There was seemingly nothing missing from the sound of 2012 breakthrough artist Poliça. Critics, media, and major artists alike were so into the unique feel of the fresh Minneapolis band that pinpointing a weak spot was an afterthought. Even as the shock of their rapid rise faded, no glaring absence made itself apparent. We weren’t hungry for anything more than what they gave us. The album seemed perfect. Then “Tiff” was released.
The first single since last year’s wildly successful Give You the Ghost, “Tiff” is certainly a cause for excitement. What was missing? What does this new track contain that a full album was missing? Turns out, quite a bit, but boiled down to a single word: edge.
Lead singer Channy Leaneagh scales back the autotune and lets her impressive pipes showcase a little more of their raw ability. Possibly because Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon is there with his beautiful crooning to fulfill the autotune quota or perhaps Leaneagh is starting to let loose. Like an ode to anti-commitment, “Tiff” is a powerful female perspective on vanity and relationships. While the Poliça of the past was perfect because of how spontaneous it was, the oft-mentioned Tiffany brings a new purpose to the group.
Born out of a planned collaboration, the band grew so quickly due to the freestyle nature of the songs. Leaneagh’s vocals on top of Ryan Olson-produced beats was a perfect match. Subsequent tours on multiple continents within the band’s first year only built confidence. That confidence brought the edge. Throw in Vernon, bring the low-end bass to the foreground without losing the focus on dual percussion, lower the autotune, and above all, unleash Leaneagh. Hell, she drops an F-bomb in the first thirty seconds. This new Poliça lost none of its groove while adding the extra punch we never knew we needed. Now we need more.