Slowpho

Slowpho originated in 1997 when Kjetil Nordhus and Christian Watkins first connected over their shared enthusiasm for the prevailing downtempo trip-hop aesthetic. Hilde Drange joined as vocalist before the year ended, prompting Nordhus to exit; he later returned to the music scene as frontman for the Norwegian art metal ensemble Green Carnation. Watkins and Drange persisted as a duo, mounting live performances by 1999 that blended trip-hop elements with drum'n'bass rhythms. Their Lovetech EP surfaced in 2001 via a joint effort from Groovecentral and Beatservice, while additional tracks landed on various compilations such as Arctic Circles 3 alongside Röyksopp, fellow Norwegian electronic experimenters.

Beatservice issued the group’s debut full-length Hi-Fi Sounds for Young Norwegians in early 2002, earning underground electronica acclaim for its fluid fusion of nu-jazz, downtempo groove, minimalist textures, and Drange’s honeyed vocals. A world tour ensued. Water Music handled a March 2003 reissue of Hi-Fi Sounds that added the tracks “Sovenier” and “I Wake Myself,” together with remixes of three further selections from the original album.