The Knocks

A production and DJ duo who specialize in melodic, carefree dance music that draws from soul, funk, disco, rap, and pop, the Knocks were formed by James "JPatt" Patterson and Ben "DJ B-Roc" Ruttner. Patterson and Ruttner met at New York City's New School and shared an apartment, where they set up small recording studios in their bedrooms. Early success as remixers, however, enabled them to build their own studio in Manhattan. During 2008 and 2009, Knocks remixes surfaced for Katy Perry ("I Kissed a Girl"), Britney Spears ("3"), Chris Brown ("Beautiful People"), and PRGz ("Soul Glo"). The following year, the duo released their first singles, the sunny "Dancing with the DJ" and the whistling "Make It Better." Over the course of the next few years, the duo's profile was magnified by additional remixes for Tegan and Sara ("Closer"), the 1975 ("Girls"), and Dragonette ("Let It Go"), among others. They also collaborated with Fred Falke for the Kitsuné Music release "Geronimo," as well as Treasure Fingers for "DYWT," released on Fool's Gold Clubhouse. In 2014, signed to Big Beat, they slowed it down a bit for "Classic," one of their funkier and more disco-indebted singles, featuring Powers. Debut album Endisco was slated for release later that same year.