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Balu Brigada is alt pop’s best kept secret, and there’s no question that their debut album Portal, is the gift that we’ve been waiting for. A self-described “groove pop” duo fronted by multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter/producer brothers, Henry and Pierre Beasley. Portal has been a work in progress since 2022, on the heels of beloved EPs I Should Be Home and Find A Way, and a run as support for Twenty One Pilots in 2024 across Europe, New Zealand and North America. 

Portal is a 12-track project with sonic touchstones in New York, Berlin and their native Auckland, each city has shaped the album’s identity with a culturally enriched signature, ranging from grungy influences to inversely serene and introspective themes. “So Cold” is the second track of the project, and injected with a blend of groovy guitar texture, and silky, grit-tinged vocals circa early Cage the Elephant and The Strokes. With honest lyrics that strike the listener, “Guess the mystique only works in your prime// I used to have the answers, and now it’s too close to call.” The track is an electric, high-energy hit that begs an instant replay. 

“Sideways” is an impressive display of effortless candor, and offers an artful look at the messy aftermath of a relationship gone sideways. The track’s magnetic hook, “Whatever happened to a fresh start?//Oh maybe civil is a lost art//’Cause now you’re looking at me sideways.” is a sharp hit of relatability that reels the listener in. The accompanying music video, directed, shot and edited by Ezra Simons, plays on the complex back-and-forth nature of it all, Henry and Pierre perform the track against a bright (and sometimes) gritty backdrop with fun camera work that deserves a watch (and rewatch.) 

“Backseat” contrasts the introspective theme of Portal with a blunt, assertive delivery where the narrator breaks free from what held them back, seen in lyrics, “You stay with me, but you don’t even like my company//I’ll give you another soul to squeeze.” Building up with heavy hitting synths, drums, and a drop into a groovy guitar that just hits as the track approaches its next verse. “You told me I’m the one you wanted, really wanted//But you don’t love you like I love you, I don’t believe you // So I’ll take the keys and I’m gone.” “Backseat” is a cry of independence, and a new way to leave things in your rearview. 

2025 is the year of Balu Brigada, and with an exciting headline tour starting October, their trajectory is higher than ever.