Tennyson

Canadian musician Tennyson, born Luke Tennyson Pretty, crafts electronic pop marked by elaborate, sample-laden constructions. His sister Tess contributes drums to live shows and joins select recordings, while the project’s early glitch-oriented downtempo gradually gave way to the lighter, jazz-tinged character of the 2015 Like What EP. A subsequent move to OWSLA brought the more rhythmic 2017 Uh Oh! EP, after which Tennyson shifted toward introspective downtempo textures across vocal-focused releases that included his 2022 full-length debut Rot on the Ninja Tune subsidiary Counter Records.

Raised in Edmonton, Luke and Tess Pretty received early musical encouragement from their father. Luke gravitated to keyboards and Tess to drums; together they interpreted Beatles and Prince material at a local ice cream stand before expanding into jazz and blues repertoire. Luke soon began producing electronic pieces independently, and once those sample-driven works attracted online listeners, the siblings launched Tennyson as a live vehicle for the material. Their 2012 self-titled release included a dream-pop track performed by Tess alongside a reworking of a Boards of Canada composition. An EP titled Blamer closed the year, followed by additional singles such as “With You,” Tennyson’s debut vinyl outing, and “You’re Cute.” By the arrival of 2015’s Like What, the duo’s style had grown refined and buoyant yet retained undercurrents of melancholy; the EP broadened their reach, leading to appearances before larger audiences at festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.

In 2016 Tennyson teamed with Skrillex for a remix of the track “Stranger.” The OWSLA single “Your Eyes,” which featured vocalist Njomza, preceded the 2017 Uh Oh! EP that included a guest turn from Aloe Blacc. Further joint work with beatmaker Mr. Carmack produced the three-track set Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, closing with BJ the Chicago Kid. Additional standalone tracks paved the way for the self-released 2019 EP Different Water and that year’s Telescope on Counter Records. Both projects foregrounded Luke’s understated vocals and moved away from some of the project’s earlier idiosyncrasies. A handful of further singles, remixes, and collaborations culminated in Rot, Tennyson’s first proper album, issued in 2022. Primarily sung by Luke, the record also showcased singer-songwriter Rae Morris on the track “Slow Dance.”