Who listens to polka anymore? I mean, you probably haven’t thought of that genre in your entire life, right? I could even bet you good money you haven’t willingly listened to a single polka song. Well, things are about to change, because Fernanda Ulibarri has crafted an EP of this forgotten genre that will make you want to dig for more.
Good luck finding something as fresh sounding and catchy as what Fernanda has done here. Yes, she bases herself on the one-two rhythm of old to make her pop songs shine and everything sounds like a festive romp. Her rock pop-ish take on old timey polka keeps things bouncy, while her cute vocals give us thoughts about love and other sweet things. Ulibarri makes listening to a style of passé music seem modern, and connects the dots with genres that have spawned from the form; lurking from the shadows of Polkas De Amor you can hear snippets of country, norteño, and klezmer.
The former Uli and the Gringos frontwoman first hinted at this new direction almost a year with the advanced single “Crush” making us crave a followup (“Crush” is included on the EP, in case you were wondering). This is the first material Fernanda has released since her quite unpolka átOma record.
Can we fast-forward to Oktoberfest? Something tells me this is the perfect soundtrack for the occasion.