Polynya: Polynya

I was excited to receive my Polynya album in the mail today. With the gamut of industrial bands I've been listening to and reviewing lately (at this point I might as well have a sticker affixed to my forehead that says "Metropolis Records Whore" ) having a nice record that snuggles comfortably in the wide family of alt/indie rock is a welcome change of pace. Luke, who does guitars and "twinkles" for the group was kind enough to provide the disk for review and I must say it was a worthwhile listen.

The first band that popped into my mind as a comparison was the Czech Republic's Miou-Miou as they share a lot of similar traits: toe tapping rhythms and sweet vocals enhanced by interesting guitar work. If Miou-Miou is too obscure of a reference then Moonbabies or Mazzy Star might serve as a good comparison as well. If you like their sound, then I think you'd really enjoy Polynya. With its friendly keyboard, guitar and bass composition, these guys produce good-mood tunes that could easily cater to a myriad of musical tastes. Perfect "hang out" music, in my opinion. The added plinky-sounding electronic elements (which I'm assuming are the "twinkles") apparent on each track provide just enough support to keep the songs interesting without overwhelming the overall sound which feels very acoustic at times, interestingly. In fact, the thing that struck me the most about this album is the engineering---it doesn't exhibit the tinny over-processed frequencies that many new albums seem to possess these days and this is a good thing!

CD packaging is clean and simple with handwritten font and interesting cover art that resembles primary pigment watercolor splotches. There aren't separate liner notes containing lyrics, but its not a huge issue since vocalists Amelia and Andrea are easy to understand.

Listen to:
"Without a Trace"
"Where am I?"

Watch (live version of "Sweatshop"):


Visit:
Polynya's Official Website
Polynya's Myspace

Assemblage 23:Meta

I will admit to being loyal to most anything that comes out of Metropolis Records (I have confessed after all to having gone through a gothy streak back in the day) but Assemblage 23's album Meta is an especially good one. Normally, I consider CD purchase a success when I like at least half of the songs. It's rare for me to like every single track, but this is the case with 2007's Meta which has been on high rotation ever since it came in the mail.

This music is more on the palatable side of industrial with incredibly danceable tracks. Even the down tempo ballads such as "Damaged" will get you grooving. Tom Shear, who is the sole member of Assemblage 23, manages to splice his hypnotic and clean vocals into the electronic compositions and effortlessly showcases his poignant lyricism. If you like groups such as VNV Nation, CTRL, and Front Line Assembly, you'll love Assemblage 23.

Listen to:
"Decades (V2)"
"Damaged"

Visit:
Assemblage 23 Official Website
Assemblage 23's MySpace
Purchase Meta from Metropolis Records