Monday, March 30, 2009
Sing Out Spring Out
Every year, this time of year, there's usually one new song that makes me feels it's unmistakably springtime. This year's burst of April showers and May flowers accompanies the welcome return of Norway's wonderful Röyksopp, makers of pretty, perky and playful electronica-pop, whose albums are always worth the three-year wait.
Just one listen their lead-off single, 'Happy Up Here,' is enough to cheer up any day, or at least de-thaw it somewhat. It's a midtempo delight, more an irresistible funky and melodic riff than an actual song..
Named for a rare Norwegian mushroom, Röyksopp is the duo of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge, who hail from the world's northernmost sizeable city, Tromsø, easily the largest city inside of the Arctic Circle. Trmosø is home to the Arctic Cathedral. The twosome settled way down south in
Bergen, Norway's second largest city and gateway to the fjords.
Watch and listen to the geometric joy of the official 'Happy Up Here' clip. After which, we walk through some of Röyksopp's best moments..
Röyksopp's debut single, 2001's Eple, is a darn-near perkily perfect instrumental..
Christi and I saw the group perform this song among many others at Webster Hall in 2006. Since then, I've used 'Eple' as Christi's personalized ringtone on my iPhone.
From 2006, the hugely popular and very song-structured "Only This Moment" from the group's sophomore album, 'The Understanding.'
My personal Röyksopp favorite, 'Poor Leno,' has nothing to do with the late night talk show host - I thought it was about a lost nine year old boy, but from this animated clip it's actually an ode to a lonely zoo cub...
From 2006, the hugely popular and very song-structured "Only This Moment" from the group's sophomore album, 'The Understanding.'
My personal Röyksopp favorite, 'Poor Leno,' has nothing to do with the late night talk show host - I thought it was about a lost nine year old boy, but from this animated clip it's actually an ode to a lonely zoo cub...
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