Poliça: United Crushers review – excitingly upbeat electronica

When the Minneapolis band Poliça first emerged in 2012, they dealt in sultry, phantasmal electronica. And while their second album sounded marginally brighter, their output was still distinctly brooding. On this third record, however, they seem to have struck out into squarer, more mature territory, which – confusingly – sounds quite exciting. The squareness is relative: the band still operate in the zeitgeisty area of trip hop-informed pop. But compared to the current glut of mannered, coming of age-themed electronica, this feels far more substantial. It’s warmer, more expansive and uptempo – a slightly weird knitted jumper of an album. Unlike on previous outings, Channy Leaneagh’s vocals are no longer distorted as default, and heard alone, they sound slightly as if delivered while fighting back tears. It all adds up to a record that bristles with mournfulness and melodious joy. Older, wiser, but far from jaded.