate from Max, giving the impression that he truly feels trapped by this loop.
The following track, Saint Mary, the second of the three singles for the EP, tones down the energy to be more mellow, thematically exploring the concept of someone losing fighting to keep their humanity amidst an era where we are encouraged to comply to a dull, easy existence. This idea is expressed through the lyrical metaphor of the “Ice Age”, of course being a time where everything was still, and limited in life, further stating “they made it for money”, implying being offered a convenient, but bland life at the cost of hard-earned money. Guitarist Liv provides backing vocals in the chorus, whose tender voice feels better suited for the delivery, but both members feel important for completing the song within the band’s style. It’s a warm sounding song for a cold metaphor, and perhaps the irony of that truly completes the messaging of the track.
The third track is titled Interlude, but it acts more like an optional, extended opening to the next track, Lunch, transitioning almost perfectly into noisy, layered guitars and thudding drums, immediately presenting itself as a more angsty piece. Max, who delivers an emotionally driven performance on the track states “Lunch is about tension, projecting and trying to stay yourself around a significant other, not embodying the other person”, and this idea is presented uniquely by having the lyrics of the song essentially be two of the same paragraph, but the second subtly alters the first in an act of realisation or emphasis on how the speaker feels. There’s a hint of another Bristol born punk act, IDLES’ more low-key tunes throughout the record, especially on this song, where a more sombre approach to art-rock finds tense, shouty vocals mixed with a rich, soulful instrumental, which culminates as a highly powerful song.
Following this is the penultimate track, Level With Me, featuring a further subdued beat that plays uninterrupted throughout, carried by a blissfully enticing guitar pattern. Between the aforementioned guitarwork by Liv, Mimi’s clean, flavourful drumming and Max’s soft-spoken vocals, this song is, quite bluntly, an absolute vibe, being a delicate, almost comforting production, mixed well to provide each member a time to shine or step back where needed sonically.
Lastly, the energy once again spikes with much meaner sounding guitars and punchier drums in Number, a suitably intense way to conclude a record highlighting conflicting emotions, as Max yells “if I sleep now I sleep forever”. This closer is yet another demonstration of capability and improvement within the trio, as each member feels so in tune and unstoppable, these three started off strong, but now they mean business. The snaky tones and layers are very satisfying, and the vocals are brimming with power, ultimately a catchy, fully thought-out song with fantastic live potential. If there’s anything that limits The Circle, it’s that the DIY trio aren’t yet producing any major ‘wow’ moments that could raise them above their heavy competition, but with such tight skills and a conceptually creative writing ability, it seems only a matter of time before M/X can manifest something impossible to ignore.
Score: 8/10
The Circle will be released on 9th October 2026.
Words: Paul Cutts
Photos: Kate Feast
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