Royksopp - Junior

Royksopp's got the funk, and not the sexually transmitted, itchy kind. I have to say that this is not their best album, but then again, when you make a killer like Melody AM, it's hard to keep up.

This is the first of a two-album set, Junior/Senior. The first album is a spring album, while Senior will be released in the fall.

This album has all the breezy, bouncy, floaty moments of Melody AM with their hit "Happy Up Here", which samples Parliament's single "Do That Stuff". Seriously, if you're sampling Parliament, you've got the funk. There's quite a few other upbeat tracks on the album including "The Girl and the Robot" featuring Swedish singer Robyn. You know, I had no idea who this chick was until I saw her picture.

Remember her? I vaguely remember her having some sub-par, one-hit wonder, pop hit on the radio for three seconds here in the states perhaps in the mid-late 90's? Who knew she was huge in Sweden? It makes me feel a lot better about telling people that I'm big in Japan.

I digress, back to the album: They brought back Anneli Dreckler from their first album for three tracks: "Vision One", "You Don't Have A Clue", and "True To Life". The first two are pretty good, but "True To Life", while not bad, just doesn't seem to fit into this album. It's like they recorded this album, decided it wasn't long enough, and threw this song in at the end. I think it would have suited their upcoming autumn album, Senior, better, as well as "Silver Cruiser". "Silver Cruiser is badass, but wayyyy chill. If I was underwater and in a coma, this would be the song playing in my head. It's moody and dark and floaty...and I like it!

Other female vocalists recruited for this album include Lykke Li on "Miss It So Much", a bubbly, synth-laden track, and prior collaborator Karin Dreijer-Andersson of The Knife on "This Must Be It" and "Tricky Tricky". I really don't like Dreijer-Andersson's voice. I'm sorry, but I just don't. I didn't like her on "Only This Moment" off of The Understanding and I don't like her now. She's just another Bjiork wannabe. I don't like Bjiork either, but at least she was semi-original.

"Royksopp Forever" is absolutely epic, much like "Triumphant". I want to put this song on and run up a million stairs and scream "ADRIANNNNNN" at the top of my lungs.

All in all, it's a fair album. I really wish they would stop working with Karin Dreijer-Andersson. Other than that, it's a good album with at least one hit and I'm looking forward to the release of Senior. I'm hoping this album will make more sense after that. B

Royksopp's Website