While these days it’s just as likely that fans of Gabriel Pulcinelli find out about her work through video game OST’s, she also releases original music under her name and as Haiku Project. 2019’s Hikaru Beyond the Skyline was a nostalgic, deeply entangling romp on ‘fantasy math rock,’ so some would say we had no choice but to love it, but we could hardly resist.
Today sees the release of Pulcinelli’s latest record, this time under the guise of Ponpoko in the Distance, which, to use a most appropriate phrase, seems to be a level-up in terms of production and dedication to vision, and it makes sense when you consider that AMORE-De-Lic is a literal love letter to video games.
And not just the vague concept of video games as an aesthetic, but actual games that changed the trajectory of Pulcinelli’s life. It might sound extreme to some, but trust us when we say, we get it. We’ve got our own list, but some of the bangers tributed on AMORE-De-Lic are gems like Racing Lagoon, Hotel Dusk: Room 215, and Moon: RPG Remix Adventure. Check it out below, including absolutely smoking artwork from Orphéo Gagliardini:
The games that inspired these tracks aren’t the only bangers here, as intro “Share A Star With A Love Afar” and the Tenchio / Postergirlxoxo assisted “Hotel Room 215” clearly illustrate. “Taking the Summer” shows off more of Pulcinelli’s shoegaze side with heaps of distortion and reverb, but definitely with enough clarity to leave its tribute intact.
By the time closer “Love-De-Gard” rolls around, you can’t help but find yourself enveloped in a highly detailed vision. Maybe the EP was written from her perspective, but the passion and dedication to the game is actually something a lot of people are sure to relate to. Making a conscious homage to something as complex as video games, let alone groundbreaking JRPG’s of the 90’s and early 2000’s, can be an exhausting task that leaves little room for subtlety or interpretation. People want to see their things their way – but Ponpoko in the Distance nails the middle ground with Amore-De-Lic, giving fans and newcomers alike something they can appreciate.
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