Chicago-based synth-rock duo Pulsars have officially announced the digital release their acclaimed self-titled debut album, 'PULSARS', set to drop on November 15th. As a prelude to this much-anticipated release, the band has shared the first three tracks, bundled into the brand-new single 'Trilogy', available now. With fans like Keanu Reeves and Fred Armisen on board, the return of Pulsars signals the end of a decades-long question: “What could have been?”
The band's journey first took flight in the 90s, after the release of their debut EP 'Teenage Nites' on Sweet Pea Records. Pulsars then signed a three-album, multi-million-dollar deal with Almo Sounds, marking a major turning point in their career. They went on to open for alternative icons like Oasis, Blur, and Weezer, touring extensively across the U.S. and earning acclaim from critics for their boundary-pushing sound. In 1997, they released their first self-titled album to significant praise, but their momentum came to a halt when Almo’s distribution deal with Geffen Records dissolved, leaving the band in limbo.
Despite this setback, Pulsars were far from forgotten. Rolling Stone later named them one of the “40 Greatest One-Album Wonders,” but it felt like a small consolation for a band with so much untapped potential. Now, after years of hiatus, Pulsars are back to finally finish what they started.
Pulsars consists of the Trumfio brothers—Dave, a well-known studio engineer who has since made a name for himself working with the likes of Billy Bragg, Wilco, OK Go, and Built to Spill, and Harry, his creative partner and bandmate. Their music reflects the spirit of innovation that inspired cult rock bands of the past, drawing comparisons to pioneering acts like Velvet Underground, while incorporating the vibrant, synth-driven energy of the early 1980s.
Their debut album was hailed as a refreshing blend of post-punk and synth-pop, mixing nostalgia with a forward-thinking edge. Praised by critics for its “amazingly confident, catchy anthems” (SPIN) and compared to acts like The Pixies, The Cars, and The Cure, Pulsars’ music left a lasting impression. Ira Robbins of Trouser Press even called the album “one of the singular musical accomplishments of the '90s,” likening it to “a science fair version of *Pet Sounds* for the computer age.”
Now, with their triumphant return, Pulsars are ready to reintroduce the world to the sounds that could have set the 90s music scene ablaze. With their album PULSARS arriving November 15th, and their new single 'Trilogy' kicking off this next chapter on September 27th, the band’s unfinished business is finally about to be fulfilled.
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