Recorded in London with producer Oliver Bayston (Boxed In), the lead single is an emphatic starting point. Confident and mature, it hones Jente Pironet’s and Sarah Pepels’ pop instincts with precision, while retaining the evocative nature of their songwriting. It dips into the pure essence of Portland; crafted at night, Jente sent across the demo after midnight, Sarah quickly downloading it and adding her parts. “On the surface, it sounds melancholic, but if you listen to the lyrics, they’re quite hopeful. It’s the ideal combination of a modern song,” she insists. “It’s about not giving up.”
‘Sensational’ thrives on that dichotomy of light and shade, with sorrow and beauty intermingling before that emphatic conclusion. “It needs to feel real,” explains Jente. “You have to feel everything within the song. We want people to relate to those emotions.”
The pair also shot the remarkable video for ‘Sensational’ in the UK. “The video definitely captures the lighter side of us,” Jente clarifies, “Snippets of lyrics from the song are taken literally and magnified in the image, creating a kind of implausible third dimension which results in pure chaos. The video was shot near Stoke-on-Trent in the North of England and contains some playful nods to classic British cinema.” Enjoy the tune!
Song of the Day: Portland – Sensational
This Is Pop? 