Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 (2010)

×

Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 (2010)

Close

Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn, is a Swedish soprano vocalist. Robyn became known in 1997 for the worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know (What It Takes)" from her debut album, Robyn Is Here. The popularity of her UK number-one "With Every Heartbeat" and her 2005 album, Robyn, brought her international success. Australian Dance Albums Chart [60], Belgian Albums Chart [61], Canadian Albums Chart [62], European Top 100 Albums [46], Irish Albums Chart [63], Swiss Albums Chart [64], UK Albums Chart [43], US Billboard 200 [50], In June 2010 Robyn released the first album of a trilogy, Body Talk Pt. 1 (her first album since Robyn), which reached number one. Its lead single, "Dancing on My Own", was released several weeks before the album and received a Best Dance Recording nomination for a 2010 Grammy Award. Body Talk Pt. 2 was released on 6 September and debuted at number one on the Swedish chart. The trilogy's final album, Body Talk, was released on 22 November with "Indestructible" its lead single; "Call Your Girlfriend" was the album's second single. In May 2015 Robyn announced a new music project, La Bagatelle Magique.

~ wiki

×

Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 (2010)

Close

×

Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 (2010)

Close

Robyn's 2005 self-titled album showed that when she was free to do whatever she wanted, she could do just about anything. However, it took a while for Robyn to reach all of her listeners – the U.S. had to wait until 2008 to discover it was a modern pop classic – and during that time, she amassed enough songs to fill three mini-albums. Since she doesn’t have to prove what she can do in the confines of one release, Body Talk, Pt. 1 is a more focused listen than Robyn was. At eight songs long, it’s also leaner, and a little meaner: Robyn sounds more frustrated and assertive than ever on “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do,” a hard-edged dance track topped by a litany of everything that’s killing her: her shoes, her diet, her manager, her label. The words and tension are so dense that there’s no room for any musical embellishment besides stark beats and synths, and it’s not till the song is almost finished that Robyn finally lashes out with the song’s titular chorus. She’s not afraid to brag on the dancehall-tinged “None of Dem” and Diplo-produced “Dance Hall Queen,” but her boasts are more tempered than Robyn's taunts. Instead, she shows that she’s as independent as ever in different ways – most often by displaying her vulnerability. As revved-up as Robyn sounds on “Fembot,” there’s a sensitive undercurrent behind Klas Åhlund's whiz-bang production, and though “Cry When You Get Older”’s melody is pure bubblegum simplicity, Robyn's advice to boys and girls (“love hurts when you do it right”) is anything but. She can also capture the heartache of a fiercely independent woman like few others, and “Dancing on My Own”'s wounded strength and soaring melody make it Body Talk, Pt. 1's “With Every Heartbeat.” The album takes a much more intimate turn as it closes, with the acoustic version of “Hang with Me” finding a unique perspective on being “just friends”; the traditional Swedish song “Jag Vet en Dejlig Rosa” (I Know of a Lovely Rose) ends the album with Robyn singing of a faraway love with just a vibraphone accompanying her. Capturing the freedom and loneliness of independence, Body Talk, Pt. 1 is a concise set of songs on its own, and an impressive first third of the whole ambitious project.

by Heather Phares, AMG

×

Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 (2010)

Close

Robyn declared her independence on Body Talk Pt. 1, but on the project's second volume, two's company. Trading hard-edged dance floor assaults for softer but still sleek sounds, she sings the praises of companionship and support and proves that stylish, cutting-edge pop doesn't have to be competitive or egotistical. This friendly vibe is apparent from the beginning of "In My Eyes," which opens Body Talk Pt. 2 with a sweet, and catchy, message of reassurance to misfits and outsiders. Bookended by Robyn's assurances that "It's gonna be OK!," it couldn't be more different than "Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do," Body Talk Pt. 1's opening salvo. Even on more kinetic tracks like "Include Me Out" and "We Dance to the Beat," it's all about sharing the groove, not dancing on one's own. Speaking of which, Pt. 2's single "Hang With Me" is just as good as "Dancing on My Own." It appeared on Pt. 1 as a somber yet hopeful acoustic ballad, but here she gives it the full Robyn treatment, with longtime producer Klas Ahlund transforming it into emotionally complex pop that rivals Robyn's "Be Mine!" Meanwhile, the acoustic "Indestructible" and "Love Kills" reflect the downside of needing someone, whether it's reaching beyond past hurts for new love or dealing with a breakup's immediate aftermath. Hip-hop tinged tracks featuring Diplo ("Criminal Intent") and Snoop Dogg (the exuberant "U Should Know Better") help maintain the mini-album's connection with Body Talk Pt. 1 while maintaining the set's own identity. Two thirds of the way through the Body Talk project, it's clear that this experiment is reaping rich rewards for Robyn and her listeners.

by Heather Phares, AMG