Minneapolis natives Poliça have recently released their full-length bundle of undeniably infectious tracks on Give You the Ghost. The music born out of prestigious founders such as Gayngs vocalist Channy Leaneagh, produced by Ryan Olson, and mixed by Jim Eno of Spoon is expectedly nothing shy of trance-like captivation. After one listen you will be unsure of which genre to place the album in and will become unwilling to assign it a restriction.
The album cracks open with the bubbly pops of “Amongster”. Poliça seems to have created an R&B vibe consistent with a laser-like electronic quality. This track invites a hauntingly open lightness, only utilizing sound where it is of purpose. The ethereal warmth flooding through each verse sets the bar for the rest of the album.
Following later is a delicate expression of depression with “Wandering Star.” This track flaunts a spinning collection of prosaic lyrics with, “After all, I’m married to the wandering star/And I’ve kissed the moon/It was full when I fell in love with thee/But now the world turns without me”. Perceived as one of the more ballad-esque tracks, “Wandering Star” never abandons the memorable rhythms that are woven thick throughout the fabric of the album.
“Happy Be Fine” wanders out of an eerie fog followed by a burst of electric echoes. Synthetic layers produce a dreamy, funk-filled cadence. Imagine a Doppler effect of the Sirens from the Odyssey blended with a thoughtfully strummed bass and you’ll see why this track garners such a large presence on the album as a whole.
Much like the rest of the album, “Lay Your Cards Out” touts lyrics marked by focused anaphora. “In these little moments, get your cards out, girl get your head right/By the waterside wading in sunder, girl get your head right” repeats hypnotically, but with enough variation to hold the listener’s interest. The subtly haunting vocals coexist with a mix of electronic and suavely executed instrumentation.
Every song seems to have a personality of its own that contributes to the uniqueness of Poliça’s sound. The album is at its most soulful with “Form”. It will have you dancing around to apologetic lyrics, almost having you celebrate the potent emotions that are prominent throughout the duration of the album. “The Maker” bounces with a certain percussive lightness and airy vocals. “Fist, Teeth, Money” holds its own with a syncopated groove, likening it to a cooler, younger brother of disco. A sense of empowerment is recognizable with “Ain’t no man in this world who can pull me down” in “Dark Star”.
The album seals to a close with “Leading to Death”, a cynical, yet upbeat anthem. It proves that a simple set of lyrics with the right amount of rhythmic interest form a delightfully funky tune. This track wraps up the eleven song effort almost where it began, allowing for many listens without a sense of finality that would not be appropriate for such a distinctive album.
Poliça does not create a passive listen with “Give You the Ghost”. Their involving music forces you to pay attention to not only every beat, but the transition between them. The trippy repetitions never seem to become entangled in each other throughout the course of the album. From start to finish, the tracks pump your ears full of electric charm and solid energy. There is nothing predictable to be found here.
Rating: 8/10
RiYL: Gayngs, Little Dragon, The Knife, a sassier Bon Iver
Recommended Tracks: “Amongster”, “Lay Your Cards Out”, “Wandering Star”
