January 5, 2009

Progress Report: Röyksopp

Twice a week, Jessica Suarez's Progress Report updates you on what your favorite bands have been doing. Or not doing.

NAME: Röyksopp
PROGRESS REPORT: Wrapping up their third studio LP, Junior, recorded "all over the world."

As reported here a couple weeks back, Norwegian duo Röyksopp just celebrated 10 years together. And like good friends (or an old married couple) do when they hit an anniversary, members Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland exchanged gifts. "I gave Torbjørn an iced-out saxophone and a crate of fireworks because it reflects his personality," Berge says. "And he gave me a flame-thrower and a can of wax for the same reasons." Fortunately Röyksopp fans will get an even better present from the band, a new studio album entitled Junior, out March 23.

Longtime fans will also be glad to know Junior isn't far from the Röyksopp they love: "If Melody A.M was a relaxed journey inwards on a Sunday afternoon--and The Understandingwas more uptempo, with more vocals and a hint of melodic catchiness--then the new album is a mix of the two."

The jetsetters, whose last studio album came out in 2005, finished Junior "all over the world." The album's guest vocalists come from close to home, however. Röyksopp enlisted help from Swedes Robyn, Lykke Li, and Karin Dreijer of the Knife, as well as fellow Norwegian Anneli Drecker, who appeared on Röyksopp's debut LP, Melody A.M. They finished recording and engineering in Bergen, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and London. All the traveling must have contributed to the band's deep sense of well-being. "In terms of the album, we're just finished," Berge explains. "On a personal level, I'd say we're one step away from reaching omnipotent enlightenment."

Though Berge says they avoid direct influences, he and Brundtland are huge movie and comic book fans, which may influence them subconsciously--or at least influence their sense of omnipotence. But the title of their next album is neither a comic book or a movie reference. "Anyone should be at liberty to think it's a reference to a man's cock," Berge says. "Our concept though, is somewhat different. But we cannot reveal it at this stage. Not yet." It wouldn't be a surprise if it were a cock reference -- Berge says he and Brundtland spent their non-Röyksopp time hanging out and socializing, a lot. "Or in the words of Jarvis Cocker, 'Dance and drink and screw, 'cause there's nothing else to do.' Although not necessarily with each other." According to the awesome, almost-monochrome birthday photo, Röyksopp have spent time clothes shopping and working with new stylists. "One shouldn't underestimate the power of two ugly faces," Berge says. "So for those who thought we didn't give a shit, we do--we run a tight ship you know."

Here's the tracklist for Junior:
01. "Happy Up Here"
02. "The Girl And The Robot"
03. "Vision One"
04. "This Must Be It"
05. "Röysopp Forever"
06. "Miss It So Much"
07. "Tricky Tricky"
08. "You Don't Have A Clue"
09. "Silver Cruiser"
10. "True To Life"
11. "It's What I Want"

"Happy Up Here" will be out as a single in early March.

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Posted at 10:50 AM by Jessica in Progress Report
Tags: Lykke Li | Röyksopp | Robyn | The Knife