French electronic visionaries Polo & Pan announce the release of their much-anticipated third studio album, “22:22,” out now via Ekler/Hamburger/Virgin. Part French Touch, part disco, part kaleidoscopic narrative, the LP contains 12 songs that transport listeners to another world, where the boundaries of reality dissolve into fantasy and music is a passage to the cosmos.
From the shimmering arrangements of “Petite Etoile” through the crystal-light sparkle of “The Mirror,” with its ghostly Beth Ditto vocal, Polo & Pan create a world that’s deceptively clever and rollicking at the same time. The album title, “22:22,” grounded in numerology, suggests universal balance, clarity, and self-discovery, all themes that thrum through the album’s glowing textures and complex rhythms.
The pair continue to test the limits of their creativity, merging live instrumentation, analog recording techniques, and surrealist lyricism into their signature sound. Tracks such as “Nenuphar,” named for the water lily that wilts at dusk and blooms at dawn, contain the cyclical, immersive energy that renders Polo & Pan’s music an invitation to dance until the sun comes up and dance again. Meanwhile, “Disco Nap,” with British indie mainstays Metronomy, lays out a hypnotic groove of longing and acceptance, reminding us that even the smallest moments can be magic.
“22:22” cements Polo & Pan’s standing as neologistic trailblazers in the French electronic music game. They are both incisive and insatiable in their pursuit of the perfect groove. “22:22” is packed with sunlit euphoria and whimsical escapism, but the new material also shows a more considered and polishing songwriting approach. Songs such as “A Different Side of Us” and “Bluetopia” highlight their growth, combining lush melodies with introspective themes about love, transformation, and the transitory nature of time.
With “22:22,” Polo & Pan open their doors to the world to enter their playful, poetic, and psychedelic universe, where each song is a portal to some unexpected destination. Whether you’re drifting through “Laszlo,” basking in the nostalgic shimmer of “Summer Is Almost Over,” or giving yourself up to the night with “La Nuit,” this album invites you to lose yourself in the cadence of the constellations.
Connect with Polo & Pan on Instagram – @poloandpan
