Kings Of Convenience

Kings of Convenience are a Norwegian duo who make quiet, acoustic music. Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe started releasing albums in the early 2000s with a sound built around hushed vocals and delicate guitar work. Their songs like 'Cayman Islands' and 'I'd Rather Dance With You' have a gentle, melodic quality that doesn't need much more than two voices and some careful fingerpicking.

Their first album, Quiet Is the New Loud, came out in 2001 and set the template. They followed it with Riot on an Empty Street in 2004 and Declaration of Dependence in 2009, each staying close to that minimalist approach. After a long gap, they returned in 2021 with Peace or Love, which had a slightly brighter tone than some of their earlier material.

Øye handles most of the singing with his light falsetto, while Bøe plays guitar and bass and produces their records. They work slowly, with years between albums, which has sometimes frustrated fans waiting for new songs. But that pace seems to suit their method, writing spare, introspective tracks like 'Homesick' or 'Misread' that feel considered rather than rushed.