PIAS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Erland Oye and Eirik Grambek Boe have a lengthy history together. Long before they formed Kings of Convenience the pair were in the same class at school, writing comedic raps about their teacher then founding Skog ("forest"), their first joint stab at 'serious' music. Today, the duo have a string of gold and silver certified albums behind them. This is one. Originally released in 2009, 15 years on Declaration of Dependence still sounds as calmly breathtaking as it did back then. Quiet, soft, gentile, yet anything but twee, the sound straddles the line between indie pop and indie folk, and also represented the start of a new era in music distribution - getting its initial release as an exclusive for subscribers of a certain streaming platform, but that's another story.

Review: Riot On An Empty Street, originally released in 2004, captures Kings of Convenience at their most captivating, effortlessly merging folk, indie and pop into a serene, harmony-rich soundscape. With standout tracks like 'Homesick', 'Misread', and the Feist collaboration 'Know-How', this album became a treasured gem for fans. Now reissued on vinyl, the delicate acoustics and introspective lyrics are revived in full warmth, offering listeners a chance to reconnect with the album's timeless appeal. Perfect for lovers of understated, melodic songwriting that resonates long after the last note fades.