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90. United Crushers - Poliça (2016)

Synth - Pop

There’s something about places with miserable climates that makes them perfect breeding grounds for artistic proliferation. The terrible weather certainly impels creative types indoors where they’re forced to occupy themselves consuming and creating art. Minnesota, for its relatively small population, produces an unusually high number of great musicians. Prince is obvious Minneapolis royalty. Bob Dylan hailed from Duluth. The Twin Cities hip hop scene has been vibrant for decades, churning out a signature “Minnesnowta” style pioneered by the likes of Atmosphere and Brother Ali. 

While Poliça is far from achieving the reputation those artists have achieved, its certainly not for lack of ability. With a hypnotic, often ominous, aesthetic highlighted by singer Channy Leaneagh’s sumptuously seductive voice, the synth-pop quintet pumps out siren songs luring unsuspecting listeners up into the cold. United Crushers (2016) sounds dangerous from the jump, with dense synths layered atop jazzy drums creating a surreal and disorienting effect. Channy’s voice sears sardonically through it all, almost convincing you everything is perfectly fine. Almost. Opening track “Summer Please” is a plea for the depression and cynicism that winter inevitably sows to melt away. The rest of the album runs along a knife edge, precariously teetering above isolation and despair, which lurk not far below. The journey is unsettling, but gorgeous - so much so that the gravity almost goes unnoticed. Almost.

*image; cover art for the album United Crushers by the artist Poliça