It's the homestretch of our countdown of the 50 best songs of 2009. Surely you'll be able to find a favorite or two of yours amongst the collection of tracks we've assembled. If not, sorry to hear it, but give the following a good listen.
Röyksopp's Junior doesn't break any new ground for pop. On the contrary, it treads much of the same land as most of the current European electropop scene already does. However, it still comes off as a fresh, original and downright enjoyable listen. From the opening laughs of "Happy Up Here," to the furious wall of sound on finale "It's What I Want," the album bursts with energy and youthfulness at every turn. Each inch of Junior is littered with the type of raw power every pop act wishes they could possess, but rarely succeed in harnessing.
Even with all of the acclaim the Norwegian duo has received since its formation in 1998, no accolades seem to do it the proper justice. Rather than embrace the more ambient soundscapes which Röyksopp has gained a fair amount of notoriety from, Junior is an open assault on the senses. The music is so vivid and vibrant that you can both feel and see it, with the right amount of imagination. From song to song, the possibilities seem to be endless, and realistically, they are. The group has gotten to the point in their careers where anything will work, and in this case, the results are anything but reserved. It's a bold statement from one of Europe's finest-- a bright, and positively adventurous album worth every second of its run time.
Since we do have lives outside of this site, it is often difficult to review more than one album per week. With that in mind however, there's no reason why we can't talk about good music after it is released to the general public. This is where "Happy Up Here" fits in. As the opening track for Norwegian electronic pop group, Röyksopp's new album, Junior, the song throws you right into the synth-powered dance party that comprises the remainder of the record. It's a great tone-setter, and harkens listeners to the group's hit 2001 effort, Melody A.M. However, overall, "Happy Up Here" is part of very different record entirely, as Junior appeals to a much broader crowd in my opinion, especially in the midst of the current dance-pop craze going on within the indie scene.
For those who may not already be associated with Röyksopp, they are a Norwegian electronic pop group (as mentioned earlier), existing since 1998. Though they may not be known throughout the U.S., they are extremely popular in Europe, even winning the MTV Europe Music Award for best video in 2002. Many will probably also know some of their earlier work, "Remind Me" and "So Easy," from the early Geico "Caveman" adds and T-Mobile UK commercials, respectively. If you enjoy a good beat and feeling like you're sitting in an Eastern European rave club, this is probably your jam. Even if you're skeptical though, I'd still give it a quick listen below.
Animal Noises is a blog about music, both old and new, and how it stands up in the current music scene. The staff-- John, the editor, with contributions from Matt-- uses their various music backgrounds to intelligently discuss artists and albums, focusing on the good, while not avoiding the bad. We focus on sub-genres of rock, electronic music and hip hop, but don't be surprised to see the occasional wildcard too.
It's the homestretch of our countdown of the 50 best songs of 2009. Surely you'll be able to find a favorite or two of yours amongst the collection of tracks we've assembled. If not, sorry to hear it, but give the following a good listen.
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