- Artist
- Smerz
- ReleaseProduct
- Believer
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1153HDDS
- Release Date
- February 26, 2021
-
Vinyl 1×LP
$27.99Black Vinyl
Read MoreXL1076LP
- Gatefold sleeve
- Clear inner bag
- Translucent obi-strip
- Liner notes insert
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CD
$13.49Read MoreXL1076CD
- Gatefold wallet
- 12-page liner notes
- Lyrics booklet
- Translucent obi strip
-
Download
$11.49320 kbps, LAME-encoded
Genres
After two superb EPs, a host of multimedia art projects and a monthly residency at NTS, Norwegian duo Smerz already have something of a high profile in experimental electronic music. Ironically, the relative ubiquity of members Henriette Motzfeldt and Catharina Stoltenberg only adds to the allure of their debut full-length, 'Believer' — an LP so audaciously mysterious that it makes us wonder whether we ever truly understood what they were up to in the first place.
‘Believer’ serves as a microcosm of Motzfeldt and Stoltenberg’s approach: electro-industrial textures warp across a booming R&B kick pattern, as a subtle hook invokes the darker fringes of early 2000s hip-hop to the swell of baroque strings. The mood is heavy and humid, and yet the song could easily become a key drop at any left-field club worth its salt. 'Believer' expertly tempers stylistic extremes, teetering into full rave-compliance on ‘I don’t talk about that much’ and blistering with white hot synths on the avant slow jammer ‘Max’. Sultry Destiny’s Child-esque vocals and Rihanna-like bars guide the listener through the deluge, but just when you think you’re starting to get a grip on 'Believer', Smerz throw in a curveball like ‘The Favourite’, a striking cantata with a quietly operatic power.
How Smerz manage to pull off their singular sound is beyond us. But, as their debut album’s title suggests, all they ask is that you believe.
Smerz in conversation with Peder Mannerfelt
Digital Track List
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1
Gitarriff
2:06
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2
Max
4:17
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3
Believer
4:12
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4
Versace Strings
2:03
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5
Rain
4:14
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Rain
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6
4 temaer
1:53
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4 temaer
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7
Hester
4:54
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8
Flashing
2:40
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9
The favourite
1:43
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10
Rap interlude
0:35
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Track List
Gitarriff
Max
Believer
Versace Strings
Rain
4 temaer
Hester *
Flashing
The Favourite
Rap interlude
Sonette
Glassbord
Grand Piano
Missy
I don’t talk about that much.
*On LP this track is split across the end of side A and the start of side B
Smerz
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2 Tracks- Artist
- Smerz
- ReleaseProduct
- The favourite / Rap interlude
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1115DS
- Release Date
- October 8, 2020
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8 Tracks- Artist
- Smerz
- ReleaseProduct
- Have fun
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- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL881DS
- Release Date
- March 6, 2018
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XL Recordings
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10 Clips- Artist
- The Avalanches
- ReleaseProduct
- Since I Left You 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
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- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1164
- Release Date
- June 4, 2021
- LP
- CD
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1 Clip- Artist
- LSDXOXO
- ReleaseProduct
- Dedicated 2 Disrespect
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- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1111T
- Release Date
- May 14, 2021
- EP
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5 Tracks- Artist
- John FM
- ReleaseProduct
- American Spirit EP
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1165DS
- Release Date
- April 14, 2021
- EP
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2 Tracks- Artist
- Overmono
- ReleaseProduct
- Pieces Of 8 / Echo Rush
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1072DS
- Release Date
- April 9, 2021
- 12"
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6 Clips- Artist
- dvr
- ReleaseProduct
- Tape_01 + Thru The City
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1132T
- Release Date
- March 26, 2021
- LP (special)
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3 Tracks- Artist
- Ibeyi
- ReleaseProduct
- Recurring Dream: Music from the film How To Stop A Recurring Dream
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1169DS
- Release Date
- March 9, 2021
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4 Tracks- Artist
- Arca
- ReleaseProduct
- Madre
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- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1162DS
- Release Date
- January 22, 2021
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3 Clips- Artist
- Everything Is Recorded
- ReleaseProduct
- Saturday Specials: The CLIPZ Remixes Vol. 3
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1104T
- Release Date
- January 22, 2021
- EP
R&B
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7 Tracks- Artist
- Bellah
- ReleaseProduct
- The Art of Conversation
- Label
- Base 'N' Rebulz x Marathon Artists
- Catalogue Number
- MA0289D
- Release Date
- November 20, 2020
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8 Tracks- Artist
- Emmavie
- ReleaseProduct
- High Off This (Remixes)
- Label
- Fresh Selects
- Catalogue Number
- FSX-045
- Release Date
- August 20, 2020
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11 Tracks- Artist
- Jamie Isaac
- ReleaseProduct
- (04:30) Idler
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- Marathon Artists
- Catalogue Number
- MA0128D
- Release Date
- June 1, 2018
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17 Tracks- Artist
- Jamie Isaac
- ReleaseProduct
- Couch Baby
- Label
- Marathon Artists
- Catalogue Number
- MA0069XD
- Release Date
- March 17, 2017
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2 of 5 Tracks- Artist
- TYSON
- ReleaseProduct
- Pisces Problems
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- LMP Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- LMP001
- Release Date
- April 30, 2021
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10 Tracks- Artist
- Benny Sings
- ReleaseProduct
- Music
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- Stones Throw Records
- Catalogue Number
- STH2430
- Release Date
- April 9, 2021
- LP
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18 Tracks- Artist
- Jordan Rakei
- ReleaseProduct
- Late Night Tales: Jordan Rakei
- Label
- Late Night Tales
- Catalogue Number
- ALN61
- Release Date
- April 9, 2021
- LP (special)
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11 Tracks- Artist
- serpentwithfeet
- ReleaseProduct
- DEACON
- Label
- Secretly Canadian
- Catalogue Number
- SC396
- Release Date
- March 26, 2021
- LP (special)
- CD
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Experimental Pop and New Wave
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0 Clips- Artist
- Caroline Polachek
- ReleaseProduct
- Standing At The Gate: Remix Collection
- Label
- Perpetual Novice
- Catalogue Number
- PangREMIXLP
- Release Date
- April 16, 2021
- LP (special)
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14 Tracks- Artist
- Dima Pantyushin & Sasha Lipsky
- ReleaseProduct
- Peshekhod
- Label
- Beats In Space
- Catalogue Number
- BIS048digital
- Release Date
- March 26, 2021
- LP
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11 Tracks- Artist
- Caoilfhionn Rose
- ReleaseProduct
- Truly
- Label
- Gondwana Records
- Catalogue Number
- GONDCD041
- Release Date
- April 9, 2021
- LP
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8 Clips- Artist
- Laurie Anderson
- ReleaseProduct
- Big Science
- Label
- Nonesuch
- Catalogue Number
- 0075597918069
- Release Date
- April 9, 2021
- LP (special)
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10 Tracks- Artist
- Luna Li
- ReleaseProduct
- jams EP
- Label
- In Real Life Music
- Catalogue Number
- Inreallife025
- Release Date
- February 5, 2021
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4 Tracks- Artist
- Marie Davidson & L’Œil Nu
- ReleaseProduct
- Worst Comes To Worst (Morgan Geist Remix)
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- Ninja Tune
- Catalogue Number
- ZENDNLS575W
- Release Date
- March 9, 2021
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11 Tracks- Artist
- Brijean
- ReleaseProduct
- Feelings
- Label
- Ghostly International
- Catalogue Number
- GI378digital
- Release Date
- February 26, 2021
- LP (special)
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0 Clips- Artist
- Cornershop
- ReleaseProduct
- England Is A Garden Instrumentals Album
- Label
- Ample Play
- Catalogue Number
- AMP133LP
- Release Date
- June 18, 2021
- LP (special)
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13 Clips- Artist
- Teresa Winter
- ReleaseProduct
- Motto Of The Wheel
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- The Death Of Rave
- Catalogue Number
- RAVE031
- Release Date
- April 23, 2021
- LP
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4 Clips- Artist
- TAPES
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- Silence Please
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- Good Morning Tapes
- Catalogue Number
- GMV09
- Release Date
- April 23, 2021
- LP
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Sale
11 Tracks- Artist
- Toro Y Moi
- ReleaseProduct
- Underneath The Pine
- Label
- Carpark
- Catalogue Number
- CAK059
- Release Date
- February 21, 2011
- LP (special)
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- Carpark
- Catalogue Number
- CAK059
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- February 21, 2011
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3 Clips- Artist
- Steven Rutter
- ReleaseProduct
- Close Your Eyes And Breathe
- Label
- De:tuned
- Catalogue Number
- ASGDE033
- Release Date
- June 11, 2021
- EP
Album of the Week
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11 Tracks- Artist
- Endgame
- ReleaseProduct
- Surrender
- Label
- Precious Metals
- Catalogue Number
- PM003
- Release Date
- April 9, 2021
- LP (special)
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1 of 16 Tracks- Artist
- Murcof
- ReleaseProduct
- The Alias Sessions
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- The Leaf Label
- Catalogue Number
- 843190012190
- Release Date
- May 21, 2021
- LP
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8 Tracks- Artist
- Facta
- ReleaseProduct
- Blush
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- Wisdom Teeth
- Catalogue Number
- WSDMLP002
- Release Date
- April 2, 2021
- Bundle
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9 Tracks- Artist
- Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra
- ReleaseProduct
- Promises
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- Luaka Bop
- Catalogue Number
- LB0097
- Release Date
- March 26, 2021
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10 Tracks- Artist
- 96 Back
- ReleaseProduct
- 9696 Dream
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- Local Action
- Catalogue Number
- LOC066
- Release Date
- March 16, 2021
- Cassette
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10 Tracks- Artist
- DJ Muggs the Black Goat
- ReleaseProduct
- Dies Occidendum
- Label
- Sacred Bones Records
- Catalogue Number
- SBR268digital
- Release Date
- March 12, 2021
- LP
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9 Tracks- Artist
- Visionist
- ReleaseProduct
- A Call to Arms
- Label
- Mute
- Catalogue Number
- ISTUMM456
- Release Date
- March 5, 2021
- LP (special)
- CD
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16 Tracks- Artist
- Smerz
- ReleaseProduct
- Believer
- Label
- XL Recordings
- Catalogue Number
- XL1153HDDS
- Release Date
- February 26, 2021
- LP
- CD
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