Circa Waves was formed in Liverpool in 2013 by guitarist and singer Kieran Shudall, who'd decided to "knuckle down" and commit fully after spending years in no-hope garage bands. After writing a batch of songs he recruited guitarist Joe Falconer, bassist Sam Rourke, and drummer Sian Plummer (replaced by Colin Jones in 2015), and the band toured the UK & EU.

The reception they received for their debut instilled them with a sense of confidence and vigor which created a heavier, beefier sophomore record, 2017's Different Creatures.

The band's third full-length, What's It Like Over There? arrived in 2019, a top ten album, embraced a more nuanced pop sophistication. In early 2020, they delivered Sad Happy. It was the group's highest-charting effort to date at number 4.

Returning in 2023 with their fifth album, Never Going Under. Informed by Shudall's experience becoming a father, worries over climate change and the state of the world. It features the singles Hell On Earth, Do You Wanna Talk & Carry You Home and reached number 1 in the independent chart. Written in the pandemic and produced by Shuddall, it is their most comprehensive album to date, both thematically and musically.