Reference Points: Poliça

-

Reference Points is our weekly column where we get the chance to ask our favourite artists to reveal what inspires them from outside the world of music. This week, we catch up with Poliça who reveal how humble homelands and long lasting friendships have inspired their musical creations.

Friends.

We come from the Upper Midwest of the United States. This area of the country is not well-known throughout the world. It’s not as vital at the East Coast is to culture and business, nor is it as majestic as the West. But what our little part of Earth is known for is the good nature of its people. There is a certain solidarity amongst the people there that is unparalleled. Wherever we travel as a band, whether its to the far corners of our country, or deep inside of Germany or Switzerland, we are almost always greeted by people from the Midwest.

This connectivity amongst each other has resulted in each of us having an intense connection to the friends in our lives. People are often surprised to learn that I still spend time with people I’ve been friends with since I was 8 years old, but it is not all that uncommon in the Midwest. Our web of friends is vast and eclectic, with each person offering up their unique personality and influence to each other. Even friends whom we’ve just recently met end up having a large influence on us. There’s our friend Ryan who pushes everyone to explore their artistic extremes and work our asses off. There’s Graham, who provides us with those deep-belly laughs that we didn’t know we needed so badly. There’s the ever present feeling that whatever comes our way, Nate can help us get through it. And when all we need is someone to hear us think out loud for a while, Robyn is there and ready to listen. Knowing that these people, and the many many others just like them are watching us from home is a huge motivational factor for us as a band. It’s like we can see them standing at the finish line, equally anxious to greet us when we get home as they were excited to send us on our way.

- Drew Christopherson

(drummer of Polica, friend of the Midwest)

Give You The Ghost is available now through Memphis Industries and Poliça will play London’s Heaven on 20 November.