Pulse Park: Arctic Expedition Sparks German Indie Rock Band’s Album First Second
UNPUBLISHED
9 Lounges Team
8/18/2025
Returning to Germany: The Birth of First Second
Eventually, the trio made their way back to Germany, where their Arctic beginnings evolved into a fully formed band identity. Their latest release, First Second, dropped on April 19, 2024, and represents a milestone in their journey. The record was produced by Kurt Ebelhäuser, a respected name in German rock known for his work with bands such as Blackmail and Scumbucket.
With Ebelhäuser’s touch, Pulse Park’s sound found its perfect balance — raw yet polished, intimate yet expansive. First Second captures the strange poetry of their origins while channeling it through driving basslines, hypnotic drumming, and guitars that oscillate between icy sharpness and warm resonance.
The story of Pulse Park is unlike any other in indie rock. Long before the release of their powerful 2024 album First Second, the trio — Magnusson (guitar/vocals), Frank Hagen (bass), and Oliver Polastri (drums) — met in one of the most remote places on Earth: Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada.
There, under the endless Arctic nights, the three musicians first began playing music on ukuleles they had bartered for with the local Inuit community. Their days were filled with survival and their nights with song, trading the silence of the tundra for melodies inspired by cold winds, stark landscapes, and the resilience of the people around them.
Street Music and the Songs of the North
After successfully contributing to a bowhead whale breeding program, the band prepared to return to Germany. But fate intervened in the most unusual way — their huskies escaped with their belongings, leaving them stranded with nothing but their instruments.
Forced to adapt, Pulse Park turned their Arctic experience into art, playing street music across Canadian pedestrian zones. Their songs carried the stories of the North: tales of the cold and darkness, of cod-liver oil as sustenance, and of the haunting beauty of the white Arctic hares. These experiences formed the DNA of their songwriting — authentic, atmospheric, and infused with a sense of place.
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The Impact of First Second
First Second is more than just an album — it’s the culmination of a journey that began in one of the coldest corners of the planet. Each track reflects the resilience of three individuals who turned adversity into creativity. It carries forward the Arctic echoes of their early days while showcasing the evolution of their craft under the guidance of an acclaimed producer.
For fans of indie rock with a backstory, Pulse Park provide both the narrative and the sound to match.
A Sound Rooted in Storytelling
Musically, Pulse Park blend indie rock grit with atmospheric undertones, creating tracks that are both emotionally stirring and rhythmically compelling. Lyrically, their songs remain tethered to their Arctic beginnings, but their themes expand into broader explorations of human endurance, isolation, and connection.
It’s a style that sets them apart in the crowded German and European indie rock scenes, positioning them as storytellers as much as musicians.
