Munich based duo Pollyester (that’s Polly on bass / vocals and Yossarian on percussion / vocals) are the latest in a long illustrious line (stretching far back in time to Kreftwerk and Neu!) of intriguing electro bands from Germany. There must be a reason why German bands in particular should produce such jaw-dropping sounds when it comes to plugging in a synthesiser but the fact is, from D.A.F. to Chicks On Speed, Tangerine Dream to Atari Teenage Riot, the country’s buoyant electro scene has churned out a steady stream of mind-bending tunes across the decades.
As many electro bands discover, freeing yourself from the traditional and often tedious constraints of the traditional guitar/bass/drums set up leads into exciting and highly unexpected twists and turns of the imagination - and Pollyester are no exception here. Opening track ‘German Love Letter’ sees outer space synth stabs mixed with angelic vocals, like Fleet Foxes time travelling back to 1979 to have a jam session with the early Human League. Next up is ‘Pikant’, which sashays around with a cheeky swagger in its step, like CSS flirting outrageously with Japan in a 80s nightclub while Duran Duran strut their stuff on the underlit dancefloor. Pollyester’s influences are nothing if not eclectic; they turn their talent to funk overtones on ‘Concierge D’Amour’, with its bouncy synth basslines reminiscent of the funkier side of Heaven 17 or fellow German synth maestros, Propaganda, all shot through with a knowing pop wink.
The patchwork of nods to the 80s continues throughout ‘Earthly Powers’ but somehow never actually choking the band’s own voice. You’re reminded of Adam Ant’s flirtation with Native Americans on ‘Indian’ with its hypnotic, ritualistic percussion, spooky flute wails, eerie possessed vocals, and those otherworldly close harmonies again. The band delve even further into musical history with ‘Round Clocks’ embracing the Slits’ gloriously carefree punk discordance, along with hints of Siouxsie Sioux’s dispassionate vocals at the height of her royal 80s gothness.
All isn’t totally rosy however; Pollyester lose a bit of their sparkle with tracks like ‘El Silbo Gomero’, a lumpy instrumental weighing in at almost seven minutes which just flails around without getting anywhere. It’s the kind of track that might pack a massive punch in a live situation but sadly falls flat as an album track. At best, it’s the kind of music you’d expect to hear over the credit sequence of a cooler-than-thou art movie but anyone not especially fascinated by seemingly endless, flabby, sprawling jams would do best to steer clear. Sadly, it’s not a one off occurrence - during ‘You Are Amen’ Polly and Yossarian seem happy to slip into their own groove but unfortunately they forget to take you along with them. The beat shuffles along, the synths burble away in an interesting swirl but ultimately it just stagnates.
On the whole, Pollyester have avoided the easy pitfall of making a cynical, cold sounding electro album; instead they have managed to meld precision synth loops with an emotional intelligence to compelling effect. Occasionally the tracks misfire, too wrapped up in themselves to care if they are really engaging you, but when they hit a killer riff, it’s such a thing of beauty you’re prepared to forgive them their moments of patience-testing self-indulgence.Rating: 7/10
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