Tag: Susanne Sundfør

Röyksopp feat. Susanne Sundfør – Never Ever

“Where have I heard that backing synth sample before?”

Tim: ‘Poor Leno’ hitmakers Röyksopp have teamed up with the also-Norwegian Susanne for the lead single of their upcoming album; it’s not half bad.

Adam: This seems like a bit of a departure for Röyksopp which, judging by the YouTube comments, is not appreciated by all their fans.

Tim: Yeah – it’s quite a lot more mainstream dance-pop than previous outings. In fact, it’s a perfectly decent track to launch a dance-pop album off.

Adam: Röyksopp have stated in a recent press release that they no longer wish to work within the confines of the traditional album format. So probably no dance-pop album coming for you. Maybe you’ll get some singles of a similar nature though?

Tim: Maybe. But Adam. Adam, Adam, Adam. I need your help, because where have I heard that backing synth sample before?

Adam: I’m getting a very distinct disco and funk vibe from the whole track…

Tim: It’s not completely recognisable until that first beat at 0:12 kicks in, and then AAAARGH. It was a dance track, and I’m fairly sure it was successful in Britain, so please tell me you can place it.

Adam: It reminds me a lot of Get Lucky by Daft Punk. Is that what you’re thinking of?

Tim: No, it’s no a stylistic one, just that single two-bard loop. But really, Get Lucky?

Adam: Perhaps similarities between that track and this one is what is turning some fans off. This whole ditching the album for a purely single based approach is something I’ve seen many bands discuss in the past but never fully follow through with. The beauty of it is that nowadays you such quick feedback from fans on what works and what doesn’t.

Tim: I guess so. Though you could also take that as not having the confidence to set out exactly what you want to do in advance.

Adam: I guess we’ll have to see if new musical and creative approaches for Röyksopp pays off.

Susanne Sundfør – Delirious

“Perhaps they were going for a Bond movie opening?”

Tim: “I wanted to write a cinematic song about love and power,” says Susanne of this track. Interested?

Tom: Interested, but skeptical. “Cinematic” is difficult to pull off.

Tim: I think, though I can’t be certain, that the ‘cinematic’ tag must be the reason for the opening noise that’s straight from the surround sound demo at the beginning of every cinema showing, because it sounds very odd and I can’t think of any other reason for it.

Tom: Mm. It’s less “A Day In The Life” and more “Presented in Dolby Surround”, isn’t it?

Tim: Though saying that, the slight weirdness continues throughout the song, really. It’s enjoyable, I’m fairly sure, but the lyrics are mysterious, with referrals to a strangest thing, loving the pain, gun holding, suffering and victims, but there’s never actually any indication of what any of that means.

Tom: Again: it’s “cinematic”. Perhaps they were going for a Bond movie opening?

Tim: Wouldn’t be far off – the music is probably best described as eerie, and to be honest, if it was a film, I’d be leaving in two minds. Somewhat disappointed, having no idea what it was all about, but also a bit satisfied, knowing that I’d seen something quite interesting that did at least hold my attention for the lengthy amount of time.

Tom: It reminded me somewhat of a low-budget version of M83’s gorgeous soundtrack for Oblivion: it doesn’t achieve quite that height, but I can see what it’s going for.

Röyksopp feat. Susanne Sundfør – Running To The Sea

“Not what I expected from a Röyksopp single.”

Tim: I’m not going to introduce this, save to say there’s a studio version here if you’d prefer.

Tim: Doesn’t really need an introduction, you see, because it’s incredible.

Tom: It’s not what I expected from a Röyksopp single, that’s for sure. Or at least, the first part wasn’t.

Tim: No, nor what I expected, but that’s no bad thing. It starts like a quiet piano ballad and holds it for a while, another layer comes in, and then– actually, I could go through it like that but it wouldn’t explain what’s great about it because it’s just not that sort of song. It’s the way it feels that really gets you, the way it surrounds you and gets underneath you, with the vocal that’s both soaring but slightly haunting as well.

Tom: I’m not sure it quite got into me in the same way – it’s a builder, certainly, but it didn’t send shivers up my spine like it seems to have yours. Good track, though.

Tim: Really? Because I think it’s just…well, incredible.