ALBUM REVIEW: “Give Up The Ghost” by Polica

February 13. 2012 | By Amanda Sorvig

Polica
Give Up The Ghost
[Totally Gross National Product]

Polica emerged as a side project of the Bon Iver/Megafaun conglomerate Gayngs. Their melancholy, auto-tuned sound is certainly reminiscent of Gayngs, but Polica‘s first album Give You The Ghost feels like more. It feels forlorn and emotional without sounding whiny and sad. It sounds somewhere between The XX and Zola Jesus. Singer Channey Moon-Cassell’s voice floats over spacey synth waves and drumbeats.

Give You the Ghost is one of those albums you can play from start to finish without skipping a track. Each song flows into the other and nearly all tracks are equally strong. A clear favorite is “Lay Your Cards Out,” which features Mike Noyce, formerly of Bon Iver. The song is sultry, and has a great build to it. Another stellar track is “Form,” which opens tentatively, then unfolds into a driving rhythm. There isn’t a song on the album that’s not lush and full of attitude. Give You the Ghost is certainly a strong, edgy debut from Polica.

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