Minneapolis-based synth rock group Poliça is no stranger to a little edge; not only was the band’s sophomore release, 2013’s Shulamith, named for a pioneer of radical feminism (Shulamith Firestone), but it was also supported by a raw and violent video for “Tiff” featuring Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Therefore it comes as no surprise that the title track to the group’s upcoming four-song EP Raw Exit has some teeth. Lyrical teeth, to be precise, as evidenced by lead singer Channy Leaneagh’s repeated question, “Who’s ready to die alone?”
Existential queries aside, however, it’s the swagger behind “Raw Exit” that excites, especially when you realize that the song’s David Lynch-ian vibe is accomplished in part through B-movie space effects that would sound campy in any other setting. Or in other words, while there are enough blurrily tripping synths to make “Raw Exit” a perfect soundtrack for the darkest corner of your favorite seedy bar, the track also demonstrates a winking sense of humor. And for an admittedly heavy band, that same sense of humor is proof that, even two albums in, Poliça has depths yet to plumb.