Bizarre City
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
An Italian outfit spearheaded by Filippo Sala, this sophomore album from Pulsar Ensemble brings 5 multi-instrumentalists to a concept album about an imaginary city, as each track distinctly highlights the many talents of their psychedelia, post-rock and electronic formula.
“The Times Of The Mountains” starts the listen with punchy drumming, dreamy vibraphone and hypnotic guitar work as the quintet blend electronica and post-rock in a fascinating display, and “Timelapse” takes this lead into ambient territory, where buzzing synth, animated drumming and spacey electronics make for a busy, dizzying climate.
Halfway through, “Flipper” touches on post-punk in its firm delivery that welcomes shouted vocals, while “Clouds” floats calmly in a dreamy two minutes. “Waiting”, one of the album’s best, then builds into a dense and mysterious illustration of crashing drums, soulful brass and soaring alt-rock.
“Fine Final” and “Sensation_2” exit the listen, where the former offers whispered vocals amid a very playful and diverse set of instruments, and the latter nearly approaches jam band status and benefits from loud vocals and strong chemistry between the musicians.
There’s a whole lot going on in these songs, and it’s likely you’ll pick up on post-jazz, electro-pop and powerful rock, among other influences, as Sala and company produce a unique and infectious energy you won’t forget anytime soon.
Travels well with: Paar Linien- Paar Linien; you. Guru- Young Adult Fiction