Casiokids

Old analogue and trashy keyboards, pop melodies and a digital & shadow puppet theatre make up the Norwegian electro-troupe that is Casiokids. The band sprung out of an idea of making electronic music more visual, but has developed further into being a collective of theatre blended with pop melodies often sung in their native language and influenced by afro-beat, techno and out-and-out pop. The music draws similarities and takes inspiration from Paul Simon's "Graceland", Ivor Cutler, New Order, King Tubby, Bob Hund, Cornelius and Fela Kuti.

October 27 2008 saw the historic release of the first ever Norwegian language pop single in the UK. Refusing to accept the notion of b-sides, Casiokids released the Double A sided single Grønt lys i alle ledd/Togens hule on Moshi Moshi Records. The band became the latest in a select band of artists to have released through Moshi’s Singles Club including names such as Late of the Pier, Lykke Li, Florence and The Machine and Kate Nash. The success of the first single will now be followed up by the second in a series of 7”s the band plan to release in 2009. Verdens største land/Fot i hose will be released on Moshi Moshi on March 2nd 2009 and will be accompanied by intense touring activity including a European tour as support for Of Montreal in January, a headlining UK tour in March and confirmed appearances at Eurosonic and South By South West to mention just a few of the highlights.

Since their creation in 2005, Casiokids have experienced everything from playing for hundreds of Norwegian youngsters on a 12-date kindergarten tour in Norway to promote their first album, to playing for more or less grown up indie and electro kids all over Europe. They have also made a name for themselves as providers of sound installations and workshops, as well as DJs and have played numerous renowned festivals and venues in Europe and North America including Roskilde Festival (Denmark, 2008), CMJ Music Marathon (New York City, 2008) The Great Escape Festival (Brighton, UK 2008) City Showcase Festival (London, 2008), Luminaire (London, 2008) Sous La Plage Festival (Paris, 2007), La Fleche d'Or (Paris, 2007), Øya Festival (Norway 2006 & 2008), Ekko Festival (Bergen, Norway 2005), NuMusic Festival (Stavanger, Norway 2005 w/ Jamie Lidell, K.Stockhausen, Datarock, Carl Craig++), Les Nuits Secrètes (Aulnoye-Aymeries, France 2008) Elektroni(k) Festival (Rennes, France 2005), La Lune Des Pirates (Amiens, France 2005), La Guinguette Pirate (Paris, 2005), Paradiso (Amsterdam, 2008), Debaser Medis (Stockholm, 2008) and Scandinavia’s biggest and best showcase festival by:Larm (Stavanger 2005 & Oslo 2008) to name just a few.




"I always say, if you want some enormously danceable, minimalist Afro-funk and space-disco (with a donk on it), then you need to reach out to beardy Norwegians, for it is only they who are capable of making records as brilliantly lunatic as this. For a start, it's entirely instrumental; for another start, it is propelled along its golden path by the single greatest synth noise in the history of electricity and wires; and, for a third start, it's all over in less than three minutes. Everything lovable about popular music is here and it has a video to accompany it that is both mentally compelling and sort of hilarious. Casiokids: you rule in all sorts of wonderful new ways."
"Fot i hose", Single of the week in the Guardian, February 28, 2009

"A sublimely synthy debut from Scandinavia’s premier poptronica outfit…Casiokids are an absolute necessity (8/10)"
NME review of Grønt lys i alle ledd: November 1, 2008

"My other favourite Norwegian discovery, Casiokids (...) switch styles so much that it’s hard to really pin them down—variables include high, winsome vocals, rubbery 8-bit melodies, dancey backing tracks, slashy post-punk guitars, a multi-media stage show with various kinds of puppets and video projections, and just generally a sweet and crazy party vibe."
Pitchforkmedia.com review of Øya 2008

"The perfect hybrid of Duran Duran, Kings of Leon, Efterklang, Sigur Ros and 2unlimited (6/6)"
GAFFA (Denmark): by:Larm festival, Oslo 2008

"With their haywire melodies and an exuberant stage show featuring massive puppets, video, and shadow theater they combine electro-pop bliss and indie-kid abandon into one ragtag effusion. Junky analog synths bleat and whistle in a long overture; with the introduction of Windsor-knotted guitars, timbales, and Muppety harmonies, it starts resembling a DiskJokke/Vampire Weekend mash-up."
Pitchforkmedia.com review of Togens hule 2008

"Rock’n’roll circus? Nah - Casiokids know that electro-funk shadow theatre is really where it’s at."
BBC, Numusic Festival, Stavanger 2005 (read less)

Old analogue and trashy keyboards, pop melodies and a digital & shadow puppet theatre make up the Norwegian electro-troupe that is Casiokids. The band sprung out of an idea of making electronic music more visual, but has developed further into being a collective of theatre blended with pop melodies often sung in their native language and influenced by afro-beat, techno and out-and-out pop. The music draws similarities and takes inspiration from Paul Simon's "Graceland", Ivor Cutler, New Order,... (read more)