Poliça

According to Channy Leaneagh, Poliça is Polish for "policy", and she sees it as a reference to an unwritten code that guides the members when they play together, as well as its work ethic.{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/02/14/polica-first-avenue|title=Polica: A band before they realized it, thanks to Ryan Olson|publisher=Minnesota Public Radio|first=Chris|last=Roberts|date=February 14, 2012}}

The Polish word is spelled polisa (from Italian polizza) and literally means an insurance agreement or insurance certificate. However, it may colloquially refer to an unofficial back up or contingency plan which could include an unwritten agreement and code of conduct.

In another interview, Leaneagh claimed that they wanted something unique, and she had a file on her computer which, following a corruption during a computer crash, had come back as "Poliça".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y8P5lC_jE8|title=Interview with Polica|work=Step Into The Black Music Series presented by The Fader and Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum.|publisher=YouTube|date=May 9, 2012|access-date=October 20, 2013}}

File:Channy leaneagh - Polica - Poliça - Minneapolis, Minnesota (30130088008).jpgFrom a musical family, Leaneagh attended the Ramsey Fine Arts school, where she learned to dance, play violin and participated in theater.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/2012-02-15/music/Polica-wandering-star-channy-leaneagh-finds-her-path/|work=City Pages|first=Jeff|last=Gage|title=Polica: Wandering star Channy Leaneagh finds her path|date=February 15, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205051636/http://www.citypages.com/2012-02-15/music/polica-wandering-star-channy-leaneagh-finds-her-path/|archive-date=February 5, 2015}} She graduated from Minneapolis South High School where she met Alexei Casselle and formed an acoustic folk-rock duo, Roma di Luna. Casselle, who was primarily a hip-hop performer in the groups Oddjobs and Kill the Vultures, sent Leaneagh tapes of his acoustic songs while she was in Cambodia teaching art for a year.{{cite web|url=http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2009/09/18/music-roma-di-lunas-alexei-and-channy-moon-casselle-excavate-their-roots-underground|work=Twin Cities Daily Planet|first=Jon|last=Behm|title=Roma di Luna's Alexei and Channy Moon Casselle excavate their roots underground|date=September 19, 2009}} In June 2005, Leaneagh and Casselle were married.{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/11511016.html |first=Chris |last=Riemenschneider |title=Roma di Luna: A dark, new moon on the rise |work=Star Tribune |date=August 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006094252/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/11511016.html |archive-date=October 6, 2014 }} Roma di Luna released three albums, on which Leaneagh sung and played violin.{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/104092628.html|title=Life and death and Roma di Luna|work=Star Tribune|first=Chris|last=Riemenschneider|date=October 1, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/2243411-Roma-di-Luna|work=Discogs|title=Roma di Luna}} In November 2008, Leaneagh gave birth to a daughter, Pelagia.{{cite news|last1=Logsdon|first1=Dave|url=http://www.bmna.org/images/december2008bugle.pdf|title=It's a Girl!|date=December 2008|work=The Bryn Mawr Bugle|publisher=Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095353/http://www.bmna.org/images/december2008bugle.pdf|archive-date=October 6, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/2010-09-29/music/Roma-di-luna-release-then-the-morning-came/full/|work=City Pages|first=Rob van|last=Alstyne|title=Roma di Luna release Then The Morning Came Alexei and Channy Moon Caselle talk about their growing band and brood|date=September 29, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223144258/http://www.citypages.com/2010-09-29/music/Roma-di-luna-release-then-the-morning-came/full/|archive-date=February 23, 2014}}

After a marital and professional break-up, the singer was looking for a "creative release" that eventually became Poliça. The origins of the band were found in Ryan Olson's Gayngs project, where Leaneagh featured as a backing singer. After working together on some musical and lyrical ideas, Olson convinced Leaneagh to record the songs over the summer of 2011 with an R&B sound.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/oct/26/channy-leaneagh-polica-gayngs|work=The Guardian|first=Michael|last=Cragg|title=Channy Leaneagh: my first band died but Poliça is an amazing job|date=October 26, 2012}} Experimenting with various vocal effects, the duo drafted in Chris Bierden (bass/vocals), Drew Christopherson (drums) and Ben Ivascu (drums) to complete the sessions that also featured a guest-appearance by Mike Noyce (Bon Iver).{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Poli%C3%A7a-Give-You-The-Ghost/release/3577943|work=Discogs|title=Give You The Ghost|access-date=October 21, 2013}} Olson declined to be part of a live set-up and Bierden, Christopherson and Ivascu together with Leaneagh became the Poliça touring outfit. They made their live-debut on September 4, 2011, at the Minneapolis restaurant and club Nick and Eddie, and made two songs, "Dark Star" and "Lay Your Cards Out (feat. Mike Noyce)", available on their website.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2011/08/polica_release.php|work=Gimme Noise|first=Andrea|last=Swensson|title=Polica release first tracks, announce debut performance|date=August 30, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223150929/http://blogs.citypages.com/gimmenoise/2011/08/polica_release.php|archive-date=February 23, 2014}} For the rest of the year, the band toured, partly as support to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The band also received support from Bon Iver founder Justin Vernon who told Rolling Stone, "They're the best band I've ever heard."

Their debut, Give You the Ghost, was released on Valentine's Day, 2012 on Totally Gross National Product, a local community-based label, founded by drummer Drew Christopherson and Ryan Olson. The main reason to self-finance was 'to put the record out' as soon as possible'.{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/164637116.html|work=Star Tribune|first=Chris|last=Riemenschneider|title=Poliça signs with NYC indie label to re-release debut album|date=August 1, 2012}} In March 2012, the band played at SXSW in Austin, Texas, where NPR wrote that 'Where Give You the Ghost gives the suggestion of a subdued live presence, Polica's stage show heads to somewhere approaching the opposite extreme — a welcome jolt of beauty and power.'{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/event/music/148530653/polica-live-in-concert-sxsw-2012 |title=Polica, Live In Concert: SXSW 2012|publisher=NPR|first=Stephen|last=Thompson|date=March 15, 2012}} During a Polica live performance Leaneagh uses effect pedals to stylize and manipulate her voice.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/9319002/Policas-Channy-Leaneagh-interview.html|work=Daily Telegraph|first=Neil|last=McCormick|title=Poliça's Channy Leaneagh, interview|date=June 10, 2012}}

The summer of 2012 saw the band tour parts of Europe and play a handful of festivals together with Bon Iver. In August 2012, it was announced that the band had signed with Mom + Pop records and re-released the album on the 14th of that month, together with a remix EP.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/news/polica-sign-to-mom-pop-records-to-re-release-album/|title=Poliça Sign To Mom + Pop Records, To Re-Release Album|work=DIY Magazine|date=August 3, 2012}} In October, they cancelled an appearance at the Iceland Airwaves music festival for an appearance on Later... with Jools Holland in a 16-date UK/European tour.'Polica: Europe Calling — Jools Holland on Line 1, BBC on Line 2', The Top 22, October 30, 2012

In the first half of 2013, Olson and Leaneagh began working on new music, described by the singer as 'Drums. Bass. Synths. Me, Women'. Much of this was done by e-mail as the band continued to tour and Olson was spending time in Brazil.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/features/polica-were-very-angry-people/|first=Huw|last=Oliver|title=Poliça: 'We're Very Angry People|work=DIY Magazine|date=October 22, 2013}} Much of the actual recording was completed at the April Base studios of Bon Iver in Wisconsin.{{cite web|url=http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/blog/the-unlikely-front-woman-we-met-channy-leanagh-from-polica|first=Tamara|last=Roper|title=The unlikely frontwoman: we meet Channy Leanagh from Poliça|work=Noisey|date=October 22, 2013}} Their second album, Shulamith was released on October 20, 2013, and preceded by the single 'Tiff' featuring Justin Vernon.{{cite magazine|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/06/polica-announce-new-album-shulamith-share-video-for-justin-vernon-aided-single-tiff/|title=Poliça announce new album Shulamith, share video for Justin Vernon-aided single "Tiff"|magazine=Consequence of Sound|first=Michelle|last=Geslani|date=June 11, 2013}} Both the video for "Tiff" and the artwork of the album were described as "brutal".

As part of the promotional mix, the band played BBC2's Later... with Jools Holland on October 11, 2013, and, three days later, on BBC Radio 6 Music's Lauren Laverne show from Maida Vale Studios in London. The title of the album is a reference to the feminist Shulamith Firestone, who Leaneagh described as her "muse and mentor". In contrast to the previous album, the singer "had more time with each song this time, but the lyrics and melodies are still based on that first reaction".

Leaneagh was also among the "friends" that contributed to The Flaming Lips' "The Time Has Come to Shoot You Down… What a Sound," a reworking of the Stone Roses debut album out Black Friday 2013.{{cite web|url=http://thefutureheart.com/2013/11/15/stone-roses-remake/|work=The Future Heart|title="The Stone Roses" Remake Confirmed for Black Friday – Tracklist, Photos, Videos|date=November 15, 2013}}

In June 2014 the band released the Raw Exit EP that consisted of four outtakes from the Shulamith sessions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Poli%25C3%25A7a-Raw-Exit/release/5827882|title=Poliça - Raw Exit|website=Discogs|access-date=March 20, 2016}} The four songs included three originals and one cover of "You Don't Own Me".{{Cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/news/polica-return-with-new-ep-raw-exit|title=Polica Return With New EP 'Raw Exit'|last=Murray|first=Robin|date=May 15, 2014|website=clashmusic.com|publisher=Clash Music}} It was also included in the expanded version of the album that was released simultaneously and supported by a North American club tour and festival dates in Europe.{{Cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1680902/polica-raw-exit-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/|title=Poliça – "Raw Exit" (Stereogum Premiere)|website=Stereogum|date=May 13, 2014|access-date=March 20, 2016}}

File:Poliça.jpg

Leaneagh began writing material in 2013 and continued to do so between tours. The material was completed in the first half of 2015 and the band began rehearsals in preparation of recording. At the start of April, they embarked on a nine-date tour to perform the new songs.{{Cite web|url=http://milwaukeerecord.com/music/polica-debuts-new-songs-kicks-off-2015-tour-at-cactus-club/|title=Poliça debuts new songs, kicks off 2015 tour at Cactus Club|last=Roach|first=Cal|date=April 8, 2015|website=Milwaukee Record|publisher=mke rec lcc|access-date=March 21, 2016}} The second half of the month was used to record the album at the Sonic Ranch residential studio in Texas. In 2015 Leaneagh and Olson got married and had a son in October of the same year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/polica-s-channy-leaneagh-sounds-off-on-the-meaning-of-new-album-united-crushers/370933851/|title=Poliça's Channy Leaneagh sounds off on the meaning of new album 'United Crushers'|last=Rivera|first=Erica|date=March 3, 2016|website=Star Tribune|access-date=March 20, 2016}}

The band released their third album, United Crushers, on March 4, 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/polica-the-pop-rebels-loved-by-samantha-cameron/|title=Poliça: the pop rebels loved by Samantha Cameron|last=McCormick|first=Neil|date=April 3, 2016|website=The Telegraph|publisher=© Telegraph Media Group Limited|access-date=September 9, 2016}} Again produced by Ryan Olson the track "Lime Habit" was released online in November 2015.{{Cite web|title = POLIÇA Return, New Album Incoming|url = http://www.clashmusic.com/news/poli%25C3%25A7a-return-new-album-incoming|website = Clash Magazine|access-date = January 19, 2016|date = November 13, 2015|last = Murray|first = Robin}} The album was recorded over 10 days in El Paso. Leaneagh described it as "I saw this record as my last chance [and] wanted it to have a 'final paper' feel."{{Cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2016/01/05/polica-interview-united-crushers-in-the-studio|title=Poliça talk 'United Crushers': "I saw this record as my last chance"|last=Jamieson|first=Sarah|date=January 5, 2016|website=DIY|access-date=March 20, 2016}}

Poliça teamed up with Stargaze, a Berlin-based orchestral collective, to develop the new album, Music for the Long Emergency which was released on February 16, 2018, on Transgressive Records.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/polica-announce-new-album-music-for-the-long-emergency/ |title=Poliça Announce New Album Music for the Long Emergency |work=Pitchfork |date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=December 17, 2017 |author=Strauss, Matthew}} The two groups first met in February 2016 in Berlin{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/11/08/562585856/songs-we-love-poli-a-and-stargaze-how-is-this-happening |title=Songs We Love: Poliça And stargaze, 'How Is This Happening' |work=NPR |date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=December 17, 2017 |author=Flanagan, Andrew}} during the Liquid Music project hosted by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and first worked together on Bruise Blood: Reimagining Steve Reich's 'Music for Pieces of Wood'.{{cite web |url=https://www.thefourohfive.com/music/article/polica-team-up-with-s-t-a-r-g-a-z-e-for-full-length-project-music-for-the-long-emergency-151 |title=Poliça team up with s t a r g a z e for full length project Music For The Long Emergency |work=The 405 |date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 17, 2017 |author=Kergozou, Jameson}} The two groups worked for 18 months on the new album. The first single is a ten-minute song, "How Is This Happening", which Leaneagh wrote on the day after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. They released a short film to accompany the song in May 2018.{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8457703/polica-how-is-this-happening-short-film-video|title=POLICA's 'How Is This Happening': Watch The New Short Film|date=May 24, 2018|magazine=Billboard}}

On October 9, 2019, the band announced that their fifth studio album, When We Stay Alive, would be released on January 31, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |title=POLIÇA Announce New Album When We Stay Alive, Share 2 New Songs: Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/polica-announce-new-album-when-we-stay-alive-share-2-new-songs-listen/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=October 9, 2019 |date=October 9, 2019}}

In April 2022, the band announced that their sixth studio album, Madness, would be released on June 3, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/polica-announce-new-album-madness-share-new-song-listen/|title=Poliça Announce New Album Madness, Share New Song: Listen|website=Pitchfork|last=Ruiz|first=Matthew Ismael|date=April 4, 2022|access-date=April 23, 2022}}

• Raw Exit (2014)

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website}}
• {{discogs artist}}
• [http://totallygrossnationalproduct.com/artists/polica Poliça] on Totally Gross National Product

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polica}}

Category:Musical groups established in 2011

Category:Musical groups from Minnesota

Category:2011 establishments in Minnesota

Category:American synth-pop groups

Category:Memphis Industries artists

Category:Mom + Pop Music artists