Galantis, the electronic duo of Swedish songwriter-producers Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklow, are debuting a music video for “Help” — a big, pop-infused dance track from their self-titled EP — exclusively on Billboard today.
Even if the name Galantis doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve heard Karlsson and Eklow’s music. Both men have long been plugged into the Swedish pop scene. Eklow, also known as Style of Eye, co-wrote and produced Icona Pop’s smash hit “I Love It” featuring Charli XCX. And Karlsson is a member of Swedish pop band Miike Snow, and half of Bloodshy and Avant, a production outfit that has worked with Madonna and Katy Perry, among others.
The video for “Help” is largely made up of live clips from Galantis’ first major North American tour that kicked off at Coachella in April. The opening shot is of Karlsson and Eklow riding golf carts through the palm tree-lined lanes that surround Coachella’s backstage area.
“It was a mind-blowing excursion, and Coachella was unforgettable,” Karlsson and Eklow said in a release, calling the tour a “solid warm-up” for future shows and hinting at a fall tour.
The duo met in Stockholm in 2007 and formed Galantis in 2012. Last year, they signed to Atlantic’s Big Beat, which put out the six-track Galantis EP in April. Their sound is often described as big room house, a label attached to anthemic, lyric-heavy bangers fit for stadiums and festivals. But there’s thoughtful production to be found here, too. Many of Galantis’ tracks, such as “You,” involve patient build-ups, plenty of tension, and toplines that blend male and female vocals together.
In November, Galantis released a controversial music video for “Smile” that showed people of every shape, size, color, and gender getting it on. The footage focused on their facial expressions, but you’ve got to feel bad for the guy in the YouTube comments who accidentally cued it up at a local bowling alley. In April, they released a music video for “You” that was inspired by the Seafox, a fantastical animal that has become their logo.