Big City Life (album)

Big City Life (styled in sentence case) is the second studio album by Norwegian electronic music duo Smerz, consisting of Henriette Motzfeldt and Catharina Stoltenberg. It was released on 23 May 2025 through Escho.^[3] The album was preceded by the singles "A Thousand Lies" and "You Got Time and I Got Money," which showcase the duo's blend of art pop, alternative R&B, and electronic sounds.^[4]

Big City Life was recorded between 2023 and 2024 in studios across Copenhagen, Oslo, and London, reflecting the duo's experiences in urban environments and their evolving sound.^[5] Building on their 2021 debut album Believer, Smerz explored themes of apathy, loneliness, love, and freedom, drawing inspiration from Copenhagen's experimental music scene and their collaborations with artists like Erika de Casier and NewJeans.^[6] The album was written, performed, and produced by Motzfeldt and Stoltenberg, with mixing by Smerz and Emil Thomsen and mastering by Emil Thomsen.^[7]

Announced in March 2025, the album was promoted with the release of "A Thousand Lies" in February 2025 and "You Got Time and I Got Money" in March 2025, the latter accompanied by a music video directed by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø.^[8] Smerz performed at venues like Copenhagen's Vega to support the album's launch, emphasizing its narrative of urban life and personal reflection.^[9]

Big City Life received widespread acclaim for its innovative blend of art pop, alternative R&B, and electronic elements. Pitchfork praised it as “a slinky postmodern pop album” that synthesizes Smerz's earlier experimental works into a cohesive urban narrative.^[10] Clash Magazine described it as “a fizzing postmodern fairytale” capturing the chaos and wonder of city living with wit and vulnerability.^[11] Critics noted the album's ability to balance camp spectacle with raw emotion, with tracks like “Feisty” and “Roll the dice” highlighted for their deadpan pop-rap delivery and infectious energy.^[12]

The album resonated with listeners for its relatable portrayal of urban womanhood and its influence on the Scandinavian electronic scene. Fans on platforms like Reddit praised its production and emotional depth, particularly tracks like “Big dreams” and “Feisty.”^[13] Its minimalist yet dynamic sound was seen as a continuation of Smerz's role in shaping a new wave of eccentric pop alongside artists like ML Buch and Erika de Casier.^[14]

1. "Big city life" – 3:12
2. "But I do" – 2:58
3. "Roll the dice" – 3:20
4. "What" – 3:05
5. "Feisty" – 3:30
6. "A thousand lies" – 3:45
7. "Close" – 3:10
8. "You got time and I got money" – 3:25
9. "Big dreams" – 3:15
10. "Street style" – 2:50
11. "Imagine this" – 3:00
12. "Dreams" – 3:40
13. "Easy" – 2:45

Track listing and durations sourced from Bandcamp and Resident Advisor.^[7][15] Total length: 38:00.

• Henriette Motzfeldt – vocals, production, songwriting
• Catharina Stoltenberg – vocals, production, songwriting, synthesizers
• Emil Thomsen – mixing, mastering

Personnel sourced from Bandcamp.^[7]