Minneapolis six-piece Poliça have been causing quite a stir what with celebrity fans Jay-Z and former collaborator Justin Vernon of Bon Iver singing their praises to anyone who’ll pay attention. Give You The Ghost is the band’s debut, and after a couple of listens, it’s clear to see what has Jigga (and... Jugga?) all a-flutter.
A chilled-out, dreamy collection of electro tracks, Give You The Ghost marries lots of percussion (the band has two drummers) with the haunting vocal stylings of singer Channy Leneagh. The Auto-Tune is turned up to 11, but that’s by no means to the album’s detriment – Leneagh’s gorgeous voice is made all the more ethereal by the distortion and layering. Album opener ‘Amongster’ sets the tone, showcasing the heavy percussion which offsets these ghostly vocal harmonies. Comparisons to The xx have been bandied about, though Poliça is a more hip-swivelling affair. ‘Violent Games’ is sensual and earthy, while the epic ‘Wandering Star’ conjures up Eastern imagery, the percussion leaning towards the tribal. Recent single, the synth-heavy ‘Lay Your Cards Out’ is the pick of the bunch, but the beauty of it is that all the tracks on Give You The Ghost are keepers.