Consider Pollyn something like the Tom Tom Club covering Portishead. But Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth never met Roc Marciano, the latest impeccably chosen gollywopper to grace the Los Angeles band’s remix series. To re-acclimate ourselves, let’s tick off the artists they’ve recruited to re-invent the remix: Nosaj Thing, Debruit, Blue Daisy, Freddie Gibbs, James Pants, Exile, Sid Roams, and now the headhunter from Hempstead.
The list speaks to the sense of sonic adventurousness that Pollyn possess. They are a throwback of sorts — a band that you interview and understand how deep their references go. They send you to the ether bins to try to track down digital copies of Siouxsie Sioux & The Banshees spin off records. Or DJ Harvey. Or Lamb. Their latest, Living in Patterns drops Oct. 4 and finds the band departing from the almost Cocteau Twins-like dream pop of their early records to get rawer. They’ve been studying their Remain in Light and yes, so has everyone else, but Pollyn crack the eggshell funk of David Byrne at his most Fela-fixated.
Thing about Pollyn is that they are one of those bands that fits into no zeitgeist slapping paradigm. They ride no wave, chill or otherwise, and that makes them outliers, a part of no scene, so they have been forced to create their own. Their remixes are really outlines of the perimeter. So you understand the way in which funk, rap, soul, trip-hop, and straight up 80s pop are all penned into their inscrutable style. They’re one of the finest bands in LA and people should take notice. And oh yeah, did I mention that Roc Marc raps on their latest song. Cold sweat. Laid on the cot like you’re just a fossil. Spread the gospel.
Download:
Pollyn “How Small We Are” from Pollyn on Vimeo.
Pollyn “Mysterons” (Portishead Cover) from Pollyn on Vimeo.
