German-Canadian band Pulse Park impress with a sturdy rock appeal on new album First Second, melding shoegaze-y textures with a relaxed vocal presence. “Wide Array” commences the album with a nocturnal guitar jangle, igniting a lonesome intrigue. Pulses of warming guitar distortion follow alongside rhythmic additions, gearing thereafter into the ethereal vocals. “Binary” follows with a heavier onslaught of initial guitars, enveloping in its blistering distortion and shades of early REM. The opening one-two punch showcases a band that excels in both dreamy introspection and more anthemic rock pursuits.
For a band that enthralls with such an atmospheric rock sound, it’s fitting that the members initially met on an Arctic expedition in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut/Canada; such a setting is bound to inspire some interesting soundscapes. They traverse throughout First Second with considerable melodic and atmospheric appeal, making for a strong follow-up to their debut album, 2022’s Phonac Music. From the steady doses of infectious guitar distortion on lead single “Briars” to the dreamier introspection of “Wide Array,” First Second consumes throughout.
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“Dark Empath” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
