Pozi are the sort of band to tackle the creative cycle of deconstruction and rebuilding with relish. Second album ‘Smiling Pools’ is testament to that. An LP that sees them at their most expansive yet, it follows a gradual swelling of their sound across two EPs proceeding the urgent, self-enforced minimalism of their debut album ‘PZ1’ in 2019.
The trio of Toby Burroughs, Rosa Brook, and Tom Jones quickly established something of a foundational template on that first album: a hyper-skeletal sound palette of drums, bass and three distinct vocals disrupted by Rosa’s churning violins, from which emerged biting social observations and political angst – debut single and angry retort to the 2017 Grenfell tragedy KCTMO still takes pride of place in their live set.
These hallmarks haven’t fully gone away over time but from that urgent energy there has emerged greater confidence and a playful desire to push further out from the loose genre tag of post-punk they were initially saddled with.
“We want our music to evoke a feeling and emotion rather than just being a commentary. I feel that the tracks on Smiling Pools demonstrate that we’re taking our music to a different place and we want to bring the listener along on that journey.”
The trio of Toby Burroughs, Rosa Brook, and Tom Jones quickly established something of a foundational template on that first album: a hyper-skeletal sound palette of drums, bass and three distinct vocals disrupted by Rosa’s churning violins, from which emerged biting social observations and political angst – debut single and angry retort to the 2017 Grenfell tragedy KCTMO still takes pride of place in their live set.
These hallmarks haven’t fully gone away over time but from that urgent energy there has emerged greater confidence and a playful desire to push further out from the loose genre tag of post-punk they were initially saddled with.
“We want our music to evoke a feeling and emotion rather than just being a commentary. I feel that the tracks on Smiling Pools demonstrate that we’re taking our music to a different place and we want to bring the listener along on that journey.”
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: While PZ1 was a statement piece from a band determined to make an impact (and make an impact they did), 'Smiling Pools' shows a development that could only come from a band at ease with their process and inter-band chemistry. It's bold, melodic in parts and yet still true to the moody post-punk adjacent noise we've come to love from them. a stunning and endlessly deep work.TRACK LISTING
Side A
1. What You Came For
2. Slightly Shaking Cells
3. Failing
4. Pest Control
5. Somnambulance
6. Through The Door
Side B
7. M6 Toll
8. Heavenly
9. Faulty Receiver
10. Shut Up
11. 24 Deliveru
12. A Walk In The Park