It was inspired by a passage in Oliver Sachs' book "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat".

Portal play live occasionally in the UK and Europe.

The internet provides better access for a range of people to a broad range of music, crosses international boundaries more effectively than "traditional" media and promotes independent working amongst musicians.

No - independence is the way forward.

Portal began in 1996 as the name given to the 4-track home recordings of multi-instrumentalist Scott Sinfield.

In 1998, the debut Portal single "Hydro-electric" was released alongside a track by Fridge (Four Tet/Adem) on an Earworm Records 7" single. "Hydro-electric" gained airplay on BBC Radio 1s John Peel programme and considerable press acclaim including Single of the Month in Record Collector magazine. Scott followed this with another single "July"/"Lost" in 1999, which again received airplay from John Peel (who described it as "a strange but rather wonderful record") and favourable press across printed and Internet media.

Portals debut album "Reprise" was released on UK indie Roisin Recordings in 2000 and marked the appearance of vocalist Rachel Hughes on half of the album's tracks. The review from Amazon was typical of the many reviews that followed: "You can't help but wonder at the loveliness of this LP. It's the sort of record that reminds you of sitting in on a hot summer night with the cool air tumbling in through an open window. The guitars swirl around like the whole thing is one big reverberation, and Rachel Hughes' vocals only add to the warmth of the occasion. It is a record filled with distant guitars - drums and vocals are few and far between, but when they are present, they lift each song to a height that can only be described by pilots. A record full of hidden delights - Wonderful! (5/5). Further BBC Radio 1 airplay followed and the band were invited to record a session for John Peel in 2000.

Over the next few years, Portal continued with releases for a variety of UK, European and American labels including an album of remixes that saw Portal tracks reworked by the likes of V/Vm, July Skies and yellow6, and the mini-album "Tristesse". Previous acclaim was matched by enthusiastic reviews in the NME, Record Collector and the Guardian.

In 2002, Portal started the independent and co-operative label Make Mine Music with a group of like-minded friends and artists. Following two more split releases, Portal unveiled their second full-length album in 2003. "Promise" received unanimously positive reviews: "Portal are just as adept at writing proper songs which boast crossover potential as they are at composing instrumentals... More importantly, Portal manage to excel in all of the styles they take on" (Leonards Lair). "Beautiful - and I mean beautiful - stuff from this excellent, underrated band. Delicate, intricate, highly-musical, melancholic, atmospheric and very, very relaxed, this beats most of the competition hands down" (Smallfish).

2004 saw Scott composing music for an art installation in his birth town of Stafford, whilst writing and recording began for Portal's third album, "Waves & Echoes".

"Waves & Echoes" was released in July 2005 and unveiled a minimal and precise sound with a greater emphasis on sampling and digital editing.



Discography

Hydro-electric 7" (Earworm) with Fridge

July/Lost 7" (Roisin)

Reprise CD album (Roisin)

Falling 7" (Roisin)

Remixes CD album (Roisin)

Pulse 7" (Rocket Racer) various artists box set

Tristesse CD mini-album (Alice-in-Wonder)

Series 1 7" (Awkward Silence) with yellow6

Naming Stars 7" (Awkward Silence) with yellow6

Closer/Red Over Blue 7" (Earworm) with V/Vm

Split CD mini-album (Make Mine Music) with yellow6

EP CD single (Make Mine Music) with Schengen

Promise CD album (Make Mine Music)

Music for Broadcast CD album (Make Mine Music)

Quartet CD single (Tricycle Evolutif)

Waves & Echoes CD album (Make Mine Music)



Portal tracks have also appeared on compilation albums on Earworm, Enraptured, Mind the Gap, Alice-in-Wonder, Mass Transfer, Make Mine Music and Misplaced Music.

My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Sonic Youth, Aphex Twin, Nick Drake, Kraftwerk, Arvo Part, Durutti Column, Brian Eno, Erik Satie, Plastikman, Low, The Cure, Cabaret Voltaire.

Southern Ireland or the English Lake District

Guitars, bass, Boss SP-303 and Casio FZ-1 samplers, Boss DR-202 drum machine/sequencer, laptop, effects.

More information, news, discography and further mp3 downloads can be found at the band's official website at http://www.portal-music.com

Further information about the band's label Make Mine Music can be found at http://www.makeminemusic.co.uk