Instruction
Follow the rules, they say
Abduction
The language is erased
In a world where even the most familiar rules feel imposed and where meaning itself can be stripped away, Dutch new wave revivalists Pol emerge as suave shape-shifters of sound and style. Fronted by siblings Ruben and Matthijs Pol, the duo captures the spirit of an era defined by transformation and technological tension. Drawing inspiration from visionaries like Visage, Gary Numan, and Japan—while echoing the legacy of New Order, Depeche Mode, and Duran Duran—their work transcends mere homage. Instead, Pol repurposes these influences to carve out a singular identity that honors the fleeting nature of words and the persistent resonance of feeling. Their music blurs boundaries, remixing aesthetics and emotions until they become something raw, direct, and vividly new.
Pol’s latest single, The Chameleon, slithers into existence with a strict mechanical symmetry, each synthetic pulse igniting like a flickering neon sign in a deserted metropolis. The beat settles into a hypnotic groove, as angular guitar phrases strike through the sterile atmosphere. Synth leads slice cleanly through the mix, their precision as cold as a surgical scalpel, while a brooding bassline crawls beneath, lending weight and unease.
Vocals hover in a detached, otherworldly monotone, processed until they seem robotic—an eerie chorus of humanity filtered through steel and static. Distortion and reverb stack up, evoking empty halls and invisible crowds, while subtle electronic whispers simmer in the periphery, hinting at restless, mechanical life lurking just out of sight.
This dystopian shimmer evokes the bleak futurism of Gary Numan’s Replicas, where electronic landscapes and tense minimalism coexist in understated menace. Yet, within these shadows, Pol forges its own path, channeling the chameleonic energy of reinvention.
The lyrics follow suit, wrestling with upheaval and the desire for metamorphosis. The chameleon stands as a symbol of liberation through transformation, shedding its skin to resist societal expectations. Fleeting French phrases emerge like secret signals, injecting duality and dissonance, confronting confinement with defiance. What emerges is a new language of sound and meaning, perpetually shifting and evolving.
Listen to “The Chameleon” below:
All songs from Pol’s repertoire are written and produced by Ruben and Matthijs, with select mixes shaped by Dave Bascombe (Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Erasure) and the duo themselves. Their self-titled debut EP, released in August 2023, solidified their place in the modern revival of analog-driven synth music.
In June of 2024, they unveiled Masks, a single that distills the idea of concealment—masks donned to hide longing, meet social demands, or protect tender inner worlds. This release heralds yet another phase in Pol’s evolution, where each new track peels back another layer.
Away from the studio, Ruben and Matthijs infiltrate the high-fashion sphere, modeling for luxury brands like Saint Laurent, Gucci, Fendi, Valentino, and Dior. Their music, too, graces the runways, forging a seamless bond between their sonic identity and the fashion world’s avant-garde vision.
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