Wednesday, November 17, 2010

RÖYKSOPP OFFER DUELING DANCEFLOOR DELIGHTS



Röyksopp need no introduction. Even if you don't recognize the name, you've likely heard and loved the music. Apple commercials? Those ubiquitous caveman ads? Video game after video game? Check, check, check. So it goes without saying that The MuseBox's relationship with the Scandinavian micro-madness duo is pretty much at "blind-faith" status now. Which makes the deftly delightful Senior all the more gratifying for being such a knockout.

With the international smash of 2009's Junior still on their hands, Svein Berge and Tobjørn Brundtland opted to cool things off considerably with the follow up. The all-instrumental answer was recorded during the same sessions as Junior, and sounds like the last record's submissive, somnambulant twin. At nine tracks, Senior is an ambient wash of haze and texture, but undeniably crafted by the radio-ready hands of Röyksopp.

Berge and Brundtland explain: "The two albums (Junior and Senior) have a kinship, in that they represent Röyksopp's two very different artistic expressions. Junior - with emphasis on vocals, accessible melodies and harmonies - has the energy, the inquisitive temper and confident "hey-ho, let's go!" attitude of youth, whereas Senior is the introverted, dwelling and sometimes graceful counterpart - brimful with dark secrets and distorted memories, insisting, "I'm old, I've got experience...” Senior is furthermore an album about age, horses and being subdued - with devils breathing down your neck."

With the digital release out this week (October 26th), with a physical bow slated for November 23rd, the record is still building buzz off of the interstellar slowdown soundtrack, "The Drug."

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