Much hyped after their SXSW turn Minnesota's Polica fuse dubby and RnB basslines with electronica and shoe-gazing vocals. It's won the praise from critics and musicians, including Jay-Z and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.
Singer Channy Leanagh is cooly hypnotic. Her breathy vocals are heavily layered, drenched in reverb and auto-tuned to perfection which reading other blogs seems to be a point of consternation. The main criticism is that so many effects serve only to dehumanise her. But surely that's the point?
In an interview at SXSW she said "I am trying to meld into the three other band members and the music we're making and create a force between us that is cohesive and captivating." It makes perfect sense. Her voice completely blends with the instrumentation, rarely dominating. The lyrics to her swan songs are mostly indistinct.
Leanagh is backed by keyboards, bass and two drummers. Yes that's right. Two drummers!
The percussion is utterly restless and off it they bounce the throbbing basslines, electronic effects to create an expansive sound thats spacious and atmospheric.
GIVE YOU THE GHOST is the kind of record you'd have hoped The XX would have made as a follow up to there debut.
Like The XX the songs are moody and evocative ranging from the comfortably numb to the grief stricken. But despite minor key and downbeat tone the propulsive, often funky bass and dense drumming inject real energy, and keep the mood feeling upbeat, especially on the likes of 'Dark Star', 'From' and 'Leading To Death'
Along with the new Beach House record and last War On Drugs album I think GIVE YOU THE GHOST is one of the most interesting indie records to come out of the States in last 12 months.
DARK STAR
FORM
LEADING TO DEATH
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