POZI are the kind of group that enjoys the creative cycle of destruction and reconstruction. This is demonstrated by PRAH Recordings' second album, Smiling Pools. They are at their most broad on this LP, which comes after a gradual expansion of their sound through two EPs before the frantic, self-imposed minimalism of their first record PZ1.
Using a hyper-skeletal sound palette of drums, bass and three distinct vocals interrupted by Rosa Brook's churning violins, the trio of Toby Burroughs, Rosa Brook and Tom Jones quickly established something of a foundational template on that first album. From this came biting social observations and political angst; their debut single, KCTMO, an angry response to the Grenfell tragedy, still takes center stage in their live set.
It's not surprising that the band cites a wide range of influences, including post-pop rivals Mermaid Chunky and Uh, as well as Sudan Archives, Chris & Cosey and Czech experimental violinist and vocalist Iva Bittová. These influences are all a result of the tangled mixture of atmospheres, emotions and textures at play here. The fact that the group names "mystery" as another emotive note that Smiling Pools uses is telling. The lyrics mix the mundane with the bizarre, fusing references to the bar, the M6, takeout, Basic Instinct from the 1990s, Boudica and a spooky road trip..

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