Röyksopp have yet to falter. They just know how to do it. And, well, do it again.
From their earliest days with 2001’s largely instrumental Melody AM to their profoundly moving final album (in the traditional sense anyway), 2014’s The Inevitable End, the Norwegian duo continue to sidestep modern trends and craft dreamy, devastating productions that aren’t simply fodder for smoke-blasting, drug-addled EDM festival fuckery.
They also happen to have tremendous taste in collaborators, teaming up with everyone from The Knife‘s Karin to Kate Havnevik (“Only This Moment” — one of my favorite songs of all time!) to several collaborations with the Queen of Sweden herself, Robyn — even a joint EP together.
And then there’s fellow Norwegian talent, Susanne Sundfør (She’s an incredible singer-songwriter in her own right. If you’re unfamiliar, check out Ten Love Songs at once, as well as her “Let Me In” with Kleerup.)
Together, the trio conjured the haunting, soul-piercing “Running To The Sea” — one of my favorite singles of 2013! — and “Save Me,” both of which made their way onto 2014’s The Inevitable End.
Since once is never ever enough, they’re (mercifully) back at at it again, this time with “Never Ever,” and it is major — in an entirely different way.
And, as opposed to making us cry ourselves all the way to the ocean, they’re bringing us onto the dance floor with a euphoric, lovey-dovey blast of ’80s-leaning electro-pop in one of their peppiest moments to date. It is…instant, and incredible. Really. It’s the best song Robyn didn’t give us this year, or, like…NOR•WE•GIAN E•MO•TION.
Every time that I see you, I just wanna stay a while / I want you to be here, don’t wanna be alone tonight…
That earnest chorus? The vaguely retro, glitchy production? That stuttering, Robyn-esque robo-bridge? Yes, yes, YES all the way.
“The whole idea of us going away from the whole album concept was that we do have many musical expressions that we want to do. One of them might be a club track, but we don’t necessarily want to do an album of it. It’s that way with ‘Never Ever’ – we love it, but we don’t need 12 tracks like it,” says Torbjørn.
For those craving some impeccably crafted Scandi disco-pop, you’re in luck: the boys have done us right once again.
“Never Ever” was released on September 9. (iTunes)