Minneapolis’ Poliça are back for a second round of sexual politics and they still mean business. The anger and bitterness of last year’s Give You The Ghost has spilled over into full-blown violence on follow-up album, Shulamith. Its cover art is a Psycho-like bloodbath, while an unnerving promo clip for lead single Tiff gives new meaning to the term ‘self-harm’.
Even though she’s mostly taking things out on herself to get through the pain, Channy Leaneagh staunchly reclaims her power on a feisty second album with a title that name-checks Canadian radical feminist Shulamith Firestone. But the motives aren’t always clear from the lyrics which, despite less Autotune being applied to the vocals this time around, are mostly indecipherable. Thankfully, this isn’t the sort of music where you’re required to sing along joyfully in unison. The way Leaneagh’s voice weaves its way through the heavy percussion and buzzing synths to form a sultry, simmering mass is what really defines this band and makes them stand out from the crowd. It’s a fluid and consistent collection that consolidates a fearless, distinctive sound, though it lacks the spark of their less predictable debut.
BY CHRIS GIRDLER
Best Track: Matty
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Portishead PORTISHEAD, La Roux LA ROUX, In Rainbows RADIOHEAD
In A Word: Bloodlust
