Perlence Tracks

Been listening to all the Quaristice-era tracks a lot over the past few weeks, and I finally feel like I've dedicated a proper amount of time to really analyze all of the different versions of Perlence. It really is fascinating to find all the little differences - we've never had a single set of ideas explored as thoroughly in any of their music before, or since (Though 90101 comes close). At any rate, after having compared them all for a while I think I've come up with a fairly definitive playlist order for listening to them. Kind of begins from the basic, superficial level of the tracks and slowly descends deeper into the individual sounds. Anyway, the way I've been listening is this:

1. Perlence

- The cleanest and shortest recording, this gets straight to the point and illustrates the majority of the sounds explored in the series.

2. Perlence Range 7

- Mostly just a much longer version of the regular track, each of the phases in the original has more time to breathe. A bit more reverb-y.

3. Perlence Range 3

- The transition from Range 7 - Range 3 is so flawless it's hard to imagine it wasn't intended to be listened to this way. This is probably my favorite track. Almost like a dub version, very spaced out and very rhythmic. Around 3:12 we see the first introduction of the bassline which will be featured prominently in Subrange 3. Also from 4 minutes on the sounds begin to get a lot more sinister as we decay further into the subranges. (Personal favorite moment at 6:41 when they bring the opening melody back for a single note before dropping out completely, love it)

4. Perlence Subrange 3

- Things begin to get very dark here. The funky beats are gone, only a steady rhythmic pulse and bassline to hold it together now. The focus now shifts to the background sounds, which remind me of rubber balls bouncing on a hand drum. A new lead melody forms out of haze at 3:50, very subtle and hypnotic. It sticks with throughout the very long fadeout, you can almost lose yourself in it.

5. Perlence Losid 2

- The fadeout works well to prep your ears for this one, which I know is one a lot of people really dig. This one is all about close listening, the whole track is based off rhythmic manipulations to the echoey background noise, which I suppose is now foreground noise! Some interesting key changes around the 4 and 6 minute marks, and one very noticeable one at 6:35. The track almost feels like it hits the edges of human hearing after this. Sounds immense on a good set of headphones.

6. Perlence Suns

- This was the only one who's placement I wasn't sure about, but it seems to fit here fairly well. Some more overtly melodic ambient things going on here before another long fadeout. Also worth noting that the title implies that it's a mix of Perlence and Paralel Suns, so leaving it out or reordering it could work too. Good track though!

7. Perlence Subrange 6-36

- And everyone's favorite! Definitely not one you can make time for as easily, but there are some very subtle things going on if you open your mind to them. Some high frequencies pop in and out, at 20:00 in and thoughout. The whole track seems like it could be timestretched, a lot of the sounds are slower. I'd be interested to hear it fast sometime. The little changes might become more apparent. Would be interested to hear what other people have noticed in this one - I truly haven't devoted enough focused listening to it.

But yeah, that's my analysis! Nice to get it a little organized in one place. I may try and do the same for the 90101 tracks sometime, on the surface they seem a lot more similar to each other though so it might be fun to dissect what the differences between versions really are.

Dying to read about 90101 series next, dying.

What does Perlence mean again, I think I read Pre lence on some synth plugin some time ago... Haven't been able to find it though.

the Perlences are my fav+ ae thing ever

dunno what else to say

I would love to hear some more Perlence tracks, bet there are (were??) tons.

Reference subrange 6-36, here it is 4x faster... https://youtu.be/ZEBbpthTbMM

Honestly this was a thought I had...doing mini playlists: one for each track and its variations (if available) including all versions (Japanese iTunes EP, Quaristice, Quaristice (Versions), and of course...quadrange. would be a fun experiment.

Perlence Losid 2 is my top pick. Not sure what it is about it, but it feels like a heightened meditative state for me, like some kind of neutral void. Almost a Buddhist appeal. Not sure if that even makes sense.

I'd love to listen to it again on a rainy July day.

i dont really care much for 6-36 but i have played it through prob at least 4 or 5 times. i've thought about loading it into an editor or something to try to see what changes actually are happening but never did. the other ones are great though

  On 4/16/2015 at 8:10 AM, ambermonk said:

Perlence Losid 2 is my top pick. Not sure what it is about it, but it feels like a heightened meditative state for me, like some kind of neutral void. Almost a Buddhist appeal. Not sure if that even makes sense.

 

I'd love to listen to it again on a rainy July day.

It reminds me a bit of some of those iDoser things, binaural beats. I wonder if the rhythm of the pulses in your ears has any sort of physiological effect, because I definitely zone way out if I listen to it on headphones. I get the same type of effect with Drane as well.

  On 4/16/2015 at 8:30 PM, NI64 said:

 

  On 4/16/2015 at 8:10 AM, ambermonk said:

Perlence Losid 2 is my top pick. Not sure what it is about it, but it feels like a heightened meditative state for me, like some kind of neutral void. Almost a Buddhist appeal. Not sure if that even makes sense.

 

I'd love to listen to it again on a rainy July day.

It reminds me a bit of some of those iDoser things, binaural beats. I wonder if the rhythm of the pulses in your ears has any sort of physiological effect, because I definitely zone way out if I listen to it on headphones. I get the same type of effect with Drane as well.

 

So it's not just me then. Sounds like we're on the same page. It's just tricky to accurately describe the sensation.

  On 4/11/2015 at 9:05 PM, fletcher said:

I would love to hear some more Perlence tracks, bet there are (were??) tons.

Yeah i'm sure there's at least a couple of hours edited out of the Perlence jams, that would be nice to listen to unedited.

Perlence range 7 - 6:00-7:30. This is the best sounds.

I went back into perlence and found some gold.

Can't believe its so long since i listened to it.

This is so hot.

queersauce I didn't like, but the quadrange EPs are absolute golden!

Need to run this as a playlist, it's a great idea to do so. I'd thought casually about it forever ago but didn't actually follow through 'cause I'm lazy...but it was begging to be done. Glad you got us started on it and talking about it!

A playlist of this is something i set out to do as well. I really am a lazy unorganized old muff when i think about all the hundreds of mp3's i've put on the backburner in need of a little playlist. This is one of the first playlists i set out to do, years later it's unaccomplished..

But shit dawg hot dang Perlence range 7....some tracks refine with age cooked in oak barrels,

Make a playlist Aux

Yeah I set out to do this a long time ago, just finally got around to it! They really do sound great played in order like this though. [Range 7 - Range 3 - Subrange 3] in particular sound like one long massive track.

Bring it! All fade in

6-36 is my favorite.. I get really baked and lay down with headphones while listening. There are subtle changes.. it really zones me out.

Went looking for a thread like this... These have aged well, and lately I've had a few nights wanting to just be in Perlence-space.  Current fav is subrange 3

  On 1/23/2022 at 3:37 AM, toaoaoad said:

Went looking for a thread like this... These have aged well, and lately I've had a few nights wanting to just be in Perlence-space.  Current fav is subrange 3

Hey thanks for reminding me I did this! Was a lot of fun to dig into at the time, and yeah, this series still ranks and one of my favorite things Ae has ever done.

I don't believe I ever got around to making a thread on the 90101 tracks. Maybe I'll take some time and get that together too.

6-36 is still one of my fav tracks from ae ...  

I agree with OP's playlist order.
But! Perlence Range 7 might be my alltime favourite.
Once I heard the angels sing over the dirtiest acid breakdown @ 6:57 I became a Quaristician.

Always loved Perlence. Losid 2, Subrange 3, and Subrange 6-36 put me in a special state. I just calm down immediately. Garbage does the same for me. And of course bladelores.

Back in 2020 I decided to get into Python as there was just nothing else to do and I'd always wanted to learn it anyway. I can handle about an hour of uninterrupted study / teaching myself before I need a break. So I would put on Subrange 6-36 and then read and do exercises for an hour. Take a short break. Repeat. This cycle for around 6 times a day. For months on end, I was listening to Perlence Subrange 6-36 in its entirety, 6 times per day. It was great. This track really opens up the pores in my mind. I heard people call it a "loop" but that's just plain wrong. The track changes a lot over time, but with beautiful subtlety.

Norovirus caught me yesterday which led to some quality time spent in bed with Losid 2, Subrange 3, and Subrange 6-36. It struck me again how simple yet incredible that Perlence beat is (the one that's playing throughout Subrange 3). Totally hypnotic! I love this so much.