"Warm, chiming, ponderous and uncommonly beautiful" Time Out
A jazz combo that’s groundbreaking and wildly popular – isn’t that illegal? The Porticos hit the headlines in 2008 when their debut album Knee Deep In The North Sea was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.
Critics began to think the unthinkable: could a jazz album take on the pop might of Radiohead and The Last Shadow Puppets – and win? To make matters worse, the group already had the sort of word-of-mouth cult following normally associated with the likes of Pete Doherty. What’s going on?
The answer is simple: music that is breathtakingly original yet chock-a-block with hummable tunes and killer hooks. There’s more – busker attitude, great grooves, atmospheric soundscapes and the silvery tones of something once described as “ two woks glued together”. Both a rhythm and melody instrument, the “hang” is a jazz natural in the hands of the Porticos.
If you’re not already a fan: this band are quite unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. If you are, you’ll know to book early!
