Invigorating beats blend experimental rock grooves with minimalist avant-pop hooks
Premiered via Pancakes & Whiskey
NEW YORK, NY | October 13, 2017 – Take experimental rock blended with minimalist avant-pop and art-punk elements, and you’ve got the beginnings of NYC’s group Pollens. Quirky, weird, and in a league of their own, they released their first single “Words” today, off their upcoming EP Mister Manufacture. Pollens sound is like no other blending electronic dance beats, ambient noise, and shouting into infectiously catchy and cleverly woven melodies. “Words” is a untraditional yet uniquely hooky tune, building into a steady earworm.
The band breaks down the lyrics, “It’s a little anthem for how a monster gets to be a monster.. because we’re not listening… especially in the summer, and at any time that precedes kissing. All the tells and omens stack up as promises rather than warnings. And for all the reasons we shouldn’t, we must… I could tell you all of this upfront, and instead of being afraid, you’ll probably be endeared to my disclosure. It’s not a trick, but it is a trap.” Written in minimalistic songwriting style, it’s an attention grabbing example of “less is more”.
The single premiered yesterday via Pancakes & Whiskey, who described Pollens sound as “experimental, danceable, electronic and indescribable tunes that you’d have to hear for yourself.” “Words” comes as the first single off the group’s upcoming EP Mister Manufacture, out October 27. It will be available for free in digital format; with limited edition cassette tapes available from the band at their record release celebration show on November 16 at Secret Project Robot in NYC. They’ll be joined by Operator Music Band, Salt People and a special guest (to be announced); full details on Facebook here.
ABOUT POLLENS:
No memory. No culture. Pollens is a New York band. Its percussion and shouting, accuracy and abandon. Samplers, noise, ecstatic readings of boring lists. Stupid dance beats. Wild drumming, low-art, normal stuff, downtown theater, subway commutes, more lists, your telephone, transmission noise, gestures, physicality.
Jeff and Elizabeth met while working on a short, anachronistic “opera”- and shortly after, they both worked on a song cycle about the specifics of being human and social anxiety and social media. Facebook birthday reminders from dead people—that sort of thing. But like, what does any of this have to do with bands? Rock and roll? The bar?
Last year, they put out a Pollens record called ’83. Don’t listen to it. Wait for the next one instead. Its called Mister Manufacture and it’s about being around people, and checking your telephone, being high in the city, googling conspiracies, and making summer mistakes. The songs are a little off, but the record bangs. *And it’s FREE.