Poliça are a Minneapolis-based band who borrow elements from trip-hop, synth-pop and indie rock. They bring these influences together to craft songs with great immediacy, but with enough detail to pore over on repeated listen. They are perhaps best known for their lead singer, Channy Leaneagh, using various vocal effects in live and studio performances. The glitchy, unpredictable, yet subtle auto-tune leads to gorgeous textured vocals. Leaneagh’s voice can shift from lullaby to rousing proclamation without a moment’s notice.
Providing her vocals with a platform to shine from, Poliça’s rhythm section is one of the most unique you can hear today. Two drummers (Drew Christopherson and Ben Ivascu) perform on two full kits providing a thick percussive sound, full of fills and off-beat measures to keep you on your toes. Despite the amount going on, the sound never gets too busy thanks to Chris Bierden on bass guitar. His playing weaves through the sound tying together each element and providing a groove which will no doubt have people bobbing without realising.
Poliça debuted with the album Give You the Ghost in 2012, and shortly followed up with Shulamith in 2014. Both albums featured melancholic themes, with stream-of-consciousness lyrics. Their latest album United Crushers provides the listener with more immediate songs and lyrics which seem to tell a more personal story. The synths are grittier, the bass and drums are more present. Poliça started as a collaboration between producer Ryan Olson and Leaneagh who later found a band to perform their demos. Three albums in and United Crushers feels more like a collaboration between each member of the band. Personally, I’m excited to see what this inventive group can do with these songs live.
Poliça play at O2 Ritz on Friday 21st October
