Artist
Infernal
Why we feature this artist A pop chorus with the room already moving Infernal make dance-pop with an unusually direct sense of arrival. The rhythm establishes its purpose quickly, then Lina Rafn’s voice gives the chorus a firm outline. The songs are bright and…
- From
- Denmark
- Sound
- Dance-pop, electro house, Eurodance
- Active
- 1997–present
Start with the music
Tracks to explore
The artist, in context
The story of Infernal
Why we feature this artist
A pop chorus with the room already moving
Infernal make dance-pop with an unusually direct sense of arrival. The rhythm establishes its purpose quickly, then Lina Rafn’s voice gives the chorus a firm outline. The songs are bright and energetic, but the delivery has enough edge to stop the production from becoming merely decorative. A melody sounds as though it wants to take charge of the room.
The Danish story before the international single
The project began in Denmark in the 1990s, with Rafn and Paw Lagermann becoming its central duo. Infernal Affairs in 1998 and Waiting for Daylight in 2000 established a wider catalogue before “From Paris to Berlin” made the name familiar to many listeners outside Denmark.
The From Paris to Berlin album appeared in 2004, with the title song reaching its major UK audience in 2006. Its repeating vocal shape and tightly framed instrumental hook make the record exceptionally quick to recognise. The arrangement lets the chorus do the decisive work, using the rhythm to keep the momentum steady beneath it.
The album gives the bright surface more colours
Electric Cabaret followed in 2008, extending the interest in polished dance production and a more theatrical pop presentation. Songs around the breakthrough, including “Ten Miles” and “I Won’t Be Crying”, provide useful ways of hearing the duo beyond the most unavoidable refrain.
A good introduction moves from the title single into the albums around it. The appeal is in the consistency of the musical decisions: the vocal is clear, the hooks have a definite shape and the instrumental parts know when to make room. Infernal’s best moments also leave some tension inside that efficiency. Rafn can make a line sound determined rather than simply cheerful, giving the large chorus a little more emotional weight than the brightness of the backing initially suggests.
Essential releases
Waiting for Daylight
A useful view of the project before the international breakthrough.
From Paris to Berlin
The album around the defining single and the most immediate first listen.
Electric Cabaret
A wider, theatrical continuation of the duo’s dance-pop identity.