Caroline Polachek - ‘Welcome to My Island’.
Caroline Polachek creates a universe with new single ‘Welcome to My Island’.
There are very few artists, if any, that sound similar to Caroline Polachek, and her latest single proves this even further. InWelcome To My Island, the indie-pop star is confident, and rightly so.
Hailing from Connecticut, USA, Polachek co-founded the alternative band Chairlift with Aaron Pfenning, and they made three albums, before splitting in 2017 to focus on other projects.
Polachek has released two self-produced albums under monikers, however her debut album released under her full name arrived in October 2019; Pang, and was a huge success.
Throughout the past three years, Polachek has gone from strength to strength, from supporting Dua Lipa on tour to playing festivals such as Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, and Primavera.
Last year, she released the single Bunny Is A Rider, which was highly praised by Pitchfork and several more critics. In January of this year, Billions came out, a 5-minute slice of electro-pop heaven with vague lyrics and a real ear wormer of a melody. That was followed by Sunset in October, a drastically different sound, filled with classical style guitar.
It’s fitting, then, that Welcome To My Island really does feel like Polachek is inviting us with her into this new era, and who are we to decline such an invitation?
The track opens with intense vocalisations in typical Polachek fashion, that never fail to catch the listener off guard. Electric guitar and a twinkling synth come together to create a shimmering sound, and it’s easy to imagine you’re in the middle of the Pacific on said island, sun on your face. “Welcome to my island/Hope you like me, you ain’t leaving” She sings brazenly.
The chorus is where the song truly takes off, “Desire/I wanna turn into you” she belts out in that crystal-clear voice, over the guitars and synths that glisten around her vocals.
During the bridge, Polachek is half-rapping as her words are backed by drums. “Cause nothing’s gonna be the same again/No, nothing’s gonna be the same again” Is she singing of the pandemic? Lost loved ones? Her career? Could be all three, but one thing is for sure, I never want to leave this island.
Caroline Polachek’s new album Desire, I Want To Turn Into You arrives next year on February 14.
Words by Lucy Skeet
