Introducing a thrilling new voice in the alt-rock scene, PØRTERS are a five-piece from Newcastle upon Tyne who are turning heads with their debut EP, Motion Without Direction. Fusing razor-sharp riffs with rich four-part harmonies, the band strikes a bold balance between raw emotion and polished musicianship. Led by powerhouse vocalist Maria Winter and backed by an ensemble of seasoned musicians from the North East’s vibrant music scene, PØRTERS deliver a genre-defying sound that is as introspective as it is explosive. With themes of identity, contradiction, and emotional tension running through each track, this EP marks a confident first step from a band already carving out their own path. As they gear up for a summer of festival appearances, including a mainstage slot at Lindisfarne Festival this August, there’s no better time to get to know PØRTERS. We caught up with the band to talk songwriting, creative chemistry and what’s next on the horizon.
Welcome to Unrecorded! For those who aren’t already familiar with PØRTERS, can you introduce yourself?
Hey! We’re PØRTERS – a new female-fronted alt-rock outfit from Newcastle upon Tyne. Thanks for taking the time to interview us.
You’ve just released your debut EP, Motion Without Direction, in which each track explores different facets of identity and emotion. How does it feel to put your first EP out there?
It feels great! This debut EP has given us the chance to explore the signature ‘PØRTERS’ sound and develop it as we go. It has been an exercise in collaboration and great to see all of us come together in the studio and show off what we can do. There are nerves, of course, but mostly it’s just good to have it out in the world and not just in our heads.
The EP is really defined by a sense of push-and-pull, between impulse and introspection, aggression and harmony. What are you trying to convey with this use of contrast?
That contrast is pretty natural to us – it reflects how things actually feel day to day, where you’re pulled between reacting and reflecting. We weren’t trying to force a message, but if anything, it’s about sitting with those contradictions instead of trying to fix them.
How has your individual music background influenced the project?
What’s great is that each band member has previously been involved with other musical projects, so we all have our influences that add different flavours to each track – it’s been great to see those come together and create a brand-new sound. We’ve also taken inspiration from bands who’ve stuck to their sound and built something lasting without chasing trends.
Can you take us through how a typical songwriting session goes for you?
We usually start by jamming and playing around until something sticks – that could either be a lyrical hook or a chunky riff, but we never really go in with a specific idea in mind. The great thing is that everyone in the band is a songwriter, so the ideas flow pretty easily. Once we’ve got that initial ‘thought’ we like, we always play around with boundaries and how far we can push a certain concept before we have to rein it back in! It’s always a fun process for us.
What was the biggest challenge in getting Motion Without Direction from demo to final mix?
The hardest part was knowing when to stop tweaking/adding – it’s easy to get stuck chasing a ‘perfect’ version that doesn’t really exist. Letting the songs be what they are instead of overworking them was a learning curve for us.
Was there a track that surprised you in how it evolved during production?
Yeah, ‘The Devil I Know’ changed the most – it started off pretty stripped back, but as we played around with it, it grew into something way bigger and more layered than we expected. It kind of found its own shape as we went.
You blend elements from several genres, so who are your biggest influences and how do you translate that into your own sound?
We’ve always pulled from a mix – alt-rock, blues-rock, and heavy sounds – bands like Biffy Clyro, Fall Out Boy, and Steely Dan have definitely shaped how we think about sound and space. It’s more about taking what resonates and letting it filter through our own perspective.
If someone could only listen to one track to understand what PØRTERS is all about, which one would you pick and why?
I’d go with the opening track from our EP, ‘Where are we going?’ – it captures the balance between mood and intensity from the harmonies that feels core to what we do. It’s got the emotional weight and the sonic texture from the instrumentation that represent the band pretty well.
What’s next on the horizon for PØRTERS?
We’re playing the mainstage at Lindisfarne Festival in August, which is cool because it’s probably our favourite festival in the North East. Other than gigging as much as we can, writing more music to share with the world!
You can also listen to album track ‘The Devil I Know’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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