Chris Portka Takes Us On A Sonic Journey On His Latest Album, “trash music”
By: Chris Buxton IG: @chrisbuxtonllg
With over two decades of experience, emerging singer-songwriter & multi-instrumentalist, Chris Portka, has been captivating listeners with his innate ability to craft songs that push the boundaries of our current musical landscape. As a writer, I’m always searching for artists that are daring and cultivating a sound that embodies their personal values and views. With that being said, I now present to you the talented Mr. Chris Portka.
Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, Portka’s music reflects the beautiful jagged aesthetic of the East Bay, fusing eclectic elements to create something homely and real. He makes music that is expressive, exploring themes of angst, boredom, dread, responsibility, and triumph. Drawing initial influence from 90s grunge as a kid, his sound expanded as he began to push himself vocally and as a musician. After refining his voice and sound, he enters our pages with his highly anticipated new album, “trash music”.
“trash music” is an innovative and daring project that explores the mind of one of the most polarizing up & coming artists at the moment. Portka welcomes listeners into his own world, and he takes us on a sonic journey that is unforgettable. This is what he had to say about the album:
“I call this trash music. Screaming to be heard, oblivious of myself and having a rough go at feeling loved, mistaking beauty for wholeness, and touching the sparkling bit of debris within detritus of curled ash. I love music. It's one of the few places I can feel any sense of control in life. The times we live and the collective shit we've experienced goes deep and, for the most part, we have very little say about what happens in this life. I accept the good with the bad as I hope to accept myself - the beauty within the trash.”
The twelve-song album is full of noisy noise, swirling swirls, and speaker-shredding sound that is likely unlike anything you’ve ever heard. In today’s musical landscape, most artists are releasing glorified playlists that they deem as an “album”. However, Chris proves that artists still find a joy in creating cohesive projects that share their raw and genuine perspectives. For me, the project was a great introduction to him as a person and an artist, and the music was exceptional. Some of the songs that stood out to me were “Wildlife”, “Dream Factory”, & “Your Music Is Trash”.
“Wildlife” was the song that initially impressed me, and it was one of the lead releases that he dropped before the album. The record mixes tribal rhythms with honks of guitar, blasts of static, and atonal whirrs of noise. For me, the song feels like a fever dream. It’s chaotic, unhinged, and I would consider it a beautiful mess that will make you fall in love with music. This is one of my favorite release on the album and this single is for the ragers!
“Dream Factory” is carried by blown-out distortion, a slacker rock vocal presence, and a six-minute runtime. I loved the sonic textures and I found this to be an integral record that continued the pacing of the album. “Your Music Is Trash” skillfully bridges the gap between Dino Jr. and trash pretty effectively, combining big Marshall stack guitar tones with strange vocal textures and peaking noise twinkles interspersed throughout. Overall, I would consider this a must-hear album. This is not an album you use as background noise. It is an album that you need to experience. With that being said, stream the album below and be on the lookout for more new music from the burgeoning star!
