Haley Fohr, best known by her principal musical alias Circuit des Yeux, is a Chicago-based experimental musician known for her explorations of folk, art pop, and psychedelia. Fohr’s androgenous singing voice, which reverberates in her commanding lower register just as well as it soars to majestic heights, earned her acclaim across seven full-length projects under multiple aliases.

-oi, Fohr’s sixth album under the Circuit des Yeux name, is a grand statement on grief and isolation. Losing a close friend to suicide in 2019 and enduring the collective anguish of the last two years, Fohr’s latest work is the culmination of her despair. Neoclassical darkwave, a genre which combines the grim, melancholic atmosphere of darkwave with classical instrumentation, dominates the project’s sound. Despite this sonic classification, Fohr’s brand of neoclassical darkwave differs from that of her contemporaries; unlike the ghastly soundscapes of Lingua Ignota or the occult balladry of Anna von Hausswolff, Fohr uses the tenebrous decadence of the genre to uplift rather than devastate.

-oi maintains a pop sensibility, cultivating a bright and welcoming atmosphere amid the album’s themes of agony and irreparable loss. On “Vanishing”, bellowing string arrangements act as an instrumental hook, ushering the listener along as Fohr details pressures and anxieties stemming the imminent climate crisis. “Sculpting the Exodus” employs twinkling strings and animated choral vocals, enlivening an instrumental palette swathed in brooding organ tones.

Watch the music video for “Vanishing” below, and follow Circuit des Yeux on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with her future endeavors.