Four-piece alt-rock band Polar hails from the East Malaysian city of Kuching, Sarawak. Their lineup has stayed the same since their inception in 2008, consisting of Saif (vocals + guitar), Afiq (bass), Ahim (synths + samples) and Jiji (drums).
Musically, the band’s influences run the gamut – from Incubus and M83, to 80s stalwarts such as The Police, Depeche Mode, Erasure and Flock of Seagulls. But rather than see this as lacking direction, the band feels that each members’ musical tastes contrast and complement each other, filling in gaps that would otherwise not be seen and pigeonhole them into a specific genre.
Polar has been quite prolific through the years, with several EPs already under their belt – Singularity (2009) and Extended Play (2013). This steady progress led them to release a full debut album Bloom in 2015, which has been getting good reception from their fans.
Their current material strongly shows their alternative rock leanings, with catchy tunes that are dynamic, melodic and – dare we say it – ecstatic. But their live performances is where the band truly shines, as is evident from the videos you see here.
Check out what Polar has to say about recording their album, and about being a band in Kuching in general, in our exclusive interview with them:
