Thinking about…Anomalies in the oddity space: Myriad sounds of togetherness
I knew we would have a new release from The Poles this year, but I didn’t know it would be so soon! I thought their cool rebrand signalled a darker turn with their music, but this album (like all of theirs) was a pleasant surprise!
‘Anomalies in the oddity space’ is an interesting title for this album. It suggests that The Poles are abnormal and stand out (as ‘anomalies’) even amongst those who are considered abnormal (‘in the oddity space’). Despite this seeming to set them apart, the album radiates a sense of togetherness and friendship, suggesting that since they are ‘anomalies’ even among the ‘oddities,’ it’s best for them to stick together as they only have each other. The track ordering further mirrors this unconventional theme – the album title is hidden in the last three tracks if they are played backwards: ‘Anomalies in the,’ ‘Oddities,’ and ‘Space kids.’ Additionally, the album is written almost completely in English for the first time. It’s thus an anomaly and stands out amongst the rest of The Poles’ discography!
With this album, I loved that I could identify how The Poles’ music brightens through the years. It’s almost like the band grows closer to one another and to their listeners as they create more music. ‘From the Outset’ and ‘We Get, The Same’ are very introspective and express a lot of pain that often seems to be felt alone. ‘Outset’ as an album delved into this hurt, often expressing painful emotions that I wouldn’t expect to hear from such young artists as The Poles were back then. As the albums progress, though, they develop by describing what it is to find comfort in togetherness. ‘The High Tide Club,’ as I described earlier, expresses this desire for connection, togetherness and everlasting love (especially) during hardships. Where ‘The High Tide Club’ expresses these feelings rather desperately, as though grasping on, ‘Anomalies in the oddity space,’ expresses togetherness and love comfortingly, as though in gratitude to someone who’s by your side rather than desperately to someone who’s slipping away from you.
The album opens with the gentle sounds of ‘Vancouver ’23.’ I was really struck by the lyricism of this song – it beautifully conveys creative exhaustion with complex English words that are not common in most English lyrics. The first verse is incredibly hard-hitting:
“I just strolled down the streetLike a killer, slaying my egoThen I beheld the vast oceanHurled my ego’s corpse into the deep”
At a seemingly sudden, random moment, the singer recognises the confines they have placed on themselves and that they feel limited by how these affect their ‘ego,’ their sense of self. They "slay" their ego in a beautiful metaphor of almost killing a whole ‘person’ in disposing of this restrictive idea of their self, and letting these inhibitions recede with the ocean tides. In so doing they allow themselves to move on without holding themselves back to their own ego and self-imposed confines.
Daniel then sings, “Cause I am too broken to create something/I just wanna take a breath while I’m in front of the ocean.” While this moment by the ocean induced a lot of contemplation about the self, it also allowed the singer to finally relax and let go. They were too weighed down by their struggles to create, but seeing the ocean finally cleared their head, inspiring them to write this song. The title for this song suggests to me that Daniel wrote this based on the experience at wave to earth’s tour in Vancouver last year, where he said it was his favourite stop and they enjoyed relaxing as they played music by the ocean (wave to earth Wish 107.5 interview). It’s not the first time Daniel has been inspired by the ocean in writing his songs – ‘wave’ by his other band wave to earth, and the entire concept of wave to earth itself, was based on his amazement and love for the large waves of the sea. The sea also features in ‘High Tide,’ and in the music video for ‘Cares’ on this album – thus, the sea seems to be a solace, comfort and a creative inspiration for him seeing how often he writes about it. Indeed, he goes on to say, “I wish everything would slow down like the waves/I’ll leave everything here and go.” He wants to leave behind his pain, struggles and ego by the ocean, moving on from it and taking with him only the comfort and inspiration that the ocean has provided him. I love the gentle guitar sounds accompanying this track that mirror the gentle lapping of waves. Daniel’s voice is emotional and comforting, and the whole song paints a picture of the calming moment by the ocean that it describes.
Another reason I was drawn to this song is a bit more personal. This song reminds me of the deep sense of uncertainty from a period in my life last summer. Fresh out of college and trying desperately to be recognised in society, I was caught between fighting to uphold a life I had built over three years or leaving it all behind to return home. In fighting to stay on, I had to forget certain ideas I had of myself and my desire for comfort because remaining was not going to be easy. I had to “slay my ego” to move forward with the next part of my life, although it felt like so many things held me back. It was exhausting to seek recognition and only receive repeated rejection. I hated that I might need to let go of everything I had fought for over three years, but the possibility loomed ever closer. During those months, I was “too broken to create something.” Although it was right after this blog had been recognised, right after I had finished college, I could barely feel a sense of achievement and instead felt consumed by the future. At many points, I just really wished for things to slow and settle down, similar to longing for the comfort of the ocean as Daniel does in this song. In that way, it was so touching to listen to.
‘Stargazing’ creates a similar touching feeling, although far gentler and more heart-warming in its message. Originally named ‘Morning After’ before its title was changed, I somehow felt that this song was dedicated to fans of The Poles. For a while, people worried The Poles wouldn’t come back due to their long period of inactivity, but this beautiful, love-filled song reassures us otherwise. The Poles thank us for trusting them and standing by them even as they were confused about their future path – “Cause I’m losing my mind, yeah/Don’t even remember what I was going to do/But still you’ve always been by my side.” They reassure us so beautifully that they are here to stay, with the lines “I’ll strive for my best/To ensure the blessing I’ve received won’t be in vain,” and of course, “I’ll be on stage for you.” They further assure us that they see a great future for themselves – “I want to be a star/I want to be cool” (which they are!) I love the next line: “But you know, right? /Starlight always makes the moon stand out.” They suggest that as they aim higher and grow bigger, it is our continued support and love for them that makes them shine all the brighter!
This song is really reminiscent of ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ in the accompanying guitar melody, and in how it reassures the listener that the singer is always by their side. I really like how all the instruments shine equally in this song. At times, the bass carries the melody beautifully during the verses, the guitar tone induces so much happiness and the way the drums kick in is so refreshing. This song being for fans is seen even further in how it’s performed. The chorus, featuring the echoes of “I (I) want (want) to be a star” intends for fans to sing along with The Poles, such that it’s not the band simply performing but rather sharing a moment of love with their audience. As they end the chorus with “I’ll be on stage for you,” a beautifully touching line, I hope one day they really are on stage across the whole world for all of us who want to see these shining stars!
‘Cares’ has a distinctly similar vibe to ‘Stargazing.’ I feel like I say this about every song The Poles write, but I truly love how comforting this song is! The theme of ‘Cares’ seems to align a bit with ‘Goin’ High,’ also dealing with the fears of growing old and losing out on life.
Goin’ High: “Is my young heart always getting a bit wrinkled?”
Cares: “Yeah honestly, I don’t wanna get older/So yeah, I’m afraid of dying.”
Both songs urge us not to regret the past and hold back from the present: “I guess we should just enjoy all of today (Goin’ High),” and in ‘Cares,’ “What holds you back?/I don’t know what it is, but just don’t look back.” Since we will die and “this body won’t endure forever,” we might as well spend time loving those dear to us to the fullest, almost to the point that our love outlasts the temporary body – “live an everlasting heart with” the ones we love.
‘Cares’ embraces the “confined space” shared with loved ones, unlike ‘space,’ which mourns big dreams that do not fit with the small hand dealt by life. Instead, the singer wishes to enjoy the moment no matter how small the place they lay in with their loved ones – “let’s sing together/the louder our song is, the better.” I really love the next line: “like we dreamed of/Now we are a page in our collection of poems.” Their love is so wonderful that it should be the subject of poems, but it is also time immortal, much like poetry is. Further, since it’s “our collection of poems,” they suggest that they are receiving the love they have always dreamed of and written about. When they have such a love, it doesn’t matter that life is temporary and death is imminent, because this love will sustain them and remain eternal in this song and in its strength and beauty. This sentiment is reminiscent of Daniel saying, “finally, our world is perfect/with love/with love” in the song ‘love.’ by wave to earth. Both these describe how, even if we are all imperfect and temporary, a long-lasting love can make our lives feel perfect and outlast our beings. It is rather beautiful how Daniel’s writing has transitioned from describing a lot of pain and loneliness in his previous music to writing songs which now describe his deep love for the people close to him, and how it makes life worth living!
‘Space kids’ completely switches up the vibe of the album with its addictive guitar and bass melody. Their bouncy and jaunty sound adds to the happy sense of friendship that the song conveys. The theme is similar to ‘Cares,’ embodying togetherness and also now tapping into the title ‘Anomalies in the oddity space,’ describing The Poles (?) as aliens/astronauts travelling through space, enjoying their limited time in space without worrying when it will end. As a side note, I’m not sure why the aliens in this song are British (“Blimey, woke up bumped me noggin’?”) but it made me laugh so I like it! I love the chorus – “I couldn't say when the fuel might run out/ And I couldn't say when this universe became ours/Doesn't matter, let's sing and dance until we're spent.” They suggest that they are the only ones out in the challenging terrain of space (it’s “theirs”), so there’s no one to help if their time (“fuel”) runs out, they only have each other. They want to enjoy their time in space regardless, making the most of it until there’s nothing else left. My favourite part of the song is the end of the second verse – “In a flash, we’re surrounded, but fear not, dear/Somehow, some ways, we’ll persevere/For that’s just our way of life, clear.” I just love the way Daniel sings this part, his tone of voice is beautiful and it just fills you instantly with strength! Overall, I love the change in mood this song brings – it makes me so happy!
The next track ‘Oddities’ has a distinctly addictive quality. There’s something about hearing it once that makes you want to listen to it again and again – I think within the first week of release I had played it more than 30 times! Daniel’s low, raspy vocal tone is so addictive to listen to. He rarely sings like this but I really love it when he does and I love the punchy sound that he puts through here. This song has a similar tone and theme as ‘Space kids.’ Where in ‘Space kids,’ they say “I couldn’t say when the fuel might run out,” in ‘Oddities,’ it seems the fuel ran out as the song describes “the sound of the broken engine.” The message of the song is a bit like, ‘we’re going down but we’re going down together’ – suggesting that they’ve already been through the worst, and thus another failure is nothing to them as long they’re together: “No matter what anyone says, it’s loud/Our ears were broken long ago/So we can’t give up/A fire set ablaze in our hearts.”
In being almost addicted to facing pain alone, they are used to hardship – “we long for the dead of night so we went to die by the sun/They said of course we burned out till there was nothing left of us.” The chorus interestingly explores this relationship with pain. I think it’s intentional that you can’t tell whether Daniel says “I hate the night” or “I hate the light” (although official lyrics suggest the latter). It’s interesting how the “blinding” “light” and the “dead of night” blend into each other, the lines between them blurring, suggesting that working yourself into any extreme – chasing dreams to the point of burning out, or falling deep into negativity and self-hatred, will lead to destruction and pain. When you’re drowned in the night, you’ll miss the ‘light’ of your passion for your dreams, and if you’re burned out from chasing the sun, you’ll find yourself in “dead of night” without the passion you once had. You’ll burn and end up in a dark night no matter what. This further explains why they feel they should not give up, holding on to the “fire in [their] hearts,” possibly a fire of togetherness to brave every hardship together lest they lose themselves by pushing too hard.
I notice all the songs on the album, besides this one, are in English. On the one hand, I can see why Daniel experimented with this kind of lyricism, seeing as The Poles needed to make a strong, universally relatable comeback after a long time and ensure it would be well-received by a wide audience. But even with the largely English lyricism of this album, somehow ‘Oddities’ was the most well-loved song amongst fans. Every single fan I spoke to was saying how it’s their favourite song, and Twitter was full of people praising the album’s only Korean number. I’ve never seen a fandom unite over loving one song in such a way before!
Seeing this, it drove home even further that the magic of The Poles’ music lies in the authenticity that comes through in their lyrics, an authenticity that is specific to the expression of such feelings in Korean. Daniel himself explained during an interview that he has a slightly different process for writing in English, wherein he needs to really consider what lyrics sound most poetic. Compared to that, when he writes in Korean, I feel he lays his heart completely bare and tells everything he feels exactly as it is. That way, even if I’m reading a translation of the lyrics, I can still feel the genuineness of the message touching my heart, as it comes through directly in a language that Daniel is more comfortable with. This quality of the lyricism is exactly what I think made ‘Oddities’ so special to so many people. The Poles’ music, especially where it’s emotional, is thus special because it’s a mirror. It’s even more striking in relation to Daniel’s other work because it shows his versatility as an artist. The Poles already have a vastly different sound from wave to earth, conveying different themes with different sounds. Creating this art in two different languages further adds to the variety and uniqueness that is characteristic of Daniel’s music – a quality that I hope is maintained in all his future art!
The album ends with ‘Anomalies in the,’ a slow-paced and gentle instrumental track. I really like how I can hear both the guitar and the bass clearly. The bass line is actually really groovy to listen to and I like that! This song gives you the feeling of floating in a daze through the sky, thus I feel like it has two purposes. One could follow on from ‘Space kids’ and ‘Oddities.’ As the ‘engine breaks’ in ‘Oddities,’ they could be suspended together in space – so they are really ‘anomalies’ as humans floating around in space. The slow pace of the song really gives this floaty, anti-gravity feeling that could add to this story and slowly fade out the album as they float, together with their loved ones even in disaster. Further, with the title cut in half - 'Anomalies in the' - such that we don't know where they are, could show that they are suspended in space and time.
Another is that ‘Anomalies in the’ is in fact an intro song. The opening distinctly reminded me of ‘Vancouver’23’ so I decided to play the album on loop and indeed this song fades nicely into ‘Vancouver’23.’ In this respect, the slow pace and soft guitar tone can sound rather contemplative and reflective, much like the tones of ‘Vancouver’23.’ It’s not the first time The Poles have two-timed an intro/outro instrumental – they did the same thing on ‘From the Outset.’ It’s telling that they did this again, especially since ‘From the Outset’ described themes of pain and loneliness dealt with alone, while ‘Anomalies in the oddity space’ emphasises the relief that togetherness can be during hard times. Floating through the unknown and being out of sorts together is somehow a comfort, before bringing one back to contemplate by the ocean as in ‘Vancouver ’23.’
I was so happy to finally hear new music from The Poles! As always, listening to the album in depth and really thinking about the songs to write posts like this is always so much fun and brings me even closer to the music I love. This is such an enjoyable and addictive album with all kinds of vibes and sounds featured through the different songs. I feel it offers comfort, fun and happiness in so many different ways, as does all of The Poles’ recent music! I’m excited to see where their future creative endeavours will take them and I hope I get the chance to see them live one day too.
References:
‘Oddities’ by The Poles – translated by my friend Nana (@/owolloil on Twitter)
‘Goin’ High’ by The Poles – translated by me
‘love.’ By wave to earth – adapted from love. English lyric video
Wave to Earth – Senggi Session
Wave to Earth – Indie Post Interview
Wave to Earth – Wish 107.5 Interview
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