Royksopp

Melody A.M.
$18.98
You must really hate electronic music and be close minded to it to not get enjoyment out of this. Royksopp may not be the most original electronic artist in the world, and this gets lumped in the same category as that abomination called Thievery Corporation. Of course, I am alot harder to impress with electronic music, these days, and it takes a ____load to even get me interested (DAMN YOU AMON TOBIN!!!).

There really isn't a limit to the warm blanket this album pushes over me. Warm string sounds, some cool beats (Eple! So Easy!), and ambiance, ambiance, ambiance! They really know what the concept of ambiance is. Echos, textures, deepness, a layer of warmth that you never will want to part with. They also know how to inject real warmth and a natural, organic touch. They even throw some pleasant vocals in for good measure. Really though, it's kind of hard not to get some enjoyment for what it is. I can understand things like Eple (some people don't like bleeps and bloops), but In Space? I don't think so. At least those strings at the beginning. Beautiful stuff.

Those who know about GEICO's hilarious (at least before it became played out thanks to idiots. You know the type) Caveman commercials, well one of the songs is for you. Remind Me plays in the background of the airport one. Yeah, I had no idea it played in the background actually, I never remembered a thing. So yes, I heard of these guys not because of the commercial =).

Okay, so you want to know what to expect, do Yah? I will now give you a hands on of this great album. See comment box for instructions (no, seriously. It WILL help)!

Oh, I didn't care for 40 Years Back, A Higher Place as much. They weren't that bad. I also really don't think it's worth quite the five stars, but that's my opinion, anyway. Your's might be different. I'm just here to describe what I got out of it.

The concept of Downtempo often lies in combining ambient music with laid back beats for a lounge feel (further reading on ________). Melody AM has both and a human touch that cannot be ignored. It goes through my body and does it's stuff right, and even makes me dance an infectious groove. So Easy to Enjoy, A Caveman Could Love It! Really, most HUMAN people will enjoy something out of this. Unless, of course, your a classical music snob who thinks anything that requires electricity to play or based on that is automatically soulless.

8/10

Junior
$7.99
Reading the reviews here I get the sense that a lot of folks find the album too easy, too happy, and too poppy - as if a pop album is some sort of a condescension. What i'm saying is that just because a record is easy to enjoy on first listen it isn't necessarily throwaway. Royksopp have done something here that I daresay a lot of their peer groups will envy - they've put out a record with truly mass appeal. Great melodies, great hooks, airtight production. This album will sell songs and sellout concerts across europe that hipsters like you and I (admit it) would beg steal or borrow to attend.
'Happy up here' took me a few listens.. I first thought it an inferior 'eple'. Rather it's the albums bridge from Melody a.m. directly to Junior, the thicker beat giving it away. 'The Girl and the Robot' was my first favorite. The hook on this track is such heat; and its delivered by Robyn with a -forgive this- a melancholy sass that I figure pop queens world over (save, of course, for Gwen Stephanie) can only aspire to. At a party this is a floor filler. Same for 'Vision One' Here Royksopp get's as near as they will to Justice synths - something I found admirable considering the groups are more or less in the same league and Justice formula of sledgehammered beats on top of lightning stricken hi-hats has made them the more popular duo.. Justice may punch harder but I call Royksopp the more creative of the two.. (on a flight of fancy I once spent many minutes wondering which group would win in a fist fight. leather and denim notwithstanding it would almost certainly end in a draw) The track has bottom that you can feel in your chest, perfect for the dance floor. Plus the lyrics are actually pretty deep.
The instrumentals range from fair to very good - 'Royksopp Forever' is a simmering volcano and its payoff is a bomb orchestral with a nice heavy low end. I won't detail every track but suffice to say that by the time I got to 'True to Life', a dance track so hot it cancells out 'Royksopp's Night Out' I felt a little unworthy. Coming at the end of an already 4 star album the song feels like philanthropy. Here they focus mostly on the beat as if to say "no matter dope you tink your party was, it has not yet climaxed. Because THIS is the climax." The track is frankly stunning. I highly recommend this album.

Junior
$15.98
Reading the reviews here I get the sense that a lot of folks find the album too easy, too happy, and too poppy - as if a pop album is some sort of a condescension. What i'm saying is that just because a record is easy to enjoy on first listen it isn't necessarily throwaway. Royksopp have done something here that I daresay a lot of their peer groups will envy - they've put out a record with truly mass appeal. Great melodies, great hooks, airtight production. This album will sell songs and sellout concerts across europe that hipsters like you and I (admit it) would beg steal or borrow to attend.
'Happy up here' took me a few listens.. I first thought it an inferior 'eple'. Rather it's the albums bridge from Melody a.m. directly to Junior, the thicker beat giving it away. 'The Girl and the Robot' was my first favorite. The hook on this track is such heat; and its delivered by Robyn with a -forgive this- a melancholy sass that I figure pop queens world over (save, of course, for Gwen Stephanie) can only aspire to. At a party this is a floor filler. Same for 'Vision One' Here Royksopp get's as near as they will to Justice synths - something I found admirable considering the groups are more or less in the same league and Justice formula of sledgehammered beats on top of lightning stricken hi-hats has made them the more popular duo.. Justice may punch harder but I call Royksopp the more creative of the two.. (on a flight of fancy I once spent many minutes wondering which group would win in a fist fight. leather and denim notwithstanding it would almost certainly end in a draw) The track has bottom that you can feel in your chest, perfect for the dance floor. Plus the lyrics are actually pretty deep.
The instrumentals range from fair to very good - 'Royksopp Forever' is a simmering volcano and its payoff is a bomb orchestral with a nice heavy low end. I won't detail every track but suffice to say that by the time I got to 'True to Life', a dance track so hot it cancells out 'Royksopp's Night Out' I felt a little unworthy. Coming at the end of an already 4 star album the song feels like philanthropy. Here they focus mostly on the beat as if to say "no matter dope you tink your party was, it has not yet climaxed. Because THIS is the climax." The track is frankly stunning. I highly recommend this album.

What Else Is There ?
$0.99