porij - “My Only Love”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 6

Pairs Well With…Magdalena Bay, Caroline Polachek, FKA twigs

Part electronic dance pop, part dreamy R&B, Manchester’s porij creates vibey music that also has a point. Flowing melodies and echoes of a trance-house beats often form the foundation of their songwriting, trip-hop instinctually but with extra warmth and groove. Their vocals are understated but still full-pop - it’s striking how banging porij could sound, but instead smartly pare things back just enough to not over-burn. Compared to their understated-pop peers, porij put more emphasis on the classic dancefloor elements of their music than indie pop tendencies. Rhythms and hooks drive their songs like 90s EDM guideposts, giving porij’s music a unique sense of nostalgia while still being a future-facing band. (Kevin McStravick)