Heliosphere is back with a new EP, “Pleiades”, on prominent Phoenix-based label EvilGroove, owned by Lindsey Herbert and PLEASURES.
Heliosphere is composed of brothers Shubhan Desai and Harshit Desai. They grew up in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, South India, where they were in constant contact with the musical scene. Now, years later, as DJs and producers, the brothers have created their act “Heliosphere”, embracing the art of underground Techno.
The duo specializes in raw, hypnotic Techno with dark, powerful bass, pounding low ends, and distorted Electro glitches—layered by loopy synths and groovy snare—creating an atmosphere that encapsulates the mind and body of the listeners.
As DJs, they have opened/closed for several top acts (including Nastia, Klaudia Gawlas, Marcal, Glaskin, Alt8, A.D.H.S, Egdar de Ramon, Audio Units) and have performed across some of India’s best venues as well as a few notable festivals (like Sunburn, Gravity, Solaris, and Teleport). They’ve also released on respectable labels such as Trau-ma, Analog Solutions, TUTU, Observant, Black Square Recordings, Raw Pendulum, Darkforest Records, Minitech Recordings, and more.
Diving into the EP… Pleiades, the opening track, has a rhythm best described as round and with a mega-fast, gusty Techno beat, making it a furious hurricane. Around the first minute, we hear another sound starting to creep out in the background and from a distance. Under the many sonic layers, one might think they’re hearing a man’s muffled voice, making it very eerie, only to realize it is another tone added to the sonic storm. And so begins the EP’s whirlwind dance of beauty and fury.
Alpha, the second track, sets the scene immediately with a fast kick, over which the first Acid melodies rise. Overall, Alpha’s atmosphere is lighter than its predecessor, and is a well-balanced Techno track. I personally love the arpeggios in the high frequencies from the third minute onwards.
Planck starts off in a darker vein than the previous one, which works very well in this order. A saturated bass in the low frequencies is quickly accompanied by its dry high counterpart, with a kick that is reminiscent of tambourines. The atmosphere is a little more tribal, but measured, with other acidic tones echoing the overall mood of the EP.
With the final track Cosmos, the ultra-high-pitched melody is given from the very first beats in a shower of shooting stars. The whole vibe of this progressive track is obviously of deep space, with celestial melodies giving the impression of a wild universe, roaring with mysterious bursts of sound.
Planck and Pleiades, two of my favorite tracks on the EP, also feature remixes by Insolate and Vxlr.. Insolate’s version of Planck comes out energized and blessed with touches of eerie male vocals. Meanwhile, Vxlr’s remix of Pleiades is also of very high quality, with the addition of certain sounds giving the track a slightly more dramatic feel, which suits it well.
“Pleiades” is definitely a top quality EP. From start to finish, you fully grasp the general atmosphere of Heliosphere’s Techno and come away entirely convinced. Pléiades’ progressive tracks pull you forward, giving you a furious mood for dancing the night away in an underground club.
-Hugo Bingler
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