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Belgian dreampop band Portland today releases their new single ‘Lay Me Down’, a glorious indie-pop gem with huge waves of echoing guitars and a melancholic undertone. A song that wears the scars of recent years on its sleeves, but at the same time expresses an irrepressible zest for life. It bursts out of the speakers and hits hard.
In all fairness, it’s a miracle Portland releases new music today. To call the past few years in the life of singer and guitarist Jente Pironet turbulent is to downplay the truth. The years between the debut album ‘Your Colours Will Stain’ (2019) and latest release ‘Departures’ (2023) were particularly intense.
Singles ‘Pouring Rain’ and ‘Killer’s Mind’ propelled the band to stardom in their homeland. Fully embraced by leading alternative music station Studio Brussel, the band sold out multiple tours and was welcomed several times on the stages of Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop.
However, a few days after the glorious show at Rock Werchter 2023, a leaden verdict followed: a severe brain tumour with, in the worst scenario, a year to go. Jente’s world stopped turning abruptly. Plans were postponed (cancelling proved unbearable and a step too far) and rehearsals and shows gave way to doctor’s visits and treatments. Instead of hanging his head, Jente clenched his fists and embarked on a long and exhausting rehabilitation journey.
In early 2024, the skies slowly began to clear: he received the MIA (Belgian Music Industry Award) for ‘Alternative’ and, under strict medical supervision, was once again allowed to take to the stages of many sold-out concert halls. And look — nearly two years later, Portland’s third album is almost ready.
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