POLIÇA and s t a r g a z e – Music For the Long Emergency

Electronic five-piece POLIÇA team up with Berlin-based chamber orchestra s t a r g a z e on Music For the Long Emergency, an album that offers up some clever composition and pleasant pop songs but ultimately leaves you a little underwhelmed.

There is a sweet youthful feel to POLIÇA frontwoman Channy Leaneagh's stripped back vocals on opening track Fake Like and latest single Agree, but s t a r g a z e's input is slightly lacking. In contrast, on Marrow the sharpness of s t a r g a z e's string arrangement is more impactful. The track bears the strongest resemblance to POLIÇA's solo work and it does well to combine the strengths of the two groups.

In a sudden change of tune though, Cursed could almost be a thrashcore track; its pounding drums and fast-paced distorted vocals seeming incredibly out of place on the album, which up to this point has been fairly mellow.

Lead single How is This Happening was written as a direct response to Donald Trump's election just a day before the project was due to premiere. 'I'll fight until my days are done / Protect the ones he preys upon / Resisting him / Resisting us,' sings Leaneagh over minimal instrumentation; the focus crucially maintained on her words.

While there are some interesting elements to Music For the Long Emergency, and there are aspects of both POLIÇA and s t a r g a z e's music that work well together, the album is generally quite confused and lacking in any real excitement.

Listen to: Marrow

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