This acoustic duo comprises Erlend Øye (b. 1975, Norway; guitar) and Eirik Glambek Bøe (b. 1975, Norway; guitar/vocals), two UK-based musicians originally from Bergen in Norway. The duo first played together as part of Norwegian indie outfit Skøg. After that band split-up in the mid-90s, Bøe put his music career on hold to study psychology while Øye joined the UK-based Peachfuzz. When Bøe moved to London to continue his studies, the duo began performing self-written material together on a regular basis under the moniker Kings Of Convenience. They released two 7-inch singles on the Éllet label in 1999, prior to recording their self-titled debut for the US label Kindercore. By now, their winsome, mellow style was being heralded as a key component of the New Acoustic Movement, a genre dreamed up by the New Musical Express to describe the resurgence of a semi-acoustic sensibility on the UK music scene. Indeed, the title of the duo's new album (Quiet Is The New Loud) for Source/Astralwerks, which contained six new recordings of songs from their debut, was adopted as the movement's unofficial motto.
Seeking to distance himself from the new acoustic movement, Øye provided the guest vocals for two tracks, "Poor Leno" and "Remind Me', on Norwegian dance act Röyksopp's bestselling Melody A.M. release. The Kings Of Convenience remix album and Øye's solo debut provided further evidence of a willingness to experiment with electronica. Nevertheless, the duo's third album as Kings Of Convenience, 2004"s Riot On An Empty Street, returned to the Simon And Garfunkel territory of their earlier work.
