Carlo CruzBubbly and eccentric with spatterings of sound effects, Tennyson’s atmospheric cacophonies have gained attention worldwide. Rooted in jazz but having wandered into the realm of self-described electronic “pineapple pop,” the Edmonton band’s blend of sounds are truly unique.
Luke Pretty, 21, began creating Tennyson music at 12 and has been at it ever since. Now, he and his 19-year-old sister Tess, have played around Europe, the United States, Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Australia — not to mention shows in Canada and their hometown of Edmonton.
Luke and Tess have been playing music as long as they can remember. Their father, a drummer, encouraged them to pursue the art as kids, playing jazz, blues, and classics like the Beatles, and busking around town. For Luke, making music came naturally.
“Before I grew up and had this awareness of myself,” he says, “I had these skills.”
Tess joined Tennyson in her mid-teens. With Luke on production and keyboard and Tess on drums, the band’s music harkens to the work of Mount Kimbie and 123Mrk.
After the duo began posting their music on Soundcloud over four years ago, they gained such a following that Ryan Hemsworth, a Toronto-based electronic musician and producer, found their music and shared it with his manager, who ended up picking the duo up. According to Luke and Tess, the internet is really what’s been responsible for their success.
“I have had these waking nightmares that my Soundcloud would get shut down … we could maybe kinda recover from it, but it would never be quite the same. It’s such an important (part of our) fan base,” Luke says.
Recently, Tennyson has been involved in creating music with Red Bull Sound Select, a project that showcases and connects artists in the music industry. After being flown down to their studio in L.A., Luke teamed up with hip-hop/electronic artist Mr. Carmack to create three songs in three days, producing a trio of songs — one of which featured Grammy-award winning BJ the Chicago Kid.
“We’re proud to be Edmontonians. I just want to make sure people know,” Tess says. “You gain a certain appreciation — I think at some point most people hate where they grew up. But we spent half a year not here and now (that) we’re back I’m like, ‘Wow, I really love this place.’ Also it’s nice, after playing a show, to go back to your own house.”
You can find their music on SoundCloud below, and for more info on where you might be able to catch a Tennyson performance next, check out their Facebook.
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