Royksopp - Junior

Over the years Royksopp have produced great singles. From ‘Remind Me’ to ‘Eple’ the Norwegian duo have created everything from chart hits to advert soundtracks in one fell swoop. One problem however, is Royksopp’s stability. First album ‘Melody AM’ received a marginal boost but to the general public Royksopp create lounge music, something you can sit back, relax to and ignore.

So it’s a surprise to find their third album, ‘Junior’ has been widely received as their best yet. However unfortunately the band have again cast a shadow over their upcoming album with a single which is physically impossible to stop listening to. The aptly named ‘Happy Up Here’ is what Royksopp do best. From their bloopy mock mobile phone beeps to the light chirpy synths, ‘Happy Up Here’ is the perfect slice of pop. Moving back towards the duo’s biggest hit ‘Eple’, very little vocal is traded for addictive melodies.

Yet after the dance induced single, it’s easy to forget the remainder of the album follows. Second track ‘Girl And The Robot’ is soaked in Swedish goodness as Robyn continues to guest on the majority of the album. Heavier than its predecessor, the album does hint towards a darker direction for the group. You can’t help thinking among ‘This Must Be It’ and ‘Silver Cruiser’, the duo have been looking to Justice for their inspiration. This time the light synths have been swapped for harsh tones which ultimately leads to the album falling short. Unlike the first track, each song is filled with a clash of pure pop and distorted electronics.

There are little pockets among the album however that gives you a bit of light relief. ‘Royksopp Forever’ is a particular highlight as the track slowly builds to the perfect soundtrack for a countryside day out. So forget the singles - if ‘Junior’ is anything to go by in six months time it won’t just be the hits you recognise.