Norwegian duo Ryksopp compensated for the cold climes of their native Troms by making some of the warmest, most inviting downbeat electronica of the new millennium, exemplified by early singles like Eple and Poor Leno. The pair, Torbjrn Brundtland and Svein Berge, both grew up in Troms and began recording in the early '90s. Local-made-good Geir Jenssen (aka Biosphere) provided tutelage and almost convinced the duo to record for R S sublabel Apollo. After a few years apart, Brundtland and Berge met up again in Bergen and re-formed Ryksopp in 1998.
The group released a few singles on Tell, then signed up to the big beat label Wall of Sound. The Ryksopp debut was 2001's Eple single; both "Eple" and another track ("Poor Leno") earned slots on over a dozen chillout compilations that year or the next. Their first full-length, Melody A.M., appeared in late 2001. After spending a few years performing live and remixing artists including Beck and Annie, Ryksopp returned with new material in 2005: the single Only This Moment heralded the summer release of the duo's second album, The Understanding, which featured more traditionally structured songs than their earlier work. The live EP Ryksopp's Night Out appeared a year later. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
