Hidden Gem: Poland's Lee la Loa

For the first of today’s two hidden gems, we head to Poland – Wroclaw specifically – to unearth a young band with an incredible future ahead of them – Lee la Loa. The indie quintet’s music cannot be pinned down to any one particular sound or band, but instead they spread out across the indie-rock and indie-pop landscape to find inspiration. What’s impressive is that in the handful of tracks they have released, despite English not being their first language, and having only been together for just over a year, their music is terrific.

Frontwoman Paulina shines through on each song, as her voice has the same crackling vulnerability of Lana Del Rey and Aly Spaltro (a.k.a. Lady Lamb the Beekeeper). This is best exhibited on “Millions of Thoughts”, which is their most recent single. The song is a catchy, midtempo ditty that mixes indie-folk and indie-rock textures. Her voice, too, makes “Little Love Story”, a brooding, indie-rock track that tugs at the heart with its lyrics of want. It’s a track that comes extremely close to the emotional power of Sharon Van Etten, Tiny Ruins, and The Bright Smoke.

When listening to “Waiting for the Storm”, there is a familiar melody. For Radiohead fans, they’ll immediately recognize that the track has the same feel as “No Surprises” from OK Computer. And similar to that great track. “Waiting for the Storm” is the anticipation of the eventuality, the end (or is it the beginning?), where the conclusion will finally be known.

“Purple Sky” is the one track that Lee la Loa channel Lana Del Rey – haunting, sleek, and sexy. “Nowhere” is similarly a dark, exotic track with its Latin vibe setting the pace and adding some mystery into the song. It’s a track that would be brilliantly placed in a movie.

On these five songs, Lee la Loa have commenced their musical career on a high note. The songwriting and sound are mature and captivating. What they have achieved in such a short time is nothing short of remarkable, and this is just a glimpse into the potential of the five, young Poles.

Lee la Loa are Paulina (vocals), Bonzzi (guitars), Marrio (guitar, keys), Basik (bass), and Petros (drums). Follow the band on Facebook and Twitter and check out their website from time-to-time for updates.