Review - Karmin - Pulses

I’m a big Karmin fan, so I’ve been looking forward to their debut full length for a while now. The twosome scored a top twenty hit back in 2012 with their smash “Brokenhearted”, which also ended up being my favorite song that year. Their debut EP ‘Hello’ had some great tracks on it, but altogether it wasn’t my favorite.

‘Pulses’ follows in the same vein: a few catchy songs, interesting construction, a lot of effort put into making the entire set feel original and unique, but sadly not powerful enough to give them their next big break.

Lead single “Acapella” is so far the only track to chart, and it didn’t muster much in the way of radio play. It’s a shame, because while the song doesn’t stick in your mind immediately, after a few listens it’s brilliance hits you, and you will keep going back. Second single “I Want It All” is an easy instant fave for many, filled with Michael Jackson horns and enough hooks to run a tackle shop.

The rest of the album has some great choruses and so-so raps, but not much more in the way of a “Brokenhearted”. A mix of reggae, pop, hip-hop and a few bits of other genres mixed in, ‘Pulses’ is actually a fun ride, if not a deep piece of work. I’ve read quite a bit of negative reviews of the album, and I was tempted to believe them in the beginning, but after several spins, I’d give this a thumbs up.

Listen to: “Acapella”, “I Want It All”, “Hate To Love You”, “Try Me On”, and if those do it for you, listen to everything else.