Pollyester
ALTHOUGH I don’t want to be seen to be jingoistic or prone to making sweeping generalisations, it must be said that efficiency is one of the traits most associated with the nation of Germany.
Munich’s Pollyester apply this teutonic attribute to the many different facets of disco music, throwing out anything they deem unnecessary, leaving in just the essentials.
After all, why bother with gratuitous elements like rhythm or lead guitar when the two members generate enough rhythm and melody between them with just bass, drums and vocals? Anything else would just be crass window-dressing, right?
By distilling disco and many of that genre’s adjuncts and offshoots (no wave, punk-funk, Italo) down to its fundamentals, the focus becomes narrower but the thrill isn’t lost in the slightest.
On songs like ‘Meditate’ and ‘Billy Rubin’, Pollyester play at disco purism through a decidedly not-disco filter, bringing to mind the likes of Yello, ESG and Contortions playing at being Chic, Change or Double Exposure, only, y’know, really minimal, like.
Maximum
Pollyester are typically, Germanically very good at what they do and that is locking into a groove and riding and twisting it out to maximum effect.
The Deaf Institute’s stupidly good sound system helps as Yossarian’s drums kick deep into your chest and Pollyester’s fluid bass runs are as sinuous and sonorous as can be. The show is all too brief, but Pollyester leave an indelible, lasting impression as a no-frills, all-killer party band.
Just the wheat and none of the chaff: I can think of a few bands out there that could learn a thing or two from these guys.
What do you think? Have your say.
Reviewed: Mon, 20 October, 2008
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