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PORIJ are serving up their very own, innovative take on dance with debut album ‘Teething’.
Words: Ciaran Picker.
Photos: Jesse Glazzard.
When Porij released their breakout single ‘Nobody Scared’ in 2021, it appeared as if the world was their oyster. They snagged not only a support slot for electronic superstars Metronomy but also for indie-pop heavyweights Coldplay, setting them on a course set for the stars. It seemed as if Porij were not only destined for the big time but that it was imminent.
Beneath the surface, though, the band were at a crisis point, with two members leaving in early 2022, replaced with quite literally hours to spare before huge moments in Porij’s career; drummer Nathan Carroll entered the fold at the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival, while guitarist Jacob Maguire’s first day included a live session and a gig. Luckily, though, this haphazard way of working not only suited the band, but actually made them shine even brighter than before.
The line-up, completed by vocalist Scout ‘Egg’ Moore and bassist/keyboardist James Middleton, are totally fearless, always looking to subvert natural pathways and push their genre forward. Their debut album ‘Teething’ is a case in point, with the album art – a massive tooth against a white background – being pretty much the only straight-up thing about the record.
Somehow, Porij have not only fused together house, garage, and techno but even managed to place them alongside moments of shoegaze guitar, classical piano, post-punk reverb, and Tarantino basslines. The record has the potential to make you dance, cry, and headbang, evidence that Porij refuse to be boring and that they have poured their whole selves into the record.
To prove this point, their recent single ‘Unpredictable’ is all about a period where vocalist Egg felt that they were constantly in flux. More than that, though, the song is a totally different incarnation than the original concept, emphasising Porij’s obsession with warping boundaries.
“It was originally quite dark house music, but I think it was just too on the nose,” Egg levels. Nathan agrees, “We tried a whole load of small changes, like different high-hat patterns or whatever, until we just lost all perspective and had to say, ‘Right, let’s do something totally different’.” The result was, in Egg’s words, “wonky garage”, creating a bouncy, upbeat dance anthem reminiscent of ‘After Laughter’-era Paramore: gut-wrenching lyrics complemented by a shiny, summery soundscape.
Clearly, Porij haven’t just gone into a studio and produced an album for the sake of it; they’ve lovingly crafted and curated a body of work that is authentically human. It’s real life in all its humdrum glory, taking apart the most traumatic of times stitch by stitch and rebuilding to beats and tricks that amplify and reinvigorate the subject matter, making for one of the most impressive debut albums you’re ever likely to hear.
Sadly, though, part of being alive is struggling through, just about managing to keep your head above water. When Egg looks back at the start of the album cycle, Porij were stuck in this exact pattern. “We started writing it in 2022. We’d played something like 27 festivals and done a headline tour, but we still had no money and were basically just sending ideas to each other via Soundcloud links, travelling up to James’ house, and hoping something would come of it.”
With this context in mind, whilst trademark Porij ethereality is slathered across the LP, this project is physically more present, more rooted in the grit and grind. Egg’s stark vulnerability and penetrating lyricism give long-term fans the same quality that made them fall in love with the quartet, now with added tooth and claw.
Porij are firmly biting back, and what better way to do it than with an album chock full of passion, personality, and panache. The band’s hard work is front and centre in the masterpiece that they’ve painstakingly created, with their experimental yet perfectionist manner pushing them to the brink.
“I have such a clear vision of you sat in your pants just screaming through frustration”
Scout ‘Egg’ Moore
“Most of the drums on the album are live; by the time it came to the later tracks, I was just delirious,” Nathan smirks. “It was the height of summer, and I was stuck in this room with my brain melting.”
Egg laughs, “I have such a clear vision of you sat in your pants just screaming through frustration.” Meanwhile, Egg found themselves in their own world. “I was basically nocturnal for two weeks and so spaced because, when I’m writing, I just can’t get out of that zone; I’m fully immersed in it.”
The band wouldn’t have it any other way, though, especially given they got to work with award-winning super-producer David Wrench, whose incredibly impressive portfolio includes FKA Twigs, Frank Ocean, Young Fathers, and Bat For Lashes. At no point, though, did the band lose creative control, given nine months to flesh out ideas and add the nuance necessary to make their mark.
“The time frame allowed us to better understand what we were trying to achieve,” James states. “We’re addicted to learning, and we’re always trying to pick up new tricks from YouTube videos or whatever, so getting to live with the album meant we could fiddle with it if something needed to go.” Egg nods, “100%; we just let the album breathe, and it meant we could indulge in exploring all avenues, like kitchen percussion, for example.”
Don’t worry, kitchen percussion isn’t a thing you should necessarily know about, although its integration on the record – most obviously in deliciously devious ‘Gutter Punch’ – does make it feel like it’s always been around. Egg explains that “basically there was a tiny kitchen next to the studio, so we went in and recorded while I threw spoons around the room or ran a serrated knife over a metal chain; apparently, I’m naturally gifted at kitchen percussion!”
This excursion into the thin line between madness and genius is what makes the album so special and underlines why they were given such free rein over the process. “We’ve learnt a bit about the music industry, so we know how lucky we were to be given the time to make something like this,” Nathan admits. “We just felt really respected because no one really meddled or got too involved.”
“There was a tiny kitchen next to the studio, so we went in and recorded while I threw spoons around the room”
Scout ‘Egg’ Moore
Writing a debut album is never an easy process and never goes exactly the way a band expects, but if there were ever a band capable of handling said rollercoaster ride, it’s Porij. “It’s amazing to be able to write and not make everything a single,” Egg beams. “It meant we can go from being super serious to wonderfully silly, and it suited the record’s subject matter, really.”
‘Teething’ is essentially an exorcism of all the things that make us miserable, handled with the delicate touch of Egg’s poetic nature. The exploration of body dysmorphia and gender identity in ‘Stranger’, taken from a diary entry that was taped together into stanzas, is placed alongside tales of yearning in ‘Endlessly Waiting’, painting a realistic picture of what it’s like to grow up in what can be a very dark global picture.
There is still immense levity in the material, though, nowhere more clearly than opening track ‘Marmite’, which beckons in Porij’s new era, sinking its fangs in from the get-go. As always, though, it’s not as simple as you’d think, with the song’s visceral anger radiating from a story that, at its core, is as funny as it is confusing.
“I was on a bus in South London,” bassist James reluctantly recalls, “and I was sat next to this beautiful stranger, one that you fall in love with for half an hour.” So far, so classic. “What was weird is that she smelled of Marmite.” And thus, an epic love story was halted before it could even begin. But this simple idea, borne of an experience that is all too familiar to much of today’s urban youth, provides exactly what Porij are all about illuminating imperfection.
It’s for this reason that, in a genre dominated by almost robotic rhythm and seemingly never-ending 90s samples, the band are able to shine through. “We have so many takes of each song, and they’re different every time,” Nathan explains. “It’s just that human element; it’s the imperfection that you crave from dance music.” Of course, this makes complete sense, given the whole point of club culture is the feeling of freedom.
After having spent the best part of a year holed up creating the record, the band were able to take this imperfection of a test drive at an intimate, grass-roots venue tour in January. “It was super stressful,” Egg admits. “It took a lot of concentration to actually be able to play the songs, but also, you’re looking into the crowd trying to see what they think.”
It was undoubtedly a valuable experience for the band and bleeds into what comes next: a characteristically hectic touring schedule, starting with the band’s first-ever American shows, where the quartet are hoping to make a splash. “We just crave seeing a room pop off. Honestly, we’re super jazzed!” After a New York headliner and a trip down to the hallowed grounds of SXSW, Porij make their way to Idaho, where James is “mad excited for the potato content”. Honestly, who’d expect anything less?
A UK tour beckons in April, including the band’s biggest-ever headline show at Camden’s iconic Electric Ballroom, as well as shows in Leeds, Bristol, and Glasgow. What can we expect from said performances? “I’m picturing Nathan in CMAT’s backless Brits dress,” Egg teases. Nathan doesn’t explicitly disagree, so watch this space…
In all seriousness, though, this is an album that is begging to be played live, and the gang are chomping to be back out there. “Dance music and club culture are just so infectious,” Jacob says. “It’s a really addictive experience, and I guess I hope people find somewhere to escape.” Nathan adds, “I feel like we know what we’re doing with it all a bit more now, so I just want it to hit people in whatever way it hits them and just help them feel a bit freer.”
Porij represent dance music at its best. In fact, let’s go one further – they represent music at its best. James’ hopes for the album are simply, “I hope people listen back in several years’ time, and they always find something different. I just hope it still sounds good.” Dance music remains Britain’s biggest-selling genre, and with bands like Porij on the scene, it’s easy to see why. Constantly chopping and changing, they are never afraid to push themselves in their pursuit of art.
This is a band totally in love with what they do. A big ball of fuzzy energy, soaking up all their experience and throwing it into their music. It may have taken a little longer than maybe we first expected, but there’s no doubt that success is on the horizon for this lot. And frankly, it couldn’t happen to better people. ■
Taken from the May 2024 issue of Dork. Porij’s debut album ‘Teething’ is out 26th April.
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