144 Pulsations of Light

Sliding into a start with a well-named song, "Majestic," given the sweeping synth drones and persistent buried pulses below them, 144 Pulsations of Light finds Ethernet (aka Tim Gray) creating a fine listen for 21st century zoners that impresses more in the details than in any form of overall innovation. Echoes of everything from Ash Ra Tempel and Brian Eno to any number of Gray's Kranky labelmates being present, the joy in 144 Pulsations lies in the easy and immediate feeling of the music, how the blend of interwoven drones and echo and rhythm invites both contemplation and committed, sometimes tense attention. At points, Gray's pieces vary little — "5 + 7 = 12" basically continues "Majestic," while the later "Kansai" almost equally continues both — but the shift away from beats on "Summer Insects" and the inclusion of further sounds like blasts of slow arctic wind give the album more overall texture and surprise. The steady four-note motif on "Seaside," meanwhile, provides a soothing anchor as higher-pitched parts softly arc and scream in the distance.