Datarock

Datarock is an electronic rock group from Bergen, Norway, active since 2000. The core lineup is Fredrik Saroea and Ketil Mosnes. The group begins with a trio of friends — Saroea, Mosnes and Kevin O'Brien — who conceive the project at a festival in Bergen, and Tom Mæland later joins. O'Brien and Mæland leave, after which Saroea and Mosnes continue the act.

Sound and influences

The band describes its music as a mixture of the styles its members like. Its major influences include Devo, Talking Heads and the Happy Mondays.

Releases and recognition

Datarock releases three EPs and its debut album, Datarock Datarock, in 2005. The album appears in 10 countries on the band’s own label, YAP, short for Young Aspiring Professionals, and receives favourable reviews, particularly in the UK.

The single “Computer Camp Love” reaches number 12 in Australia’s Triple J Hottest 100 in 2005, and later places at number 88 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.

Songs in games and advertising

Several Datarock tracks appear in games and advertising. “Fa-Fa-Fa” features in a Coca-Cola advert and in NHL 08, FIFA 08 and NBA Live 08 through EA Trax. It also appears in The Sims 2: Free Time, and The Sims team creates a custom music video for the song. “New Song” appears in Madden NFL 08. A remix of “I Used To Dance With My Daddy” appears in Need for Speed: ProStreet, while “True Stories” appears in FIFA 09 and The Sims 3. The band also appears in an Apple advert for the fourth-generation iPod Nano, which shows “Fa-Fa-Fa” playing on an orange iPod Nano and includes the cover art for Datarock Datarock.

Related work

Fredrik Saroea also records solo material and collaborates with fellow Norwegian pop artist Annie on the duet “I Will Always Remember You”, which appears on later pressings of the band’s debut album.