Belfast duo New Portals have today released their new single ‘Sober’. The song celebrates the very real option of enjoying sobriety, which finds Ruth Aicken singing, “I like to party when we’re sober” in her hypnotic hushed coo.
‘Sober’ features delicate electronics paired with a 4/4 beat, all intertwined with mesmeric guitars and the duo’s lush harmonies. All proceeds from downloads of the single go to Macmillan and the Go Sober For October campaign. ‘Sober’ is available to download through Bandcamp and iTunes.
Regarding the new single New Portals say, “‘Sober’ is about your ‘desert island friend’, the friend where you would be perfectly entertained if you were stuck on a desert island with them. No need for external help to have fun, ‘Sober’ is a celebration of this type of bond that we all need.”
The new single follows the recent release of the band’s debut EP Stereo earlier this year, which was met with great acclaim from the likes of the Metro, The Guardian, Dork Magazine, Line Of Best Fit, Missguided, Pretty 52, 1883, Galore, Pop Dust and many more.
New Portals have also received strong support from BBC Radio 1, with Phil Taggart and Huw Stephens particularly big champions of the band at the station. They’ve been featured in a host of high profile Spotify playlists and receive regular in-store rotation at a number of leading UK high street brands too.
The band have also been developing increasing transatlantic appeal, having completed their first US tour last year and playing a number of shows at SXSW 2017. It illustrates the fact that New Portals are one of the most exciting musical exports coming from Ireland today.
- “One of the finest R&B-tinged male-female duos we’ve heard since AlunaGeorge” - The Guardian
- “New Portals look to take pop to the next level” - Metro
- “It’s banger o’clock, guys.” - Dork Magazine
- “The strength of New Portals lies in their unflinching willingness to sharpen their fangs on some of life's most devastating and pivotal moments.” - Pop Dust
- “[New Portals] tracks should definitely be on your weekend playlist” - Missguided
- “They’re certainly ones to watch” - Pretty 52
- “Ireland’s hottest new artists” - 1883