Set for release on an appropriate 14 February, duo Port Of Est. from Portland, Maine present their debut single ‘Valentine In My Headphones’.
Self-recorded and out on their own Delphinium Music label, ‘Valentine In My Headphones’ was mixed at The Halo by Jonathan Wyman (who’s worked with the likes of Tony Visconti) and mastered by Grammy Award, 3x Latin Grammy Award, and TEC Award winning mastering engineer Adam Ayan, of Gateway Mastering.
Formed in 2013, and taking their inspiration from the likes of Bjork, Massive Attack, Lana Del Rey and Sigur Rós, Port of Est. comprises vocalist Hannah Tarkinson and multi-instrumentalist and producer, Todd Kitchens. ‘Valentine In My Headphones’ is a shoegaze dance number that reflects the influence of many different genres; as well as the aforementioned shoegaze, the listener can hear EDM, pop, and hip hop, which when fused together essentially transcend all genres. Added to this Tarkinson’s pure and rich vocals, which remind us of artists like Suzanne Vega and Katie Melua, with perhaps a touch of Sinead O’Connor. Combined with Kitchens’ electro beats, ‘Valentine In My Headphones’ is an extremely listenable song, and is accompanied by a beautiful video put together by Nancy Andrews and her College Of The Atlantic video/animation students.
When asked about the collaboration, Kitchens said,
“It took us about a year to figure out how to work together in a way that respected each other’s tastes, and most importantly respected the music and where it wanted to go.”
“Our music is electronic at its core, but our process imparts an unmistakable analog vibe,”
“This allows us to maintain a hands-on creative approach that provides room for spontaneity and fresh ideas.”
The duo added about the song,
“We want people to feel like they stumbled upon a sonic landscape that is both subtle and blindingly intense.”
‘Valentine In My Headphones’ is a taster of what is yet to come – Port Of Est. have a full length release in the works. It’s available to preorder now on iTunes. Find Port Of Est. online on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and their website. Be sure to also check out Hannah’s website Ponomo, where she sells her one of a kind jewellery, belts, and leather accessories.
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