Royksopp Junior New Album Review
Electronic Duo’s New CD Featuring Robyn and Karin Dreijer-Andersson
May 11, 2009
Formed in 1998, Royksopp released their first full length album Melody A.M. in 2001. That winter mint chill out debut went on to soundtrack the after parties and coming down times of a new generation of clubbers.
Melody A.M., featuring the hit “So Easy” and other chill out/ lounge classics such as "Remind Me", "Poor Leno" and "Eple", made the UK top ten and hit number one in their native country.
Their follow-up, 2005’s The Understanding, shifted their sound from the lounge to the club via the UK and international charts, and produced the UK top 40 hits "Only This Moment" and "What Else Is There?".
On their new album Junior, Royksopp take the winter chill of their debut album and inject some sunshine while calling up an impressive guest list of Scandinavian vocalists to lend their pipes. The result – their best album to date, and one of the best electronic albums of 2009.
Happy Up Here with the Girl and the Robot
On Junior, Royksopp explore the pop world with the breezy single "Happy Up Here", a bubbly slice of Norwegian goo that's a bright mix of chill out and pop without neglecting the moodier side of electronica such as on “It’s What I Want”, featuring denser vocals by the band. But it's with the second cut "The Girl and the Robot" that Royksopp shine.
Calling on pal Robyn to add the vocals to their take on jealousy and workaholics, Royksopp turn on the synths and crank up the amps on what is easily the best dance song so far this year. Accessible, yet fantastically dour and danceable "The Girl and the Robot" sounds like the best thing either has created in their successful respective careers.
Royksopp Forever
Fans of Royksopp’s moody instrumental soundscapes will enjoy “Royksopp Forever”, a dreamy lounge track featuring strings arranged & performed by Davide Rossi who worked with Goldfrapp on Seventh Tree and Coldplay on Viva la Vida.
The Knife fans eagerly awaiting the follow up to 2006’s Silent Shout can get their fill of lead singer Karin Dreijer-Andersson who adds vocals to two songs on Junior, the electronic spasm “Tricky Tricky” and the club fire cracker “This Must Be It”.
Anneli Drecker, who’s relationship with Royksopp dates back to “Sparks” from Melody A.M., contributes her eerie vocals to three tracks on Junior, “Vision One”, “True to Life”, and the otherworldly “You Don't Have a Clue”, one of the album’s many stand out tracks.
Junior / Senior
On Junior, Royksopp hone their skills as one of the best electronic bands around, proving they can conquer the dancefloor and the lounge while crafting a unique sound to dress up their guests’ vocals. A fantastic record from start to finish that deserves a top spot on any best electronic albums of 2009 list.
Junior is part one of a two album collection that Royksopp plan to release in 2009. Junior is available now from iTunes and Amazon.com. Follow up Senior will be available later this year.
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