Röyksopp, Junior
Bouncy, saucy, synthy, infectious fun
Junior is something of a departure for Röyksopp. The predominately instrumental duo of Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland opt for a more song-based affair this time out, featuring the vocal talents of an assortment of Scandinavian chanteuses. Robyn and Lykke Li are here to represent Sweden, along with Karin Dreijer-Andersson of The Knife, while Anneli Drecker, from Röyksopp's home city of Tromso, ensures Norway has a voice, too.
Fortunately, prominent vocals are the album's only significant change. The typical Röyksoppian playfulness fires the bouncy, infectious "Happy Up Here," Berge and Brundtland making their synthesizer wizardry sound like tremendous fun. Much of Junior conjures the playful young scamp its title suggests (a more reflective album, entitled Senior, will follow before 2009 is out).
Drecker fronts Junior's "Vision One," part dreamy Nordic fantasia, part propulsive pop, while "Miss It So Much" has textural nods to Röyksopp's beloved Vangelis. Best of all, though, is "The Girl and the Robot", in which Robyn plays a woman disgruntled with her automaton-dull boyfriend. "[He] Fell asleep again in front of MTV / God, I'm down at the bottom / no one's singing songs for me," groans the Grammy-nominated Swede as Röyksopp's synths undulate saucily. Fans of Air circa "Sexy Boy" will not be disappointed.
