Norton is an indie rock band formed in Castelo Branco, Portugal, in 2002. They have released four albums and toured all over Europe and Japan.
History
2003 : Make Me Sound E.P.
In April 2003 the EP Make Me Sound is released and it's considered one of the records of the year by the local music press, in Portugal. Blue Song is part of the compilation "007" released by the Portuguese label Bor Land and the song Summer Beat is part of Rock Sound Magazine – Portuguese Edition – CD Sample.
2004–06 : Pictures From Our Thoughts
In May 2004 they release their debut album Pictures From Our Thoughts. The first single, Swirling Sound, is part of the compilation Super Castelo Branco, Summer Beat is part of Losing Today Magazine – Italy – CD Sample and Chocolate enters in the O.S.T. of the snowskate movie Adieu - Norway, and also of the compilation Can Take You Anywhere You Want. The record had Rita Redshoes and Ricardo Coelho as special guests. In 2005 they invite some Portuguese artists to remix the songs of the debut album. Frames > Remixes & Versions has remixes by Nuno Gonçalves, Loto, Rui Maia, Kubik and many more. The record has also four acoustic songs, recorded for the radio show3 Pistas from Antena 3 – Radio Station. Between those songs you can find a version of The Velvet Underground's song Sunday Morning. In October of that year they present, exclusively, the show Norton Plays Indie Rock on Film. Produced especially for Imago Film Festival, the band versioned songs that are part of various movies.
2007–10 : Kersche
In March 2007 Norton release their second album, Kersche, which took them to a big tour around Spain. The year after the record is released in Japan and features exclusive remixes by Roger O'Donnell, Jaguar and Leander. In the same year artists from all around the globe remixed the songs of the record in Kersche Remixed.FM Belfast, Muxuu, Corwood Manual, Cars & Trains are some of the guests. In February 2009 they release a version of Technotronic'shit singlePump Up the Jam. In December of the same year they make their first European tour, where they visited Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and France. In 2010 they release Make It Last, an exclusive song made especially for the Portuguese movie "Um Funeral à Chuva", directed by Telmo Martins.
In March 2011 their third record is out. Layers of Love United includes the hit single Two Points, the song with most airplay in Antena 3 Radio Station during that year. The Japanese version of the album is released in June and has three acoustic bonus tracks. One of them is Paris, by the British band Friendly Fires. In 2012 Layers of Love United has its edition in Vinyl. Limited edition, numbered and in white vinyl, which also has the Paris version as a bonus track. In the same year Norton releases the song "Charlie", as an advance single for the compilation Teenagers From Outer Space Comeback – a tribute to Bee Keeper, and the E.P. Live Acoustic, which has six songs from Layers of Love United played live acoustic, in a showcase, in Lisbon, Portugal.
2014–2017 : Norton (album)
In March 2014 Norton is released in CD and in red vinyl, simultaneously with a Japanese edition. The presentation single of the record is Magnets, which was one of the most played songs in Portuguese radio stations that year. Brava and Drifting Ballet were the other singles of the album. In the beginning of 2015 they made a version of Lady, by the French duo Modjo. The version was an invitation by Antena 3 Radio Station to help celebrate their 20th anniversary. In December of the same year they made their first Japanese tour, where they were headliners in Spin. Discovery Festival, in Tokyo. In December 2017 the band closed the 2014 album tour with a concert at Centro Cultural de Belém in Lisbon, Portugal Since 2016 the band is working on their fifth record.
On October 4th 2019, the band released their comeback single "Changes". The video for the song features the russian longboarder Valeriya Gogunskaya. On January 22nd, 2020, the band announced that the new album will be called Heavy Light. On the same day they released 'Passengers', the second single from the record. The song was presented with a video with footage from their Japanese tour. On March 11, 2020, '1997' the third single from the album was released. Some days after, the band announced the album release date will be postponed due to the global contingency plan the world is living. On June 15, the band announced that 'Heavy Light' will be released on July 3, 2020.
