Believer (Smerz album)

Believer
Studio album by Smerz
Released	26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
Genre	Electronic [1] , art pop [2]
Length	46:48
Label	XL
Producer	Catharina Stoltenberg Henriette Motzfeldt
Smerz chronology
Believer (2021) Før og etter (2021)

Believer is the debut studio album by Smerz, a Norwegian music duo consisting of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt. ^[3] It was released on 26 February 2021 through XL Recordings. ^[4] It received generally favorable reviews from critics. ^[5]

Background

Believer was produced in various remote cabins in Norway. ^[6] Some of the album's lyrics were written in the woods. ^[6] The creation of the album took place while the members Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt were completing degrees. ^[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	73/100 [5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Beats Per Minute	60% [2]
The Line of Best Fit	8/10 [8]
MusicOMH	[9]
Pitchfork	7.7/10 [10]
PopMatters	7/10 [11]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Believer received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 from 7 critic scores. ^[5]

Ethan Reis of Beats Per Minute commented that the album is "less club-oriented than previous releases, instead incorporating more violin and classical instruments to achieve a synthesis of classical and dance music that is occasionally inscrutable." ^[2] Parker Desautell of PopMatters stated, "Both lyrically and sonically, Believer is a bold, risk-taking LP that charts a wild, uneven course through trance, classical, R&B, and hip-hop." ^[11] He added, "Sometimes it conjures images of the snowy Norwegian countryside, and other times it drops you squarely on the dancefloor." ^[11]

Pitchfork included the album's title track, "Believer", on its list of "The Best Progressive Pop Music of 2021". ^[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt.

Believer track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Gitarriff"	2:06
2.	"Max"	4:17
3.	"Believer"	4:12
4.	"Versace Strings"	2:03
5.	"Rain"	4:14
6.	"4 Temaer"	1:53
7.	"Hester"	4:54
8.	"Flashing"	2:40
9.	"The Favourite"	1:43
10.	"Rap Interlude"	0:35
11.	"Sonette"	2:07
12.	"Glassbord"	2:57
13.	"Grand Piano"	1:43
14.	"Missy"	1:06
15.	"I Don't Talk About That Much"	3:51
16.	"Hva Hvis"	2:31
Total length:		46:48

Have Fun– Japanese edition bonus EP ^[13]

No.	Title	Length
17.	"Worth It"	3:51
18.	"No Harm"	3:48
19.	"Oh My My"	2:38
20.	"Girl 2"	2:15
21.	"Have Fun"	2:44
22.	"Half Life"	3:31
23.	"Fitness"	2:20
24.	"Bail on Me"	2:51
Total length:		68:56

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. ^[14]

• Catharina Stoltenberg – performance, production, engineering
• Henriette Motzfeldt – performance, production, engineering
• Peder Mannerfelt – additional production (2), additional mixing (3, 6)
• Hallvard Braaten Steinhovden – cello (3, 5, 12)
• Lone Meinich – violin (5, 13)
• Moa Meinich – violin (5, 13)
• Andrea Green Novel – flute (12)
• Kasper Marott – additional drum programming (15)
• Chris Elms – mixing
• Joel Krozer – mastering
• Benjamin Barron – art direction, design, cyanotype, photography
• Elif Tanman – design
• Lotte Lovise Brøndbo – set design, cyanotype
• Bror August Vestbø – costume design
• Tina Solberg – styling
• Frida Stø – woodwork
• Vilde Krogsmyr Holberg – woodwork
• Jan Khur – lighting assistance
• Ingrid Nymoen – cover modeling

References

2. Reis, Ethan (26 February 2021). "Album Review: Smerz – Believer". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
3. Moen, Matt (13 January 2021). "Smerz Makes a 'Believer' Out of Us". Paper . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
4. H, Rob (13 January 2021). "Smerz announce debut album and share glitch-pop title track "Believer"". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
5. "Believer by Smerz". Metacritic . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
6. Guzman, Ivan (23 February 2021). "The strange and alluring sound of Smerz". The Face . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
7. Simpson, Paul. "Believer - Smerz". AllMusic . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
8. Dillman, Connor (24 February 2021). "On Believer, Smerz breathe Nordic heritage into their experimental tendencies". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
9. Johnson, Steven (26 February 2021). "Smerz – Believer". MusicOMH . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
10. Torres, Eric (25 February 2021). "Smerz: Believer". Pitchfork . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
11. Desautell, Parker (22 March 2021). "Smerz's 'Believers' Is a Wild, Uneven Ride Through Trance, Hip-Hop, and Classical". PopMatters . Retrieved 1 March 2025.
12. "The Best Progressive Pop Music of 2021". Pitchfork . 14 December 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
13. "BEATINK.COM Smerz Believer". Beatink.com. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
14. Smerz (2021). Believer (CD booklet). XL Recordings.

External links

• Believer at Discogs (list of releases)