Smerz

Last updated
Smerz
Origin Oslo, Norway
Genres Electronic
Years active2016-present
Labels XL Recordings, Escho, Shopping
MembersCatharina Stoltenberg
Henriette Motzfeldt
Website https://smerz.no

Smerz is a Norwegian electronic music duo based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Oslo, Norway. The two members, Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt, met at high school in Oslo and moved to Copenhagen in 2011. [1]

Smerz released their first single "Because" on Soundcloud in 2016. Later the same year, they released the EP Okey on Escho in Denmark and HardUp in the UK. The following year, in 2017, Smerz signed to XL Recordings and re-released the EP Okey. In 2018, Smerz released the EP Have fun on XL Recordings. Their debut album Believer was released in 2021, also on XL Recordings. Later the same year, the duo released the mixtape Før og etter on their own label Shopping on Bandcamp.

Smerz have been hosting a monthly radio show on NTS Radio since 2017. [2]

Smerz have played concerts at Tate Modern in London, MoMA PS1 in New York, Mutek in Mexico City and Montreal, Berghain in Berlin, Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, Roskilde Festval in Denmark, and Volksbühne in Berlin. [3]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleYearRecord label
Believer2021 XL Recordings

EPs

TitleYearRecord label
Okey2016 Escho, HardUp
Okey2017 XL Recordings
Have fun2018 XL Recordings
Allina2024Shopping Records

Mixtapes

TitleYearRecord label
Før og etter2021 Shopping

Singles

TitleYearLabelAlbum
"Because"2016Self-released
"Because"2016 Escho, HardUpOkey
"Blessed"
"Sure"
"Oh my my"2017 XL Recordings Have fun
"No harm"
"Half life"
"Have fun"
"Før og etter"2020 Escho Escho 15 år: Burgers for my new life
"The favourite" / "Rap interlude"2020 XL Recordings Believer
"I dont talk about that much" / "Hva hvis"
"Believer"2021
"Flashing"
"Remember"
"My Producer2024Shopping RecordsAllina

Comissioned work

TitleYearArtist(s)Type
Øy2020 Carte Blanche Music for dance performance
Miss france2021 ALL-IN Studio Soundtrack for runway show
Debutante2022 ALL-IN Studio Soundtrack for runway show

Sampled on

TitleSample ofYearArtist(s)Album
"Stop Playin""Flashing"2022 Lil Baby and Jeremih It's Only Me
"Good Lies2"No Harm"2023 Overmono Good Lies
"If U Ever""I don't talk about that much"2021 Overmono If U Ever

As featured artist(s)

TitleYearArtist(s)Album
"Gues What"2017Code WalkGuess What
"Verdens smarteste person"2022 Cezinando Samtidig

Remixes

TitleYearArtist(s)
"Friendly (Smerz Remix)"2021 Erika de Casier

Songwriting and production credits

TitleYearArtist(s)Album
"Verdens smarteste person"2022 Cezinando Samtidig
"ASAP"2023 NewJeans Get Up EP

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autechre</span> English electronic music duo

Autechre is an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are among the best known acts signed to UK electronic label Warp Records, through which all of Autechre's full-length albums have been released beginning with their 1993 debut Incunabula. They gained initial recognition when they were featured on Warp's 1992 compilation Artificial Intelligence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boards of Canada</span> Scottish electronic music duo

Boards of Canada are a Scottish electronic music duo consisting of the brothers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin, formed initially as a group in 1986 before becoming a duo in the 1990s. Signing first to Skam followed by Warp Records in the 1990s, the duo received recognition following the release of their debut album Music Has the Right to Children on Warp in 1998. They followed with the critically acclaimed albums Geogaddi (2002), The Campfire Headphase (2005) and Tomorrow's Harvest (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Tet</span> English musician and DJ (born 1977)

Kieran Hebden, known as Four Tet, is an English electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the post-rock band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist with charting and critically acclaimed albums such as Rounds (2003), Everything Ecstatic (2005) and There Is Love in You (2010). In addition to his eleven studio albums as Four Tet, Hebden's work includes a number of improvisational works with jazz drummer Steve Reid and collaborations with Burial and Thom Yorke.

Gordon Raphael is an American record producer and musician from Seattle, Washington and New York, currently living in Hebden Bridge (UK), after a few years in Berlin. Raphael is most widely known for his work with The Strokes, whom he met while attending an early show at Luna Lounge on Ludlow Street, New York City. He produced their debut EP The Modern Age as well as their first two albums Is This It and Room on Fire. The EP and first album were recorded entirely in his basement studio Transporterraum NYC. He has also produced many songs with Sarah Maguire, Fake Chemical State for ex-Skunk Anansie lead singer Skin, Mexico's top rock band Fobia, and the well-loved album Soviet Kitsch by Regina Spektor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simian Mobile Disco</span> English electronic music duo

Simian Mobile Disco are an English electronic music duo and production team, formed in 2003 by James Ford and Jas Shaw of the band Simian. Musically, they are known for their analogue production. Ford is also known for his production work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhye</span> R&B musical project

Rhye is an R&B musical project of Canadian singer Mike Milosh. It originally consisted of him and Danish instrumentalist Robin Hannibal. They released the singles "Open" and "The Fall" online without much detail, which led to speculation about the band. Their debut album, Woman, was released on March 4, 2013. In June 2013, the album was longlisted for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize. In 2017, it was reported that Robin Hannibal was no longer a member of Rhye and that the project had evolved into a music collective led by Milosh and focused around the associated live band. Their second album, Blood, was released on February 2, 2018, and was largely written, produced, and performed by Milosh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duck Sauce</span> Electronic music superduo

Duck Sauce is an electronic music superduo, formed in 2009 in New York City. The duo consists of American DJ Armand van Helden and Canadian DJ A-Trak. They are best known for their 2010 single "Barbra Streisand".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toro y Moi</span> American singer, producer, and graphic designer (born 1986)

Chaz Bear, known professionally as Toro y Moi, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer. He is often recognized as a spearhead of the chillwave genre in the 2010s, alongside contemporaries Washed Out and Neon Indian, although his music has explored various styles since. His stage name is a multilingual expression consisting of the Spanish words toro and y and the French word moi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Kimbie</span> English electronic music group

Mount Kimbie is an English electronic music group. Originally consisting of the duo of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos, Mount Kimbie was formed in 2008. The duo expanded on the musical template of the UK dubstep scene, releasing early EPs Maybes and Sketch on Glass to critical praise the following year. Their debut album Crooks & Lovers in 2010 received further acclaim and was listed as one of the defining albums of the decade by DJ Mag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disclosure (band)</span> English electronic music duo

Disclosure are an English electronic music duo consisting of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence. They grew up in Reigate, Surrey. Their debut studio album, Settle, released on 3 June 2013, by PMR Records, was nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards. They released a second studio album, Caracal, on 25 September 2015 which was also nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2016 Grammy Awards. Their third studio album, Energy, was released on 28 August 2020, and was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards, alongside the fourth single from the album, "My High", which was nominated for Best Dance Recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel Halo</span> American electronic musician

Laurel Anne Chartow, known professionally as Laurel Halo, is an American electronic musician currently based in Los Angeles, California. She released her debut album Quarantine on Hyperdub in 2012 to critical acclaim; it was named album of the year by The Wire.

Martin Danielle, commonly known by his stage name CLMD is a Norwegian music producer, DJ, songwriter and artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nico & Vinz</span> Norwegian duo

Nico & Vinz are a Norwegian duo consisting of Kahouly Nicolay "Nico" Sereba from Holmlia, Oslo and Vincent "Vinzy V" Dery from Lambertseter, Oslo. They formed in 2010 as Envy but changed their name to Nico & Vinz by the end of 2012. They are commonly associated with their biggest hit single "Am I Wrong", which peaked at number 2 in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, and number 1 in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arca (musician)</span> Venezuelan musician (born 1989)

Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, known professionally as Arca, is a Venezuelan musician and record producer based in Barcelona, Spain. She initially began releasing music under the name of Nuuro. After attending the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Ghersi first released the EP Baron Libre (2012) under the name Arca and subsequently released the EPs Stretch 1 and Stretch 2; the latter experimented with hip hop and brought her attention from prominent music publications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NTS Radio</span> Online radio station based in London

NTS Radio is an online radio station and media platform which launched in Hackney, London. The station was founded in April 2011 by Femi Adeyemi "for an international community of music lovers". NTS broadcasts from its studios in London and Los Angeles, as well as remote worldwide broadcasts from its mix of resident hosts and guests. NTS produces a diverse range of live radio shows, digital media and events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaytranada</span> Haitian-Canadian DJ and music producer (born 1992)

Louis Kevin Celestin, known professionally as Kaytranada, is a Haitian-Canadian music producer, rapper, singer and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of mixtapes, remixes, and original music projects beginning in 2010 under the alias Kaytradamus. By 2013, and under the moniker Kaytranada, he began gaining wider recognition and, the following year, signed a deal with XL Recordings, with whom he would release his critically acclaimed debut studio album 99.9% in 2016. In 2019, he released its follow-up, Bubba, for which he won two Grammy Awards including Best Dance/Electronic Album. Celestin is one half of the hip hop duo The Celestics, along with his brother Lou Phelps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empress Of</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1989)

Lorely Rodriguez, known professionally as Empress Of, is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer based in Los Angeles, California.

Steven Vidal, known by his stage name Stwo, is a French electronic musician, producer and DJ.

The Blaze are a Paris-based ambient electronic dance music duo consisting of two cousins, Guillaume and Jonathan Alric. Their method involves producing sound and visuals at the same time, creating a strong link between music and image. They have released two albums, Dancehall (2018) and Jungle (2023), as well as one EP, Territory (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">@@@@@</span> 2020 DJ mix by Arca

"@@@@@" is a DJ mix released as a single by Venezuelan record producer Arca. The mix premiered on NTS Radio on 19 February 2020. It was officially released on 21 February 2020 via XL Recordings.

References

  1. "Smerz Make Uncanny Electronic Pop That Sounds Like a Secret". Pitchfork. 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  2. Radio, N. T. S. "Smerz". NTS Radio. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
  3. "Smerz | Outer Agency". outer-agency.com. Retrieved 2023-07-18.