Warsaw 480km is the debut LP from Irish quintet pôt-pot. Evolved primarily from demos by multi-instrumentalist and lead vocalist Mark Waldron-Hyden during a period of grief and personal upheaval, the album came to life through a series of live, full-band studio sessions that document an exceptional array of talents, unified in an embrace of raw catharsis with a sweetly sinister edge.
Warsaw 480km opens with the short intro ‘132 Spring St’ before the metronomic drum beat of ’22° Halo’. The repetition of “stuck in my head” is hypnotic, and the male and female vocal striking. This is a track not loaded with lyrics the drums providing the anchor while the feedback of the guitar adds a moments tension. ‘Sextape’ follows, a psych fuelled joy, slower and more measured and still with the drum beat holding all together. There is a hint of the Stones Roses with an undertone of funk and the guitar being allowed to furrow its own glorious path. “You don’t have to say what you are.”
At almost 6 and a half minutes ‘WRSW’ is the longest track on the album. The repetitive beat is lighter and faster here, and its utterly infectious, impossible to ignore. The shifts of pace are subtle, almost impossible to detect. The long outro shows pôt-pot are not afraid to give a song the time it needs.
pôt-pot’s incorporation of cyclical structures comes from a perhaps unexpected place, as Waldron-Hyden notes:
“One massive influence for me is James Brown and a lot of early soul and funk; those deep grooves and chantlike vocals, repeated for minutes on end, are crafted so skillfully in the way that they’re simple enough to get down to, but evolve enough to stay incredibly interesting… That kind of music makes people move and lose themselves, but also stands alone as totally original and timeless.”
The atmospheric ‘Fake Eyes’ is followed by ‘I AM!’ which holds a steady pace throughout, the psych vibe returning and an under-layer of tension, ever so quiet but there nonetheless. ‘Can’t Handle It’ has a rock and roll swagger, slow but with an effortless cool. “Tell me baby do you feel alright? Tell me baby would you take my life because I just can’t handle it.” To resist the temptation to speed up is very impressive. The transition then into ‘The Lights Are On’ is perfect. The Doors edginess here with its shuffling groove and mesmerising guitar is captivating.
‘Hot Scene’ is a highlight, keeping pace as it goes from a minimal, buzzing twang to a spacious, open hi-hat sizzle that the band ride out in spellbinding fashion. There is a hint of danger, alongside the seductive nature of the echoey vocals. It contains the most lyrics of any of the songs on Warsaw 480km and again has a deliciously long outro. Closer ‘Change Your Life’ states: “I can’t seem to change your life”. Its a short track, and intriguing as it seems to be an abrupt end to the album, however it skilfully leaves the listener wanting more.
For more information on pôt-pot please check their instagram and bandcamp.
Review: 8 out of 10