Pure Altruism – Heart Circuitry Review

What does Pure Altruism sound like?

Experimental electronic tones, percussive zither-like sounds, and a ton of effects.

The review of ‘Heart Circuitry’ by Pure Altruism

Brooklyn-based club DJ and producer TLIM SHUG has an equally electronic but very different alternative alias called ‘Pure Altruism’. Following his 2024 debut EP, ‘Heart Circuitry’ explores digital ambience. The concept is that ‘Heart Circuitry’ is a collection of musical diary entries from a computer. Feeling used and unloved, it just wants to share how it feels.

Pure Altruism translates this idea into some absolutely sumptuous electronics. Bubbles of bleeps and rubbery hammered tonal tongues dribble and trickle across the speakers. The opening two tracks take the same idea in different directions. ‘The Computer Declares It’s Love For You’ is plucky, upbeat, almost generative in a way as it spirals into little musical jumps for joy. ‘Having A Bad Day’ is more percussive with tiny tapping beats letting a slowly distorting waterfall of electronics riff and unfurl for the listener. The repetition of the same riff, slowly filtering and phasing into a blur is so satisfying and hypnotic. Across the song, the attack of each note changes greatly, turning from a soft synth into a digital zither at times. The two tracks work beautifully together as a duo.

Mixing pitch shifting and detuned psychedelic wiry electronics is ‘413249oh4am’. This is digital ambience given a colourful, jazzy overcoat. Once again, filtering and note attacks are constantly changing in motion, like fifty cogs in a wheel are tweaking a computerised music box in real time. ‘North Star Type’ is an eight-minute electric piano-esque blues number. Whilst they are in different genres, the glistening production and afterglow of the keys reminds me artist Bibio, who mimics the same production style with electronics and guitars. It’s a blissful haze you could happily snooze to.

Continuing the experimental sound design, ‘inner-c’ uses buzzing noise and metallic tongue noises is create an atonal rupturing of sound and emotion. Synthetic strings wade in like post-rock guitars as the noise and chaos increase. It isn’t an easy song to listen to, but the juxtaposition between delicate instrumentation and discordant playing sells an over-processed mind feeling well. We reach full circle with ‘Concluding This’, which merges ideas from across the EP into one track.

Pure Altruism has a clever knack for sympathetic ambient sound design. Everything feels whimsical and a little puppy-like. The tuned percussive nature of the music may appeal to those who enjoy handpan or tongue drum based music, but the real fans will be lovers of experimental electronic sounds. Think the more abstract, melodic ambient side of Aphex Twin, and you’ll be in the right area. I’m not sure a computer has a heart itself, but Pure Altruism has pumped plenty of life and love into this EP regardless.

Recommended track: Having A Bad Day

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