Smerz

Smerz is the Norwegian duo of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt, who met at school in Oslo before relocating together to Copenhagen in 2011. Their name derives from the German herzschmerz, or heartache, fitting for music that treats intimacy with a dry, clinical remove. Motzfeldt trained in composition at Copenhagen's Rhythmic Music Conservatory, while Stoltenberg studied mathematics; together they build deadpan, minutely detailed productions threading hip-hop and R&B through glitching, deconstructed pop. Their 2021 debut album Believer arrived on XL Recordings, followed by Big City Life in 2025. They have performed at Berghain, Tate Modern and MoMA PS1.