Electro-pop band puts the Midwest on the map

Polica is the new Minneapolis band that stormed onto the scene last year with “Give You the Ghost,” which had the notable hits “Lay Your Cards Out” and “Wandering Star.”

Gaining a lot of praise for their electro-pop take on R&B, Poliça is back on the scene with second album “Shulamith.”

They’ve even received support from fellow Midwest music veteran and Bon Iver front man Justin Vernon, who said, “They’re the best band I’ve ever heard.” Sporting two drummers, bass, keyboard and vocals, Polica comes up with a wave of sound on “Shulamith.”

This is a nighttime record. Listeners definitely have to be in the right mood to listen to the record, but by the end of “Shulamith,” listeners will feel relaxed.

Polica delivers a bunch of smooth gothic pop songs, and “Shulamith” is full of ambiance created from echoes and production effects. Polica’s new songs are so smooth that it is easy to get lost in a dreamy state while listening to them. Each song is very reliant on the bass grooves, which are a signature feature of Polica.

Like the great bass grooves, vocals are a big focus throughout the tracks. The singer, Channy Leaneagh, gets the most out of her voice and uses it like an instrument. Leaneagh’s use of auto tune in this context is something that will definitely draw people’s attention. Her product is very mellifluous and that adds to their ethereal sound. Even though the lyrics are harder to understand, it isn’t a deal breaker for this particular band.

Shulamith starts out strong with the song “Chain My Name.” It’s one of their faster songs and has a lot of energy. Their song “Tiff” features Polica super fan, Justin Vernon. The back and forth vocals between Justin and Channy sounds great, making “Tiff” one of their best songs yet.

Even though the record is named after feminist Shulamith Firestone, lyrics aren’t solely feministic but rather focus on heartbreak with the ghastly swoons of “You’ve been mean to me” on “Vegas” and the lines “Don’t you see how weak I get/when I can grant your wish” on the toe tapper “Spilling Lines.”

It might take a couple of listens to get into this album, but listeners will appreciate Polica for doing something smart and different. And Polica not only makes really cool songs, but also is putting the Midwest on the music map.