Belgian dream-pop duo Portland’s second full-length record is an ode to human connection, meandering between warmth and pain. Lead-singer Jente talked to NBHAP author Lilly about the intense process he and his duo-partner Sarah Pepels went through in order to create the album, how this process challenged their relationship and eventually the entire future of their band.
The Iranian singer Faravaz will release her debut, "Azadi" (meaning "Freedom" in Farsi), on May 11th. The record recounts the story of her life in exile in Germany because the Iranian government sentenced her to one year in prison for the act of singing as a woman. Choosing to not return to her homeland, Faravaz fights for women’s rights from abroad. Her music is driven by the yearning and fight for liberation from patriarchal oppression.