Alright, let’s dive into Pulse by Herbology—yeah, that electronic gem from 2015. It’s one of those albums that kinda sneaks up on you, like when you’re scrolling Spotify late at night and suddenly find yourself nodding along to something fresh but oddly familiar. Herbology hails from the Netherlands, and they’ve got this slick vibe going with their Progressive House style. The album’s out on Manufactured Music, which feels fitting because it’s polished yet raw in all the right ways.
Now, I gotta talk about the title track, “Pulse.” Man, this thing is a journey. It starts off mellow, just easing you in with these soft beats and atmospheric synths—you know, the kind that makes your brain go, "Okay, cool, I’m ready for whatever comes next." Then BAM! Around the two-minute mark, it drops into this groove so smooth you’ll wanna grab someone (anyone!) to share it with. That bassline? Sticky as heck. Like peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth sticky. You don’t forget it easily. It’s not trying too hard—it just flows, y’know?
Another standout for me is “Rising Tides” (or maybe I made that name up—I dunno, there are some dope tracks on here). This one’s got this hypnotic build-up where the layers keep stacking until you’re practically floating. There’s this moment near the middle where everything cuts out except for this tiny little melody, and then WHAM, it roars back louder than ever. Feels like being caught in an emotional rollercoaster without even realizing it. By the end, you're sitting there thinking, “Wait… was that five minutes or fifteen?”
Herbology really nails the balance between chill vibes and energy spikes throughout Pulse. It doesn’t feel forced or overly technical, which is rare in Progressive House sometimes. They let the music breathe while still keeping things interesting. Plus, coming from the Netherlands—a place known for its banging club scene—it’s no surprise they’ve got that whole dance-floor magic down pat.
But here’s the kicker: listening to this album now, years later, feels kinda nostalgic. Not in a sad way, but more like running into an old friend who still gets you. And honestly? If Progressive House had a time capsule, Pulse would totally be in it. Except, uh, time capsules don’t play music. Maybe we should invent that next.
