This review covers the trance track Pulser – Cloudwalking (Astral Remix).
This track was released in 1999 as part of a single.
The track starts off with a basic trance drum kit. An extra high hat is added to the track. From there, a bassline is added. A snare roll makes an appearance before a synth is added. A second synth is then added to the track. Another snare roll makes an appearance while some pads start entering the track.
Most of the drum kit then drops out for a moment. After a short snare roll, the drum kit then returns. A synth melody is then added to the track. A sliding note synth then makes an appearance while a snare roll also makes an appearance.
From there, the drum kit mostly drops out, leaving the synth elements. After a high hat, the last of the drum kit is then dropped from the track. Another synth melody is the added to the track as a few other synths are dropped. This synth is dropped. After that, a piano-like synth is added before the whole track drops out entirely.
After that, one of the synth melodies returns. This is backed by a particularly long snare roll which is also gradually brought in. A high hat joins the track. Some of the synth pads gradually come in. After that, the rest of the track makes a return as the snare roll drops out. The piano element then makes a return. From there, the drum kit drops out briefly before a snare roll brings it back in. Another snare roll later makes an appearance.
From there, an additional snare roll makes an appearance before yet another small synth melody makes an appearance. The piano then comes back in with everything seemingly layered together. The drum kit then largely drops out.
Some of the synth melodies along with the piano then drops out. A kick makes a brief appearance. A snare roll then leads the rest of the drum kit back in again. Some of the synths then drop out. A snare roll makes an appearance before a large number of the synth drop out. A bassline and the drum kit is all that’s left. The bassline then drops out. After a subtle cymbal crash, a small part of the drum kit drops out. More of the drum kit gradually drops out, leaving a few elements behind. Then, the track ends.
One of the big positives this track has is the large number of melodies throughout. While a number of them are subtle, they add a lot of layers to the overall sound. The addition of the piano really does help this track a fair bit as well.
Another positive is the fact that it does give an overall positive vibe.
The only thing with this track is that it layers a whole bunch of synth melodies that are just “good”. There’s not a lot here that is actually a stand out great element besides maybe the piano.
Having said that, this track does have a lot of the right idea’s for the making of an excellent track. It might not necessarily get there in the end, that doesn’t mean that this track isn’t worth listening to. I can definitely say it is.
Overall, this is a track that gets so much right. The many layered melodies really helps elevate this track. The flow works pretty well and the piano is definitely a very nice touch. While there’s not a lot in the way of elements that get’s me to jump up and down in excitement, it does a lot of what works well. So, an overall very decent track.
Score
7/10
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Facebook.
