Having teased our interest with the single release of a conceptually intriguing The Map, Sonic Pulse Project has finally released the associated album of provocative exploration that is The Hourglass Effect.
Promising delicate vocal contemplations and rising passion, blending strings and staccatos with classic pop and cinematic production akin to the modern tools of today, The Hourglass Effect lays down a quietly compelling introduction, with the imagery and reflections of The Grain.
We hereby embark upon a journey that confronts the unrelenting passage of time, but does so with an inspiring twist of hope, gratitude, and a reminder to appreciate the present moment while you can; ‘watch the grain, watch it fall – it’s not a tragedy at all.’
We were also recently introduced to Symphony of Seconds from The Hourglass Effect, and this is now followed by the unexpectedly quirky theatrics of a playful Clockwork Heart.
Sonic Pulse Project has accepted no limits with this album, creatively letting the concept and imagination, the freedom of what AI design has made possible, deliver an involved and eclectic playlist. This circus-like shuffle and performance is well-placed for its upbeat bounce and contrastingly introspective darkness.
Driven by a desire to break free from the rigidity of structure and patterns relating to the rat race, The Hourglass Effect is musically eclectic but grounded by both its vocal choice and the constancy of this concept.
Rewind Replay is an easy highlight in blending these qualities, and providing a smooth and catchy late night anthem. After this, contrast works its magic again, as the colourful groove of Kaleidoscope Eyes injects more imagery and scenes that take you somewhere metaphorically specific.
This track has another earworm of a hook, and would be a joy to hear performed in a live band setting. It’s also followed with beautiful impact, by the deeply moving highlight Heavy Bones. A certain depth reconnects here, a personal touch that’s relatable for its angst, aging, and aspiration combined. For me, this song has the potential to connect most of all, with people who have grown older, who have tired and felt the weight of time on a mind and body that perhaps no longer supports their dreams.
The acoustic fingerpicking of The Quiet Room is gorgeously contemplative after the power and intensity of Heavy Bones, another indicator of Sonic Pulse Project’s awareness of audience and the value of effectively threading together songs of an album. The art of the album is alive and well, and understanding that is important.
For the final moments, we proceed through a gospel-like burst of wonder for Echoes Forward, through a more classic pop-rock ballad that is Broken Stones – a nudge to appreciate the building blocks, the highs and lows, of our time on Earth.
Then finally, we resolve with The Great Unwinding – an evocative, neo-classical-pop dose of reconnection, a prompt to allow and encourage us to experience a deeper and more peaceful relationship with ourselves and the world around us.
Perhaps the most fully visualised album from Sonic Pulse Project to date, the consistency, wave-like reflections and changing energy of The Hourglass Effect is perfectly grounded yet ambitious all at once, and the project holds its own as a go-to place to truly consider one’s mortality and the prints or presence we’d like to leave behind.
Download or stream The Hourglass Effect. Find Sonic Pulse Project on Facebook & Instagram.
