Royksopp – Miss It So Much (ft. Lykke Li) / The Girl and The Robot (ft. Robyn)

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Maybe I’m a little embarrassed at the intense levels of excitement that were coursing through my veins when Royksopp’s Junior made it’s way to my inbox. I finally gave it a proper second listen this morning. My initial listen was vapidly rushed due to the heavy Veckatimest and It’s Blitz listening that was going down this weekend. But a new week has started and I’m ready to re-tackle Royksopp’s utterly fantastic new album, Junior. Look out for an official review later — today I’m only scoping out “Miss It So Much” featuring Lykke Li, and “The Girl and The Robot” featuring Robyn on the vocals.

It may or may not be because I love the music these women put out individually, but these two songs are definitely highlights of mine. I love (heart) them! “Miss It So Much” is as lighthearted as Lykke Li comes, despite the hard-hitting back beats. The light computer sounds cooing with Lykke’s vocals is almost formulaic. They effortlessly mold together. The clockwork-like disruptions of the back beat are more important, still. My mechanical heart/How it tears me apart, Lykke Li whispers as the Radiohead-esque computed percussion thumps into your ears (this is one of those songs that must be heard with headphones/earphones).

[rating:71/100]

One of the more exciting songs on Junior is Royksopp’s collaboration with Robyn. “It’s dawning on me now, that when we were digging for songs we must have been digging east, because in retrospect it’s quite evident that there is a strong Swedish presence on this album — vocally at least,” reflects Svein Berge, one half of the Norwegian electronic duo, as Royksopp spoke to Prefix earlier this year. Junior harbors killer Swedish vocal talents: Lykke Li and Robyn, as well as the Knife’s Karin Dreijer on two separate tracks. Out of these Swedish usherettes, Robyn’s appearance on Junior made the biggest impact in my book. “The Girl and The Robot” gives a tasteful, albeit not very subtle, nod to Justice’s more ominous records (think “Let There Be Light,” “Genesis”), as well as Robyn’s own “With Every Heartbeat.” Even though the song has a definite dark tone, it doesn’t take away from its dancefloor appeal. I expect this song to rule most sweaty playlists this summer of Oh-Nine.

[rating: 77/100]

by Luis Tovar on March 10, 2009 ‡ 0 reactions