Artist: Robyn
Album: Body Talk, Pt. 2
Out: September 7th, 2010
Raise your hand if you've heard of Robyn...
Yeah. That's what I thought.
Better question, have you heard Britney Spears' lewdly outlandishly honest single Piece of Me?
Yeah. That was her.
In any case, Robyn has been making mouth-watering Swedish club bangers since 1991. Yeah, that's how long you haven't heard of her. Because she's been doing the freaky pop thing, since Lady Gaga was in diapers, but the problem is that she's just a touch too weird for mainstream American audiences. So she's sold her more "normal" work for more "normal" artists to record. All the while unapologeticly putting out her own music.
This year, Robyn has decided she's going to put out 3 EP's, instead of one full album. At 8 songs each, she's already onto her second one of the year, the next arriving sometime around Christmas. Each offer the same brand of freaky Euro pop as the next, but its always nice to know we have something to look forward to.
The only problem I have with Robyn is that her songs seem to drag on just a tad longer then they should. This is true for album opener, In My Eyes. The chorus is repetitive, but the over all beat of the song is movable. But the record really gets going with the second offering, Include Me Out. It has a strong beat and a big chorus. Its brash, and colorful. It doesn't make sense, like most Swedish pop songs, and Robyn shows off how she was one of the first to coin the Ke$ha trademarked rap-sing pop style.
Hang With Me, which is the EP's one and only single, gets a tad repetitive, but its a prime example of Robyn's knack for weird. It's a terribly sad song, yet its upbeat. Exactly what makes her stand out.
In Love Kills, Robyn shows exactly what I'm talking about, in a four and half minute song that repeats the same line several times, along a beat that isn't strong enough to be on that length of time. Lyrically, its strong statement, but it doesn't have to drone on as long as it does. Same goes for album skipper, We Dance to the Beat, where Robyn just lists a myriad of things one would dance to. A song that is completely unimportant to the record.
But Robyn does hit another home run with Criminal Intent, a fun look at a court room style dance off. Its campy and poppy, and its ear-candy. You'll be remembering this song after your first listen of the record, wanting to keep coming back to listen more.
In the album's only feature, Robyn playfully raps along side Snoop Dogg in the fun and daring U Should Know Better. Snoop and Robyn bounce back and forth between entities that know better then to fuck with them, like the industry, all of Europe, and that guy on the corner. Its a hilarious battle between a 31 year old Swedish pop star and a Godfather of gangsta rap.
At the end of the disc, Robyn offers a string driven cut called Indestructable. I'm sure this will be turned into a true club anthem to become the lead single for Body Talk, Pt. 3, much like Hang With Me was. It's a smart and lyrically catchy pop ballad. You'll find yourself relating to the intense lyrics.
At the end of the day, Body Talk, Pt. 2 won't be doing anything to further Robyn's mainstream career, but if you really want some delightfully different dance music for your iPod, I'd suggest looking here first.
Bottom line: You've never heard of Robyn, and you probably still won't. But you sure as hell should.
Must hear song(s): Include Me Out & Idestructable
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