Portland-based Bory blends power-pop with jangle-pop in their latest single, “By The Lake.” The song arrives ahead of their sophomore album set for release this spring. The project is the brainchild of Brenden Ramirez, who released his debut LP Who’s A Good Boy in 2023 via Alabama-based label Earth Libraries. As a former jazz student who also briefly taught at a conservatory in Nepal, Ramirez brings an impressive level of musicality and intention to the pop songs he writes as Bory.
“By The Lake” immediately transports the listener outdoors, painting a vivid lakeside setting complete with birds and trees. The lyrics trace the inner monologue of someone hesitant to take a leap, cataloging every reason to hold back. Ramirez shared that he wrote the track during a tumultuous period, when escaping into nature became a grounding force and a way to quiet his thoughts – and not to mention, a good ol’ procrastination technique. The single hints at an artist growing more confident in both craft and vulnerability, an evolution we can expect on their forthcoming album. The album will be released on brand-new label Bleak Enterprise, founded by Tom McGreevy of Ducks Ltd.
I was going through a pretty rough time when I wrote this song. I was dealing with something that felt humungous, ever-present and looming. But I took a weekend trip out of town and into nature and it was the best I had felt in a long time. This song represents an aggressive, almost manic, procrastination of all the conflict I was dealing with back home.
-Brandon Ramirez of Bory on “By The Lake”
“By The Lake” is released ahead of Bory’s upcoming album, Never Turns To Night, out March 6th, 2026 via Bleak Enterprise. Preorder available here.
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