Artist: Silicone Soul
Title: The Pulse
Label: Soma Records
By: Rami Dahud | 27 October 2008
Tracklist:

• A1: The Pulse (Darkroom Dub)
• A2: The Pulse (Hypno House Dub)
• B1: Call Of The Wild

Silicone Soul "The Pulse"

The well established and highly regarded Scottish duo, Craig Morrison and Graeme Reedie aka Silicone Soul, bring us their latest offering to inject 2008's progressive catalogue with some fresh material before the year is out. This particular release is the first single from their next artist album due to be released early in 2009

Of the two tracks on ‘The Pulse’ A side, Darkroom Dub and the Hypno House Dub, the real prize here is the latter. The Hypno House Dub busts out of the gates on a heavy kick note and develops among a bevy of quirky effects and sharp synths before ushering in plenty of fun with deep bass grooves and a funky lead melody. The eccentric layering keeps momentum going, benefiting from the inclusion of spacey vocal samples and a lush breakdown before eventually winding things down.

The Darkroom Dub is essentially a stripped down version of the Hypno House dub, bringing with it some subtle but consequential changes, despite being largely similar. With a runtime two minutes shorter than the Hypno House Dub, the Darkroom Dub begins and develops in essentially the same way. However, what is noticeably lacking throughout most of its playtime is the bass and lead synth lines of the Hypno House dub, and as a result, much of the fun of that version. Rather, the Darkroom Dub simply stomps along up until and through the same above mentioned sample, coming to a rest with what is a actually more atmospheric breakdown, then culminating by throwing that same bass back in as it proceeds to close things out. In that regard, the Darkroom Dub manages to be more climactic than the Hypno House dub though not to a great extent, as it picks things up during the final stretch but nevertheless fails to carry the same charm.

Call of the Wild is definitely the peaktimer of this release and is easily the most memorable. Things start off and churn along on a relatively conventional note; modest layering, curious samples, with some nearly abrasive lead lines. It appears as if this is going to unfold as a rather dry, melodic number until, at nearly 3:00 minutes in, it makes a sharp turn for the 'beautiful' with a delightful melodic arrangement. The twinkling sense of atmosphere intensifies until it essentially reboots from earlier on but allows its established melody to flow through some very unexpected scenery filled with funky samples and tribal drum lines.

‘The Pulse EP’ is a well rounded release that would find itself home to both the earlier and later portions of a set. Both versions of ‘The Pulse’ are suitable, fun little builders that don't attempt to do more other than briskly get things moving, though the Hypno House Dub is more successful in this regard. ‘Call of the Wild’ has something of a similar feel though places melody as its centerpiece. Although it's not anything that will be setting the rest of the year on fire, enthusiasts of fun, heavy set progressive will likely to pick this up.