In the second part of our fortnight-long Portland Special, we speak to lovelorn electro-pop singer Khaela Maricich aka The Blow.

Dazed Digital: How and why did you end up in Portland?

Khaela Maricich: I moved to Portland in 2004, in a kind of sudden tidal wave of motivations. I had lived in Olympia, Washington for eleven years, and had plans to move to New York. But I started making music with Jona Bechtolt in early 2004, and then I got commissioned by The Portland Institute of Contemporary Art to make a performance for their annual festival. Then I fell in love with a girl who had grown up in Portland, and had plans to move back, and it was kind of the final straw. Why move to New York and struggle when I could go to Portland and be instantly hooked up, and in love to boot?

DD: What's the best thing about Portland?

KM: Almost every street is covered in huge trees, outside of downtown. It's a cosy place to be. It's a good place to ride your bike around with friends, and relax.

DD: What's the worst thing about Portland?

KM: It can be a little bit insular. Sometimes, it can be easy to lose perspective on the rest of the world when you are there.

DD: What was your most memorable Portland gig?

KM: At my favorite club Holocene, in fall of 2004. It was soon after Jona and I had started playing together, and soon after I had moved to Portland, and everything just felt wild and fun in a whole new way. We were dancing in the middle of the crowd, and I was wearing a shirt with a pattern of the Japanese Kamakaze flag. A guy took good pictures of the show, too, maybe that helps my memories.

DD: What's your favourite Portland spot?

The white carpet in my girlfriend's living room.

KM: What are the best Portland bands that we haven't heard of?

Swan Island: Four tough lesbians with guitars and drums (sometimes including legendary Radio Sloan of The Need, also of Peaches' band and Hole), and then a lead singer who is totally gorgeous and completely defiant of sexual definitions; the combination is brilliant - the lesbians rock so hard that dudes want to love the band, and then the beautiful space traveller singer makes them feel like they are allowed to. Valet: Solo female (Honey Owens) psychic trip out jams. Like listening to a pop record from down a long hallway.

Paper Television is out now on K Recs. Click here for E*Rock and DJ Olympixxx MP3 Portland mix, featuring The Blow. Holocene photos by Chloe Richard.