The Understanding
In 2002, the Norwegian duo of Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland found a sweet spot between wispy
Moon Safari-style pop and Boards of Canada-like atmospherics on the widely-admired
Melody A.M. The Understanding sounds relatively absent-minded, careening around the room like a panicky fly. Some of it works well; the bouncy "Only This Moment" resembles Fischerspooner at their silliest (and thus, most fun), while "49 Percent" gets a huge lift from a New Jack vocal courtesy of Chelonis R. Jones. But the record is too often thwarted by syrupy synth-pop ("Follow My Ruin") as well as the lack of shifty downtempo rhythms and avant-garde underpinnings that kept
Melody so pleasantly grounded. They haven’t lost their knack for subtle hooks and well-placed cross-rhythms, like the slippery keyboard squibble that glides its way into "What Else Is There?" But the sophomore curse is hard to overcome, and though there’s plenty here to recommend, Berge and Brundtland aren’t able to break the spell. –
Matthew Cooke
Futures
Limited Edition;
Customer Review:
Pure Norwegian Bliss... Get the "repeat" button ready!
I originally heard of the Norwegian group Royksopp when visiting Amsterdam. I had MTV Europe on in my hotel room (MTV Europe actually still plays music, what a concept!) and I saw the video for "Poor Leno" and was instantly hooked. Of course, when you hear a song so instantly infectious to your ears, you think, how the heck can they possibly follow this up?
The answer is "The Understanding," an absolute gem of a disc that builds on the bands beginnings and takes their music one step beyond, creating swirling cinematic melodies coupled with beautiful, emotive, yet understated vocals. The first single and video, "Only This Moment" is sublime. (Be sure to check out the video online at the Astralwerks website.) The song is plaintive, emotional, melancholy, and at the same time "funky", albeit in a Norwegian Electronica sort of way.
I have had this disc for two weeks and it has yet to leave my CD player. Call it electronica, dance, downtempo,or whatever you like... this music is gorgeous and cinematic. Music based in electronica can sometimes be cold and inaccessible, but Royksopp know how to put emotion in their music. Royksopp's music is rather hard to categorize... Let's call it "Norwegian Bliss".
Note: The limited edition 2CD set is worth the extra few dollars! It includes bonus tracks, mainly instrumental, unavailable elsewhere.
The understanding of why different could be mediocre
Fist of all, Royksopp's newest album "The Understanding", does not suck by any means. It is a great album that shows the musical duo's depth. It also shows their ability to evolve and make a sound that is entirely unique (just like with their first album.)But just like with evolution, there is always something that gets left behind. In the case of The Understanding, it seems as though the older, raw, retro-synthish, old-skool electro-popish Royksopp that we all came to love so much, grew up and matured into something that we arent sure how to deal with. Maybe I will learn to love the new evolved Royksopp as much as the old one, hopefully. But I dont think I could ever give up those days of listening to Melody A.M. on vinyl,,,,,,,ahhhh how nostalgic! But hey, dont think that the new album is not worth picking up, any true Royksopp fan needs it....So check it out, and maybe you will see that I was wrong!
Excellent, but unexpected
The Melody A.M. album is one of my all-time favorites. Something about it transcends any particular genre, and I find that I can listen to it in the company of other electronic music, pop, world, classical or jazz and it just feels... at home.
The Understanding is an entirely different story. While some tracks sound "characteristically Röyksopp," many sound like they're by a different duo altogether. That's not to say the album isn't fantastic, but the sound wasn't quite what I was expecting. I agree with those who label this album as a little more "pop" or a little more "dance" than the "electronic" label of Melody.
The bonus tracks are interesting, but not really all that exciting (at least after listening to them all twice through). Choosing between this and the standard album (with its more appropriate CD-insert booklet) should be the hardest part for you. Definitely pick this up.
Keywords: Ambient Breakbeat;
Club/Dance;
Dance;
Dance Music;
Downbeat;
Euro-Dance;
Pop;
Trip-Hop;
