In Conversation With #235 - Polar
Polar have just released their brand new album ‘Everywhere, Everything’ via Arising Empire.
At the beginning of 2020, the music world came to an abrupt stop. For Polar, that meant a conclusive end to their unfinished tour alongside After The Burial, Spiritbox and Make Them Suffer, following their 2019 acclaimed album Nova.
Filled with a sense of uncertainty in a world turned upside down, Polar (Adam Woodford, Fabian Lomas, Gav Thane and Noah See) took to work on brand new material, with lyrics that delve deep within the self and a sound that treads new, experimental grounds.
Now armed with their hard-hitting new album, Polar are raring to take to the stage, after years of musical and personal growth behind the scenes.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there Polar - how are you? So your album is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
Hello, we are very good thank you for asking! It’s hard to put into words because it has been a very long journey of the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, but honestly it feels amazing to see people connecting with our blood, sweat and tears. It’s one of the best feelings in the world.
It is called ‘Everywhere, Everything’ - what is the meaning behind that?
‘Everywhere, Everything’ is the continued sequence of existence and events from the past, through the present and into the future.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
The record was written and recorded through the pandemic and the lockdowns. It was a challenging process as we had to adapt to brand new ways of writing music together remotely. We self-produced and co-engineered the record with Noah See (drummer) alongside Romesh Dodangoda. This was the first Polar record where this process had been used. Romesh was based in Wales, so due to restrictions and lockdowns because of the pandemic it made the process take longer than planned. Noah and Romesh have taken this record to the next level.
What are the key themes and influences on the album?
The album consists of a variety of self-reflective moments within one’s life. These can be moments of clarity, admission, guilt, or reflection, that have shaped the person one becomes. There is a far wider expanse to life that, when seen, can give a far better perspective on how one has led their life to this very moment. The feeling that within life there will be the most terrible of tragedies to the most beautiful of moments that can be shared with others in that exact time. Remembrance of a better time and admission of who was there at that exact moment; even what they meant and do mean to someone in the present. ‘Everywhere, Everything’ was written through the pandemic and instead of focusing on the virus, we focused on what effect it was having on humanity, especially the human connection.
If the album could be the soundtrack to any film - which one would it be and why?
I would say Blade Runner. It would be insane to hear our songs accompany such a cinematic masterpiece.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the album - if so, which one and why?
“I sink like the sun”
This lyric is from the chorus of the opening song ‘Winds of Change’. The song is about inner reflection and I think the mental imagery this of this lyric really brings out the meaning of the song.
Now the album is out there - what next?
To bring these songs to life in a live environment and tour, tour, tour!
