Norwegian duo Lemaitre burst onto the scene in 2010, the intricate electronic pop of their debut EP ‘The Friendly Sound’ effortlessly defying conventional electronic formulas. Fast forward 10 years and Ketil Jansen and Ulrik Denizou Lund have barely paused to breathe. The prolific LA based pair’s upcoming ‘JGM’ EP is set for release via Substellar Records on 22nd May, and named after close friend and collaborator Johannes Greve Muskat who passed away last year, it’s no doubt their most personal work to date.
Penned after Johannes’ sudden death in 2019, new single ‘Joe’ is a touching tribute accompanied by a video montage made up of clips of the boys over the best part of a decade. Work on the EP began prior to the tragedy and after returning to the studio following a much-needed break, there was a noticeable change in tone.
“We took some time off to spend time with friends and family, and when we continued writing, we noticed Johannes’ passing had definitely influenced the music. He had such an impact on our lives and careers, and touched a lot of people with his own art. It’s important for us to shed a light on the beautiful work he did and continue his legacy. Johannes was like a 3rd member of our group and did most of our videos and visual art. We know he inspired a lot of people” Lemaitre
‘JGM’s’ collaborators include producer friends Bearson, Coucheron, Jerry Folk, Didrik Thulin and one of Sweden’s most sought-after producers, Chords, who co-wrote ‘Eyes Wide Open.’ In true Lemaitre fashion they continue to reinvent themselves and constantly push the boundaries of the genres in which they operate. Their endless commitment to upending what’s expected of the musical experience dates back to their earliest days as a duo. After meeting at a party in Oslo and bonding over their love of the Chemical Brothers and Basement Jaxx, Lund and Jansen started making music as teenagers, often holing up in Jansen’s parents’ basement for 14 hours a day. In 2010 their debut release reached No. 1 on Hype Machine overnight, and the subsequent releases of the ‘Relativity’ series (3 EP’s) caught the attention of some of dance music’s biggest names, including Martin Solveig and Porter Robinson. Upon signing for Astralwerks, the pair relocated to LA. In 2016, Lemaitre drew critical acclaim for ‘1749’ and ‘Afterglow,’ two boundary-blurring EPs that found the duo mastering everything from electro-swing to nu-disco and future bass. Lead track ‘Closer,’ featuring Jennie A, has had over 85 million plays on Spotify. The duo’s creativity culminated with the release of the Fast Lovers EP in 2019, featuring breakout tracks ‘Rocket Girl’ (feat Betty Who), and ‘Big.’
Known for their incendiary live sets, they have made a name for themselves globally through headline tours, huge support shows and some bumper festival slots. “The last few years have flown by really fast and there is still so much music we want to make,” they say. “Our music has taken us all over the world, but we feel like we’ve just begun.”
