Contirbutor
pølaroit, great to have the chance to speak with you today. Firstly, congratulations on the release of your latest single Stroom. Can you tell us a bit about the story behind this one?
We are delighted that Stroom is finally out and has received kind feedback. We wrote it amidst the midst of the corona pandemic, our song captures the nostalgic longing for the previous summer when unrestricted joy and individual expression were abundant.
We waited for the ideal moment to release Stroom, and now, we feel like it’s the perfect time.
You are renowned for playing live, how does your sound differ when playing with your live set up compared to behind CDJ’s?
Jonas: I think the main difference is the improvisation. In preparation, we took elements out of the songs we play live on stage, so we can capture the atmosphere and improvise these parts anew. Thereby every pølaroit show is unique and like a snapshot in time.
Marius: With CDJs, you can often respond to people only through the song selection. We can even go a step further and dive deep into our tracks and transfer the energy directly to the audience.
How does your knowledge from playing live help you in the studio when working on your releases?
During our live performances, we quickly identify melodies and drums that work well together. Paying close attention to the impact of kick drums on the crowd, we often make adjustments to individual tracks in the studio.
Our studio sessions are strongly influenced by improvisation, with our livesets serving as valuable reference points.
What roles do you take on in the studio and when playing live? Do you play to each others strengths?
Marius excels in beat making, while Jonas is skilled in harmonies and piano. However, pølaroit’s true strength lies in the fact that we both can interchangeably work on any part of the creative process.
This versatility is essential to our studio workflow. On stage, we adopt distinct roles, ensuring a captivating performance without any sense of being lost.
Who are your biggest influences behind your sound?
Our sound has been shaped and inspired by a diverse range of talented artists. Among our biggest influences are Christian Löffler, Kiasmos, Max Cooper, and Ólafur Arnalds. Drawing from their unique styles and musical innovation, we have found a rich source of creativity and direction that has contributed significantly to our own artistic journey. But our influences have expanded over time, and now we find ourselves exploring various other music genres.
What has been a career highlight so far and what is your next big goal to achieve?
A significant career highlight for us was the videoshoot with Cercle in India – an unforgettable experience that has added a captivating visual dimension to our live performances. Furthermore, our collaboration with MEUTE had a profound impact, expanding the reach and attention towards our project in various directions.
Our next big goal is to bring our new liveset to the stage. We can’t wait to connect with people in the music scene and write new music.
What more can we expect to hear from you release wise for the remainder of the year?
In the remaining year, you can definitely expect music from us like never before. We are working with various labels, including a return to Stil vor Talent and a venture into the neo-classical realm with another label. Stay tuned for some exciting surprises!
// Jonas & Marius
Check out pølaroit’s latest release Stroom here.