Town Portal – The Occident

Town Portal – The Occident

Small Pond Recordings/Subsuburban – 2015

Rock, Math, Instrumental, Prog

Rated: ***

Vacuum Horror and Chronopoly from 2011 and 2012 had us spinning around like whirling dervishes. And the new record The Occident by the Danish trio Town Portal does exactly the same but with a bit more room for contemplation and staring in awe at the beautiful landscape they paint. At times those vistas turn into a labyrinth where you can keep running around in without ever finding the exit; those are the darker and disorienting moments. But then suddenly the air seems to shift, the famous mixtures of silver blue and golden orange light starts to shine and one feels at peace and that harmony descents upon them. Only to be picked up again by ingenious time signatures and jazzy breaks and dropped down back inside the heart of the labyrinth. And there is nothing accidental about this adventure and nothing disturbing, it’s actually a highly enjoyable way get lost or to lose yourself for a perfect amount of time.

(Written by JK)

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Town Portal – Chronopoly

Town Portal – Chronopoly

Subsuburban – 2012

Rock, Instrumental, Math, Post, Prog

Rated: ***

Earlier this year we already discussed Town Portal’s debut release Vacuum Horror which transported us back to some weird and twisted nights in their capital Copenhagen. And now the trio has returned with their first full-sized album Chronopoly. Their complicated time signature rock has continued to expand into foreign territories dragging the listener along on mesmerizing waves of leisurely produced riffs and lines. For that is the biggest difference with their first EP. There is more air and has a less cluttered feeling to it. What stayed are the ingenious breaks, progressive colored guitars and intensely groovy bass. There is a lot of variation and the tinge of jazz floating around professes their deep cool humor while their apparent ability is of an very own almost self-evidently brilliant level. A tiny bit clinical at times; but only a mope would be distracted by those few silly moments. Cause above all Chronopoly enchants and delivers once again melodies like whirling dervishes!

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Town Portal – Vacuum Horror

Town Portal – Vacuum Horror
Self released – 2012
Rock, Post, Math, Prog, Metal
Rated: ***

I remember those weird nights in Copenhagen. Wondering about the mysterious glass tram metro system. Getting lost around Vega and fighting off floating skeleton heads in Stubnitz. Following strange women to Ruba’Dub, screaming about tsunamis, dolphins with hands and biting girls in their arm to say goodbye. Aah yes, those were the good old days. Luckily we survived and can now listen to some good music to take us back there: Town Portal. With their first instrumental endeavor called Vacuum Horror they use equally eerie time signatures and unusual breaks. Translated by dry and airy drums, progressive colored guitar and groovy basslines. It has a tinge of post rock and an equal amount of darkness. For the most part it entices with an arcane and enigmatic imagery invoked by their swirling, whirling and complex melodies. Like drunken midnight mayhem in a city filled with angels… Gnide en End!

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