Hovland & Marensius: The Story Behind Iris EP and the Birth of COMMA.
Few things in electronic music are as exciting as witnessing a new label emerge with a clear vision and a fresh identity. With the launch of COMMA., Oslo-based producers Hovland & Marensius are stepping forward with a debut release that not only defines their artistic voice but also lays the foundation for something bigger. Their upcoming Iris EP, set for release on February 12, 2025, is a testament to the duo’s evolving sound—a progressive, melodic journey shaped on the dancefloors of Oslo’s most renowned venues.
Get a glimpse into the duo's thoughts behind the project and the vision for their newly launched imprint, COMMA.
“Iris EP” marks your debut release as a duo and the first official release on COMMA. Can you take us through the journey of how this project came together?
Marensius reflects back. “I found Transit on my old computer...” he recalls. “It was just sitting there, unfinished. I played it for Hovland in the studio, and he immediately went, ‘Wait, this is something.’”
Hovland nods, smiling at the memory. “Yeah, I remember hearing that first idea and thinking, ‘Wow, this is special.’ The middle section especially—it just had this natural flow.”
The duo both agree that this was the moment it all started. “From there, we moved it over to my computer and started working on it properly, refining the sound a few times and making it into what it is now.”
Marensius jumps in. “I think that track was the first real moment where we realized we worked well together. We had the same instincts, the same excitement for certain sounds.”
“It kind of just snowballed from there,” Hovland adds. “After Transit, we kept creating, experimenting, and playing a few back-to-back sets, where the track received great feedback. There wasn’t really a big master plan behind it—we were just making music that we enjoyed. Then, at some point, we looked at what we had and realized these tracks worked really well together. That’s how the EP took shape.”
The EP features three tracks—Transit, Ekeberg, and Iris—each carrying a distinct energy and mood. What was the inspiration behind these tracks, and how do they reflect your sound as artists?
Hovland takes the lead. “Each track really tells a different story, but they all come from the same core idea—melodic, progressive, but always evolving.”
Marensius nods in agreement. “Yeah, Transit was the foundation, the first track we finished together. That one had been sitting on my hard drive for a while, but the moment we started working on it, it felt like the right starting point for us.”
“Then came Ekeberg...” Hovland continues, “...that one started in the most random way—we were watching football, and during halftime, we opened a new project just to mess around. We had no intention of making something serious, but the groove started coming together so naturally.”
Marensius laughs. “We actually called the project Pause at first. Because, well, it started during the Premier League halftime break.”
Hovland recalls how quickly it developed. “At one point, Marensius started playing with these gliding synths, and suddenly it all just clicked. We kept passing the laptop back and forth, each adding new elements. By the time we took it into the studio, we knew it had something.”
Then there was “Iris”.
“I had this melody and chord progression that had been floating around for a while,” Hovland explains. “But it wasn’t until we sat down together that it really became what it is now.”
Marensius jumps in. “We added a few more elements, and suddenly it just felt massive. But honestly, I don’t think we understood how big the track could be until we played it live.”
The duo has spent the past year testing their music in Oslo’s clubs, using each crowd reaction as a gauge for refinement. Iris made its debut while supporting one of their musical idols, Jeremy Olander—a moment that solidified the track’s potential.
“That first club test was insane,” Hovland adds. “The reaction was immediate. The song just had a few drum loops and that huge melody back then, but people were just locked into it. That’s when we knew—okay, this track is going to be something.”
You’ve spent the past year testing your music on the dancefloors of Oslo. How has playing live influenced the final versions of these tracks? Were there any surprises in how audiences reacted?
Hovland doesn’t hesitate. “Oh, absolutely. Playing these tracks live changed everything.”
Marensius nods. “I think Iris has been through at least eleven versions now. Every time we played it out, we’d notice something—maybe the bass needed more weight, maybe a section needed to hit harder. The crowd kind of became part of the process.”
Hovland continues: “At one point, we had to move back from the fifth to the second version and do it all over. As well, sharing demos and getting feedback from our audience has been a key part in shaping the track.”
Marensius laughs. “For Ekeberg, I remember testing it at The Villa. It already felt strong in the studio, but when we played it in the Sweatshop, it just locked in perfectly.”
“I played it at Jæger too,” Hovland adds. “Same thing. The reaction was unreal. That’s when I knew we had it right.”
A brief silence follows before Hovland turns to Marensius. “Does the bass need more dBs on Ekeberg?”
Marensius immediately shakes his head. “It’s perfect.”
Hovland continues. “That’s what makes testing music live so important. You can tweak a track forever in the studio, but until you see how people move to it, you don’t really know if it works.”
You have just launched your own label and platform in COMMA., but it seems to be a bit more than that? What’s the bigger vision behind it, and how do you see it evolving in the coming years?
Hovland chooses his words carefully. “From the start, we knew we wanted something more than just a label. COMMA. is a space where we have full creative control, where we don’t have to compromise on our sound.”
Marensius jumps in. “A lot of labels are great, but they come with certain expectations. We didn’t want to be boxed into a specific genre or formula. With COMMA., we can experiment, evolve, and build something that feels completely our own. A home for like-minded artists.”
Hovland continues: “And the path isn’t set in stone. We’re not forcing it into a specific direction—we’re just gonna let it evolve naturally. Whether that means events, collaborations, building a proper digital community, we’ll see where it takes us. What matters is that it grows into something real, something people genuinely want to be part of.”
Marensius agrees. “Yeah, and we want to do it in a way that stands out. Not just another label throwing parties. We want COMMA. to have a real identity, to offer something different.”
Looking Ahead
With Iris EP set for release on February 12, 2025, Hovland & Marensius are defining their sound while laying the groundwork for bigger projects. Their music is personal yet designed for the dancefloor, and with COMMA., they’re creating a space for artists to explore without limits.
Stay tuned for Iris EP and more from COMMA.—this is just the beginning.
“We started on the couch,” Hovland smiles. “Then we took it to the clubs.”
“Now we’re taking it even further,” Marensius finishes.
Listen to the EP:
https://open.spotify.com/album/472lfkGg2N7kAlOwneIHLy
Support and buy on Bandcamp:
https://hovlandmusic.bandcamp.com/album/iris-ep
