Artist description Portal are a UK-based duo whose music blends blissed-out ambience, space, experimental noise and melody.

Music Style Experimental, ambient, post-rock, down tempo, trip-hop, electronic, indie.

Musical Influences Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Brian Eno, Aphex Twin, A.R. Kane, Flying Saucer Attack, Erik Satie, Arvo Part, Durutti Column, Kraftwerk, Nick Drake.

Similar Artists Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, This Mortal Coil, Massive Attack, A.R. Kane, Flying Saucer Attack, Auburn Lull, Slowdive, Galaxie 500

Artist History Portal began in 1996 as the name given to the recordings of multi-instrumentalist Scott Sinfield. By 1998, two independent labels in the UK had expressed interest in Scott's recordings, leading to two 7" single releases, the first on Earworm Records, the second on Roisin. Later the same year, Scott met singer Rachel Hughes and the two began to record together. The result was the highly acclaimed CD album "Reprise", that also saw Portal gain radio airplay in the UK, Europe and USA. The band were invited to record a session for BBC Radio 1's John Peel, following his support of the singles and album. A series of one-off releases in the UK, France and USA followed in 2000 and 2001. These included the CD mini-album "Tristesse" and a CD album "Remixes", which saw Portal originals reworked by the likes of V/Vm, yellow6 and July Skies. In 2002, Portal formed their own label Make Mine Music, with a host of friends and musical collaborators. Portal's second full-length CD album "Promise" was released in March 2003 and has received considerable airplay and positive reviews around the world.

Group Members Scott Sinfield - Instruments and vocals; Rachel Hughes - Vocals

Instruments Guitar, Bass, Drum Machine, Synthesiser, Sampler.

Press Reviews "Think Durutti Column, think Cocteau Twins - the perfect blend of man and machine, in fact." (Record Collector) "Reprise is a record filled with distant guitars - drums and vocals are few and far between, but when they are present, they lift each song to a height that can only be described by pilots. A record full of hidden delights. Wonderful! (5/5)" (Amazon)"The sinister side of relaxed, like the more melodic parts of Aphex Twin's "Volume 2" - cold sounding but atmospheric." (Diskant) "Bridging the space between electronica and post-rock." (Darla Records) "More lovely than words can say. If I could fit lovely into one sentence more then I would do." (Norman Records) "The sort of music they play to whales to reduce their stress." (Ian Allinson)

Additional Info http://www.portalmusic.info

Location Oxford, Oxfordshire - United Kingdom

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