A Chat with Pulse Park (18.09.2020)
The four-man German-Canadian collective Pulse Park have only been making music together since the start of the year. However, the experience and passion each member brings to the group shines through in their soundscape. They are now unleashing their EP The Equidistance on the world. We sat down with Pulse Park to talk about the EP, their future plans, music and much more!
OSR: How did you all start playing together as a band?
Pulse Park: We just came together with little to no expectations. The songs were already there so most of the things we needed to do was arranging them and working on the sound.
OSR: When the band formed, did you have an idea of the musical direction you wanted to take or did this evolve as you started playing together?
Pulse Park: We did have an idea, but when we actually played we sounded way different. Judging from our musical backgrounds it was clear that our music would sound quite ethereal and dark. But when we started playing, our music turned out to be faster, tighter and more powerful than we had imagined.
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OSR: Is there a story behind the EP The Equidistance?
Pulse Park: After a few rehearsals it was these three songs that we had finished. Then came the pandemic and we needed to stop practising. Instead of doing nothing, we decided to record and try to get some feedback on that very first chapter. This is where we are now. We can’t wait to work on more material.
OSR: What was the biggest challenge you faced creating the EP?
Pulse Park: The recording. The circumstances were horrible. We had to keep huge distances from each other, there was very little time to experiment and partly because we used other people’s equipment.
OSR: What is your creative process? Is there one person who takes the lead or are your songs a joint endeavour?
Pulse Park: Our singer brings in the songs, then we all fiddle around until we’re happy with the results. The song ‘The Equidistance’ used to be a very slow ballad with fingerpicking guitar. The amount of change it has faced is a good example of how we work on the songs.
OSR: What or who do you believe has the biggest influence on your sound?
Pulse Park: Most difficult question. We have been compared to Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Built to Spill, Joy Division, and we love them all. But we don’t see that. Regarding the percussive rhythm guitar, there is an influence by Wire and early The Cure, but that’s just one part.
OSR: If the band were pack animals, what would you be and why?
Pulse Park: Seals, probably. Sometimes they jump into the water, fool around and want to have fun. Then what they enjoy most is lying around on their little sandbank far from anybody else, treating themselves well.
OSR: Are you planning any further releases linked to the EP such as videos or live-stream concerts?
Pulse Park: No, not in the near future.
OSR: If you could play at any venue in the world, where would it be and why?
Pulse Park: Vera, Groningen or Paradiso, Amsterdam. Just to become a little part of history. All of the great bands played there. Really all of them.
OSR: What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
Pulse Park: If possible, we’d like to work on more songs and maybe record something. We don’t foresee any live shows within the next year.
Thanks to Pulse Park for chatting with us! You can find more about them on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp.
