Short Reviews [Polis - 2024 - "Unterwegs I"]

I first came across Polis at the time of their third album, "Weltklang", which was released in 2020. Back then I said how impressed I was with their use of old instruments and equipment but did somewhat wonder how they would reproduce everything live. I guess the best way to for this to happen is to take large amplifier walls, rotary speakers, a real Hammond Organ and a Fender Rhodes piano along with analogue synthesizers that have rarely been used on stage. They also had to change the arrangements as with just four of them they are unable to reproduce everything live, so consequently there is a lot of space in the music which sounds as if it is from another time and space. When I reviewed them last time, I said I felt they were taking influences from bands such as Jane and possibly Birth Control, and I still think that today, even more so, as here we have a Seventies band who have been through a time machine and somehow ended up in the current day. The cover photo tells you all you need to know about this, here is a classic prog band who feel the electric guitar is a very important part, either soloing or duetting with keyboards, but the photo itself has scratches on it and it looks scuffed, as if it is an album which has been pulled out of a collection and is actually from 50 years ago. It is the same line-up as previously, and they decided to include not only fan favourites but some songs they have been honing on the road which will appear in some form on the next studio release. It is classic German progressive rock with influences from Karutrock, Hard Rock and the symphonic bands of the day to create something which is both timeless, ageless and very up to date.