New Zealand alt-pop duo Balu Brigada have released their debut album, Portal.
Brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley describe the collection as emotionally expansive and sonically adventurous. The album features the singles “So Cold”, “Backseat”, and “What Do We Ever Really Know?”.
Created over three years across New York, Berlin, and their hometown Auckland, Portal reflects the distinct energy of each city. Sessions in New York added grittier, heavier textures, while time in Auckland brought a reflective, serene quality. The result is a blend of indie rock energy and alternative pop production.
On social media, they said: “This album is entirely written & produced by the two of us and is a reflection of our commitment to experimentation in the studio. Finishing this album on the road has been a beautiful slog, and we’re proud of every rough edge and obssesive detail. We’re also properly ecstatic to get to play it to you live. North America, you’re up first. See you in October.”
“So Cold” has been a front runner, with over 55 million global streams, a #1 spot on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, and a late-night TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The song also appears on EA Sports’ FC 25 soundtrack and earned the duo Billboard’s Chartbreaker recognition for April 2025.
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Balu Brigada have described their career so far as “a series of step-by-step moments that have led us closer to our dream of writing and playing music across the world.”
To support the release, Balu Brigada will embark on the ‘Portal Tour’, their largest North American headline tour to date. The tour begins October 3rd in Mexico City with a sold-out show and includes stops at Webster Hall in New York, The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.
Balu Brigada’s Portal is out now via Atlantic Records, ARRO Records, and Warner Australia.
