More about: Porij

Everybody rush to the dancefloor, because Manchester four-piece Porij are here to feed you rave-inducing, possessing, and lively music crafted from a unique blend of club, dance, pop… genres don’t even matter here! 

Formed almost as a dare by four students at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music, the origin of Porij sparked a journey of evolution. Their creative energy moves from rave-infused highs through to delicate songwriting that finds them exposed and open. 

Patching together club tropes and indie pop elements, each song seems to exist in its own world, bound together by the gravitational pull of their mutual and masterful creativity. Genre-bending is certainly at play here, and in others' hands, that can result in unappealing Frankenstein’s monsters. However, Porij’s creative hive-mind has made the experimentation feel far from disjointed.

The four-track EP kicks off with floor-filler ‘Lose Our Minds’, a joyful electronic dance number bound to lure people to the dancefloor, but with a thematic vulnerability discussing a battle with mental health, something which lead vocalist Eggy has stated the music is used as a space to discuss, alongside queer identities and other highly personal topics.

Track two, ‘Automatic’ is a bass-heavy entry to the EP that is catered to a sweaty early-hours rave. The catchy metallic lyrics ("Automatic / so magnetic") glide along the bassy electronic beats fluently and effortlessly, proving the brilliant songwriting at play here.

With ‘Figure Skating’, a heavy drum and bass rhythm joins the party bringing a huge chorus and trippy, carefully placed electronic fills as its guests. The diversity of sound in this musical party makes it such an enchanting listen. 

The EP closes with ‘Outlines’, beginning with an almost hip-hop beat that transforms into a house-like propulse. This is another example of Porij moving with a chaotic but nonetheless defined sense of purpose.

After support-slots with Metronomy and completing a huge summer-festival run, Porij are proving themselves to be pure, undimmed, and utterly fantastic. At its core, Porij is a vivid pop experience like nothing you’ve ever heard. If you want garage, house, hip-hop, indie and pop beautifully packaged together with care, Porij is the one for you.

Outlines is out now.

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: Porij