Pollens

Not that Brooklyn-based band Dirty Projectors has exclusive rights on Afrobeat-inspired indie rock, or combining wordless vocal counterpoint with trickling guitars — but the similarities are too striking with Seattle act Pollens not to mention. Check Pollens' freely downloadable songs at pollens.bandcamp.com and enjoy the videos above. Both have been available for months but I'm just getting hip now. - Seattle Times

"I don’t know if, or how much, Pollens play live. Their music sounds like it may only truly exist within a laptop and keyboards. But, equally, it may not, and they may be veterans of their local live circuit. Music is so complex these days.

Existentialism aside, their music also sounds like the kind of smart, sweet and sylph-like pop that hides its plentiful hooks under deep layers of oddness. They are in there, though, and repeated plays of weirdly compelling songs like After Dance reveals them, surprising, delicious and bright." - A New Band A Day

"Seattle’s pollens is a sight to be heard…no wait a sound to be seen…no wait a smell to be tasted. Oh crap lets start over. pollens, a rather small sounding large band from Seattle, somehow take what usually wages war on my allergies and turns it into stunning harmonized vocal wonder. They pack 6 or more folks into their sound, pimping out off beat vocal harmonies coupled with a pure rhythm sometimes consisting of drums, electrics, and acoustics. Its quite unique and certainly a pleasure to listen to." - Pasta Primavera

"Chances are that If you randomly hit play on any of the songs on this album from Seattle’s Pollens it’ll be a good one and will sound somewhere between The Dirty Projectors and Devendra Banhart." - Don't Die Wondering

"Seattle six-piece Pollens has a sound that is unique and interesting in a very recognizable way. Their upcoming EP has vocal elements reminiscent of Animal Collective and Dirty Projectors running rampant throughout, but the easily placeable nature of Pollens’ influences doesn’t lose them any points for originality. Songs like “After Dance” and “Cats” are so pleasantly trippy and brilliantly catchy that one can’t help but love the innate oddness of Pollens’ sound, and I dig them hard. Check out my favorite tracks below, find more at Pollens’ corner of bandcamp, and be sure to swoop up a copy of their EP when it drops on April Fools’ Day."


- Bears Eat Beats

"Pollens are from Seattle, not the city you would imagine they’d come from, despite the fact that the grunge tag is well dated now. All the six members of the band seem to sing as rich vocal harmonies dominate their psych-alt-folk mixed with electronics. Pollens is a kind of American response to UK’s Tuung, they have the same freedom and playfulness in their compositions and production, although the core of the songs always comes from an acoustic guitar and a voice. All songs are written by two members of the band, Jeff Aaron Bryant and Hanna Benn. Actually they are the missing link between Neil Young, America and Panda Bear/Animal Collective." - Spirit of Eden

"Pollens are a Seattle band that have an Afro pop-ish drone sensibility with 6 (although they only had 5 when I saw them) vocalists. It's one of the best things I've seen live in a long time. I talked to Jeff from the band about what makes them tick. Download the group's first EP to listen to while reading!" - Circle Into Square