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· Conor Welsch
There is something about Portal that catches the ear right away. Balu Brigada’s sound is unique yet familiar, like stumbling onto a song you swear you have known for years but cannot quite place. Their debut does not chase trends. Instead, it blends indie pop brightness, alt rock grit, and emotional weight into something that feels both fresh and lived in.
Brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley did not make this record in one place. They wrote and recorded across Auckland, New York, and Berlin, and Portal carries the spirit of movement. City grit, late night wanderings, the ache of distance, and the thrill of starting fresh are all in the mix. Yet the record never loses intimacy. Even in its biggest moments, it sounds like two people locked in a room making something personal.
Portal runs 12 tracks at about 43 minutes, and it feels intentional from start to finish.
“The Portal” opens the album like a threshold, inviting you in.
“So Cold” is sharp and funky, groove driven and bracing, one of the clearest singles.
“Backseat” sprawls over six minutes, starting tight and growing into a layered, swirling anthem.
“Politix,” “What Do We Ever Really Know,” and “Butterfly Boy” wrestle with uncertainty while holding onto inviting melodies.
Even the polished moments leave some grit intact. Little frays in the guitars and lived in edges in the vocals give the record the texture that makes a debut resonate.
What makes Portal work is how much the brothers lean into each other. They share verses, layer harmonies, and keep arrangements restrained. The influences are obvious at times, recalling The Strokes, Phoenix, or Wallows, but nothing feels copied. Instead, the Beasleys bend those touchpoints into their own style: cinematic but conversational, sleek but still human.
The mid song build of “Backseat” around minute three is a side flipping highlight with synths and guitars swelling in unison.
The hook in “Sideways” delivers a lyrical sting that lingers long after the track ends.
Closer “Butterfly Boy” drifts into hazy reflection, an ending that invites you to lift the needle quietly.
This is an album that deserves pressing on translucent vinyl, wrapped in minimal matte artwork with city maps hidden in the liner notes. It feels like a debut designed to be collected, not just streamed.
Strengths: Hooks are undeniable, performances are tight, and self production keeps the whole record personal. Themes of distance, love, and identity feel both specific and universal.
Room to Grow: The back half contains a few tracks that blur together, but that is the learning curve of a debut. The peaks, particularly “Backseat” and “So Cold,” are strong enough to carry the record.
Portal is aptly named. It is not just an introduction but an entryway into Balu Brigada’s world. It blends movement, emotion, and melody into something both big and intimate.
It is familiar enough to pull you in and unique enough to keep you there. For a first record, that balance is the hardest trick to pull off.
Best Spins: “Backseat,” “So Cold,” “Sideways”
For Fans Of: The Strokes, Phoenix, Royel Otis, Wallows
If You’re Into This, Try:
By and By – Caamp
Nowhere But Here – Beach Weather
Persona – almost monday
Early Kings of Leon for a rougher alt rock edge