Flunk

Biography

Flunk is a Norwegian electronic band consisting of producer Ulf Nygaard, guitarist Jo Bakke, vocalist Anja Øyen Vister, and bassist Ole Kristian Wetten. Drummer Erik Ruud played with the band between 2012 and 2020.

Career

Flunk began as a project between Ulf Nygaard and Jo Bakke in Oslo, Norway, in late 2000 and early 2001. Beginning as an instrumental and sampled-vocal project, they were signed for a track on a compilation by Beatservice Records in the winter of 2001. On hearing the finished track, label manager Vidar Hanssen signed the still-unnamed band for a full album.
During the summer of 2001, the duo recorded most of the album and Vister improvised the vocals. Afterward, Bakke layered the guitars, but it would be a year before the album was completed and released.
In the spring of 2002, the band chose the name Flunk, and they released their first single, a cover of New Order's "Blue Monday×Blue Monday8 April 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Blue Monday3:562Eight Days a Freak3:083Blue Monday (Howard Maple mess up mix)4:47", in April. The track was well received in the UK and was included on numerous compilations in North America and Europe. Later in April, their debut album, For Sleepyheads Only×For Sleepyheads Only29 April 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1I Love Music5:362Blue Monday4:153Miss World5:054Sugar Planet3:555Honey's In Love3:526Magic Potion4:247Your Koolest Smile4:248Kebab Shop 3 AM4:479See Through You5:1910Sunday People5:2311Syrupsniph6:06, was released, garnering positive reviews in Norway. With the success of this record, the BBC invited the group to do a recording session for the Radio 1 show The Blue Room in London. Shortly after, the Notting Hill Arts Club would become the location of their live debut. In the United States, Flunk signed with Guidance Recordings.
By the summer of 2002, the band was getting rave reviews from British electronica magazines. In October, For Sleepyheads Only was released in the US. In November, Flunk played the London Jazz Festival.
In June 2003, Beatservice Records released Treat Me Like You Do - For Sleepyheads Only Remixed. The band soon began work on their second album, recording in Paris in October.
Flunk's sophomore studio effort, Morning Star, was finished in March 2004 and saw a Norwegian release in May and the rest of the world in June. In 2005, the EP Play America×Play America21 February 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Play4:072Skysong3:473True Faith (Live studio recording)4:414Probably4:385All My Dreams on Hold4:186I've Been Waiting All My Life to Leave You (Elektrofant's DX-7 remix)4:047Play (Athome Project Kanskjedeterhåpalikevel remix)4:588Play (Slowpho Opp Av Godstolen remix)4:189All Day and All of the Night (Tronso and Nils Noa remix)7:2110Morning Star (Parliavox remix)5:17 was released on Beatservice Records and included bonus tracks from the US version of Morning Star, along with remixes.
In 2007, Flunk released their third album, Personal Stereo×Personal Stereo23 April 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Personal Stereo4:352Heavenly4:503If We Kiss3:494Haldi5:235Sit Down6:256See You4:437Two Icicles4:558Change My Ways5:199Keep On4:5610Diet of Water and Love3:12, while May 2009 saw the publication of This Is What You Get×This Is What You Get11 May 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Dying to See You2:042Common Sense3:203Cigarette Burns3:164Ride2:325Love Hearts3:596Speedskating5:237Stain3:058Cardboard Rebel2:319Shoreline4:3610Down3:0111Karma Police5:30, which includes a cover version of Radiohead's "Karma Police".
In 2013, the band released their fifth studio album, Lost Causes×Lost Causes22 April 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Queen of the Underground5:282Sanctuary3:543Love and Halogen5:554Awkward4:415Lost Causes3:466Subway (J'aime la pluie d'été)3:547Primer4:198Bummed4:309Bus Ride5:0510As If You Didn't Already Know4:54. Cover Ups – The Home Recordings, a covers album, came out in 2016, followed by Chemistry and Math×Chemistry and Math29 September 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1TMTTUOT4:382Chemistry And Math3:153Petrified4:214June, July4:265Outsiders4:276Assassins3:237Pheromone (Fade Away)4:478Your Beautiful Lies4:399Reprise0:3810Hello (Planet Awesome)4:12 in 2017. The band's latest record, History of Everything Ever, hit the shelves in 2021.

Appearances

In January 2005, Flunk's track "Play", from Morning Star, appeared in an episode of The O.C. titled "The Risky Business" and later on Music from the OC: Mix 4. In April 2008, the track appeared in episode 5 of the PBS series Carrier.
The song "Spring to Kingdom Come", from Morning Star, was featured in episode 20, season 2 of the television series Numb3rs.
"See Thru You", from For Sleepyheads Only, was featured in the fourth episode of the television series Big Love, "Eclipse".
"Blue Monday×Blue Monday8 April 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Blue Monday3:562Eight Days a Freak3:083Blue Monday (Howard Maple mess up mix)4:47" can be heard in the 2004 movie Walking Tall as well as 2007's Nancy Drew.
"Honey's in Love" is heard briefly in an episode of The L Word in 2005.
"Only You" appears in an episode of the second season of the series Designated Survivor.