The Racing Pulses

Guitarist and vocalist Kristian Iliev leads the Racing Pulses, a Madison, Wisconsin power pop trio shaped by core guitar pop traditions and infused with touches of Arctic Monkeys and the Strokes in a distinctly 2010s style. While still in high school Iliev first picked up the guitar, then launched the Racing Pulses in 2012 during his time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison amid an ever-changing roster of players. In summer 2015 he issued an eponymous EP cut alongside bassist Pierce and drummer Matt. Once the EP came out, he assembled a permanent rhythm section by answering a Craigslist posting that brought in bassist Brian Blanchette and drummer Mike Newby. The new trio committed to frequent performances, hitting clubs and campus venues while also securing festival appearances. Their debut album Nothing to Write Home About, tracked at Madison’s Megatone Studios under producer Paul Schluter, reached stores in May 2017 shortly after Iliev earned his political science degree from UW-Madison. Nothing to Write Home About later registered on the Billboard Heatseekers: East North Central chart.