Rating: 9/10

MICHELLE has always been a collective I’ve admired. Based in New York City, MICHELLE’s music is loaded with nostalgia and manages to touch on topics within their music that manage to feel familiar as a teenager growing up in NYC. From their slower R&B tracks to the more upbeat indie-pop tunes, MICHELLE is not afraid to experiment, and their latest track “PULSE” proves exactly that.  

“PULSE” is described as a song for the ‘dance floor’ by MICHELLE, and I have no choice but to agree. Immediately, you are hit with a beat that’s both magical and danceable and a set of catchy lyrics that’ll be running through your head for days. One of my favorite parts of this track was the pre-chorus, the feeling it awakens in the listener and the build up it provides felt perfect, with the vocalist singing about conflicting actions and feelings from their lover. The most memorable part of this groovy track though, is the chorus. With the vocalist asking, “Can you feel my pulse too?”, The chorus provides an electric feeling. The song ends with slower and deeper vocals. This was a dramatic switch from the usual sound of the song, with it’s iconic synths no longer present and the vocals changed, this track almost steps off onto a mysterious note.

Something that immediately caught my sticks out about this track is how different it is from the rest of MICHELLE’s discography. Although MICHELLE has never been afraid to experiment, “PULSE” was a track that seemed very different from the rest. Straying from the indie pop and R&B sounds, “PULSE” is an electric dance track. MICHELLE makes this very clear with their lyrics, such as “Dance a little rougher.” This feeling from the song was also very well translated into the single cover (which MICHELLE has always been able to do), with its glowing illustration of the collective. The visualizer that accompanied this track showcased dancing people with a similar glowing effect, putting further emphasis on their intentions for this track. Although “PULSE” has a different vibe from their previous songs, it does remind me of tracks such as “SYNCOPATE” from their 2nd album, AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS. 

“PULSE” is an amazing track that successfully showcases MICHELLE’s ability to create new sounds that never bore their listeners. From the catchy lyrics to the danceable beat, this track is almost a blast from the past. As MICHELLE continues to release music, their impact on the NYC music scene continues to grow, and perfectly caters to native New Yorkers with their nostalgic and catchy tunes.