Balu Brigada have been chasing the dream of their debut album for a whole decade. When it finally landed, the band's success exploded.

With the duo's fusion of fast-paced indie rock, cinematic pop and pulsating synth beats, they have, with their debut album, Portal (2025), cemented themselves as the New Zealand band everyone is watching.

Which their large number of hits on various streaming services is also clear proof of.

The album was launched with the first single “Backseat” – a six-minute, disco-filled rock anthem that shows that Balu Brigadas dares to bend and further develop genres.

Their buzzing indie sound, heavy with guitar picking and groovy, dreamy rhythms, brings to mind artists like Royel Otis, Wet Leg and almost monday – a sound that is particularly prominent on the track “So Cold” (2024).

“So Cold” paved the way for the band’s big breakthrough. Not only has the song racked up over 34 million streams, but it also earned the group their first number one on the alternative chart at US radio. “So Cold” also earned a coveted spot on the official FIFA 25 soundtrack.