Vena Portae are an Anglo-Swedish alt-folk band, comprised of award-winning singer/songwriter Emily Barker, songwriter and performer Dom Coyote, and Swedish producer and multi-instrumentalist Ruben Engzell.

In the winter of 2012, the trio found themselves in the tiny, snowed-in Swedish town of Mölnbo just outside Stockholm. They built a make shift studio, full to the rafters with analogue equipment, spring reverbs, electric guitars, banjos, pianos and an array of weird and wonderful instruments. Twelve bitterly cold days later they had completed the recording of thirteen songs, and the album was finished off in a handful of sessions over the following year.

Vena Portae’s eponymous debut album draws the listener into an epic journey of love, loss, memory and longing. From the heady alt-pop highs of ‘Flames & Fury’ and ‘Summer Kills’, to the dark, hypnotic depths of ‘Turning Key’ and ‘Transatlantic’.

“a thoughtful, melodic style that eases between Americana and pop-edged alt-folk” Guardian 4/5

“Alluring songs” Mojo 4/5

“You can safely assume Anglo-Swedish alt-folk is a fairly small sub-genre on the musical tree, but however large it was, this trio would be at the top” Daily Express 4.5/5

“gorgeous… haunting… impressive… a relaxing and atmospheric album” Maverick 4.5/5

“An elegant achievement” Uncut