Trainspotters are a Laplandic hip-hop duo from Umeå, Sweden known for pioneering a rap style they refer to as "Dirty North." Members Erk (Erik Hörstedt) and George Kaplan (Hannes Sigrell) began working together in 2004 and spent the latter part of the decade releasing mixtapes, snowboarding and skateboarding videos, and essentially forming a small entrepreneurial empire under the Random Bastards banner, which would act as both a record label and creative collective. After releasing singles and performing around Europe and Japan, they made their album debut in 2010 with Dirty North. Co-produced by friend and fellow Random Bastards member Academics, Dirty North was the first in a trilogy of albums that also includes 2013's Bastards! and 2016's Skate or Die. ~ Timothy Monger