Pulse Emitter

Swirlings

BY Slavko BucifalPublished Jan 14, 2020

6
Pulse Emitter is Daryl Groetsch, and he has released a plethora of soundscapes and synth journeys over his career. His latest, fittingly titled Swirlings, is a safe, meditative affair, with gentle meandering synth textures that permeate most of the album.
 
Swirlings moves from soft, neatly defined sequenced steps in opener "Electron Central" to a minimal, stretched-out ambient drone in "Space Frost." The movement of these sonic clouds is deliberate, and Pulse Emitter is not afraid to drench tones in reverb or exploit filter sweeps for spacey cosmic swirls that cascade around soft, padded ambient soups. The result is a classic sound that synth aficionados would recognize, and new age disciples may find comforting.
 
While Swirlings creates an easy listening ambience with textures that assist in ethereal out-of-body mediations, there is little in the way of innovation, though the final track provides a contrasting tone from the relaxation pieces. "Empty Hold" introduces samples of metal bits being dropped, which echo and blend with an eerie backdrop of melancholic drone.
 
The closing statement offers perhaps the sparsest feel and adds a bit of necessary friction in an otherwise fluffy universe.
(Hausu Mountain)

Latest Coverage