Customer Reviews

Melody A.M.

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Where do I start with this wonderful little gem? This may be trite by now, but I too was introduced to Royksopp via the Geico Caveman commercial (those joints are funny, right?) Like a previous reviewer, I instantly flew to my computer trying to find the song ("Remind Me"). It wasn't long before I tried to buy the CD, but there was a problem: it was no where to be found within 70 miles of my location. I literally travelled to the capital of my state and still couldn't find it. I despaired, and that's no hyperbole. I could find copies of "The Understanding", their latest CD, in abundance. However, I was told by a DJ acquaintance of mine that Melody AM far out-shined The Understanding.

So about 2 months passed before it finally dawned on me to try Amazon.com (DERR!!) When I received my CD, I popped it in and immediately skipped to "Remind Me" and played it about 10 times before hearing the rest of the disk. I'd read the reviews and expected "Eple" to knock me off my feet...it really didn't, though. Don't get me wrong, it was good and quirky, but this CD didn't become magical for me until #4 "In Space". I heard the intro and was immediately fixated...when the rest of the song dropped in, my mouth hit the floor of my car. This orchestral, celestial music wrapped itself around my heart and as corny as this may sound, I think I teared up for a millisecond.

#5, "Poor Leno", continued to hypnotize me. The melancholy yet beat laden song sealed me as a Roysksopp fan forever. I could vividly imagine hearing the song while looking out at the frozen world atop a sheer cliff somewhere...or while viewing glaciers or something. #7, "Royksopp's Night Out" is another of my favorites. It's so weird...it puts me in the mind of a futuristic carny high, or a night of clubbing that can only be recollected in sparse moments and a blur of faces and drinks. Then comes my baby on the disk, "Remind Me". If you listen to the lyrics, it's such a touching song. I guess it has particular significance for me because I'm prior military and I had to suffer the pain of saying "goodbye" to friends all the time. Anyone who has ever fallen out of touch with a lover or close friend will appreciate this song.

The whole CD is without flaw. And as if that weren't enough, you get four bonus tracks and some music videos thrown in there. In my opinion, the version of "Remind Me" on the bonus disk is just a good, if not better than the original version. The video for it is cool, too. Even the bonus version of "Poor Leno" (#2 on the bonus disk) is awesome, even without the words. You rarely find such a beautiful and generous offering. A previous reviewer said this package was kind of pricey...no, my friend; this package is worth every penny. I dare anyone who is a music lover NOT to become smitten with this disk. Melody AM will forever by in my top 10, and that's not just lip service. Buy it and love yourself for doing so.

Besides it's funky name which is a word for flufball in Norwrgian, Royksopp is an extraordinary group that really stops anyone who's ears grace the sound waves the music rides on. The Norwegian duo is well known for their quirky electronic music that is focused on soft and fuzzy sounds mixed with computerized melodies. If I play it at work, it's almost a guarantee that someone who comes to my office asks what I am listening to.

Eple is my favorite song, and after hearing it once on internet radio I had to track down the creator of it, thus finding all about Royksopp. The song makes me think of electric rain, dripping with illuminating sounds. Poor Leno is another fantastic song, dreamy, and sparkling with originality. It's hard to pick favorite songs are they are all magical in their own light and each one is just as memorable as the last.

Also the song "Eple" which means "Apple" in Norwegian was used as welcoming music to the MAC OS X Panther operating system. Röyksopp's first single "So Easy" became very well known in the UK after it was used in an a T Mobile advertising, so this is the kind of music people stop in their track to listen to yet they have no idea what it is.

Similar artists that can be grouped in Royksopp's category would include Tiga, Deep Dish, Paul Oakenfold, Massive Attack, Orbital, Groove Armada, Faithless, Mylo, Bjork and Telepopmusik.

The music definitely brings in some of it's Nordic roots, where people are so uniquely different as it's fun, catchy and definitely unusual, for lovers of new age, electronica or anything that is off the beaten path.


- Kasia S.

So a new Norwegian group called Royksopp (aka, Torbjorn Brundtland and Svein Berge) have arrived in the states with 'Melody A.M.', which was earlier released overseas. And while many foreign newcomers come into the united music scene every year as a sweet release from mainstream's wannabe punk acts and candy-pop dress dolls who turn naughty the next day because they claim to be "all grown up now", Royksopp rightfully and respectfully deserves the hype!

In a breathless slur of words I guess I'd label this band as being downtempo electronica with a chilled-out culmination of so many different styles that it's nearly impossible to describe! "So Easy" may be a funky song to open up with but it's great to wind down to, which is essential when it comes to healing your aching bones after listening to such songs as the 70s dance influence of "Poor Leno" and the heavy dub pounding of "Royksopp's Night Out", which is gonna get your adrenaline pumpin' as the mind grows delirious and turns your body into an all-night dance machine! It wasn't until I realized that Anneli Drecker from Bel Canto (another Norwegian group) was a guest vocalist on the laid-back grooves of "Sparks" that the coffin was sealed, so to speak, and I went out and purchased the darn thing!

I find this album great to loosen up to when I'm feeling stressed and long to escape from that shadowed veil of pain... The lush tapestries of beautiful synths, strings and keyboards with electronic, almost cinematic space blips drape themselves over heavenly melodies, which are quite soothing to this moonlit_stardreamer so I'm praying that Royksopp is here for the rotation of many moons to come! :-)

I bought this CD because I heard the excerpt in the Geico Caveman commercial. After listening a few times I find that the rest of the music is well worth it if you are into Chill music. My favorite is "Poor Leno". Mainly since I saw the video on Royksopp's website. All of the tracks, the slow ones and the fast one are smooth combination of synths and percussions that blend perfectly. One thing you must know, is that the tracks other than "Remind Me" (the caveman song)are not the kind you would hear on the radio, but you will hear the remixes at you local dance club. The other albums by Royksopp are equally good. I recommend this to any one who like to relax, even when stuck in rush hour traffic. I will make the wait enjoyable. Oh!. . you will problably rush to hear this cd again every time the caveman in the airport comes on.

Besides it's funky name which is a word for flufball in Norwrgian, Royksopp is an extraordinary group that really stops anyone who's ears grace the sound waves the music rides on. The Norwegian duo is well known for their quirky electronic music that is focused on soft and fuzzy sounds mixed with computerized melodies. If I play it at work, it's almost a guarantee that someone who comes to my office asks what I am listening to.

Eple is my favorite song, and after hearing it once on internet radio I had to track down the creator of it, thus finding all about Royksopp. The song makes me think of electric rain, dripping with illuminating sounds. Poor Leno is another fantastic song, dreamy, and sparkling with originality. It's hard to pick favorite songs are they are all magical in their own light and each one is just as memorable as the last.

Also the song "Eple" which means "Apple" in Norwegian was used as welcoming music to the MAC OS X Panther operating system. Röyksopp's first single "So Easy" became very well known in the UK after it was used in an a T Mobile advertising, so this is the kind of music people stop in their track to listen to yet they have no idea what it is.

Similar artists that can be grouped in Royksopp's category would include Tiga, Deep Dish, Paul Oakenfold, Massive Attack, Orbital, Groove Armada, Faithless, Mylo, Bjork and Telepopmusik.

The music definitely brings in some of it's Nordic roots, where people are so uniquely different as it's fun, catchy and definitely unusual, for lovers of new age, electronica or anything that is off the beaten path.


- Kasia S.

The term "Chill out music" has been floating around a lot this year, and I still have not managed to grasp the full understanding of it's meaning. I mention this because Royksopp has been lumped into this category which seems to encompass every electronic act that puts out albums consisting of more minimal, less dancy numbers, especially if they're from another country like France or Sweden -- where they are different. Air, Moby, Zero Seven and Massive Attack have all become "staples" of this new genre, and along with them is this curious duo from Norway. It is important to mention however, that this album by far stands above the rest. Royksopp's ability to put together dreamy beats, appropriately placed vocals and brilliant samples makes this album the perfect soundtrack to a movie that has not been made. Is it the soundtrack to your life story?? You will never know unless you listen... Perfect for warm weather and a long drive.

I came across this disc quite by accident - I like to listen to groovy chillout music in the background while working on the computer, and while listening to the Ultra Chill collection on my Mac with iTunes, I noticed a track titled "Eple" which stood out for me in some ways - I kept playing it again and again. I decided that Royskopp was an act I wanted to know more about, so I purchased the CD through Amazon (it wasn't available in my local shops). Infectious grooves, warm atmospherics.... a dreamy, flowing experience from one track to the next. A superb addition to your collection! "So Easy" is another standout track, but it's all good.

Simply superb music. It may sound awkward at first, but like my title says, it improves immensely upon future listenings. From the instantly catchy single "Poor Leno" to the sparse bleep-bloop blast of "Eple", Röyksopp's "Melody A.M." is just a plain fun album.

An interesting note is that Röyksopp's music reminds you of other electronic artists, but comes off sounding startlingly original. "In Space" reminds me of Air, "A Higher Place" sounds like Moby and "40 Years Back" sounds like Björk, minus her vocals. Yet, all these songs rise above their influences to sound like...well, Röyskopp. Even when they sample music from "2001: A Space Odyssey" on "Röyksopp's Night Out", it fits perfectly with their sounds and ideas.

Of course, receiving a bonus disc of excellent remixes and mind-blowing videos is just the icing on the cake. Someone Else's Mix of "Remind Me" adds a mainstream bounce to the original that's so catchy, it was the version chosen for the enclosed music video. Meanwhile, Röyksopp takes their own song, "Poor Leno", and reworks it with an anthemic Istanbul Forever Take worthy of Daft Punk. The enhanced CD contains the heart-breaking video for "Poor Leno", the innovative video for "Remind Me" and the photographic kaleidoscope that is "Eple".

Overall, "Melody A.M." is a sweeping, cinematic electronic excursion. The fact that it comes with a bonus disc should convince any skeptics to purchase it, not download it.

Melody AM is the debut cd by Norwegian duo Röyksopp. It is dreamy (almost haunted), ethereal, electronic, mostly instrumental music, with eerie vocals sweeping in and out in places.

`So easy' opens the cd with a stomping beat, beautiful music with vocals rising in and out, sounding like part of the soundscape.

`Eple' is a technological wonder, electronica at it's finest. Richly textured, the song sweeps up, down and sideways, with bleeps and soaring synths.

`In space' is another beauty, with tumbling sounding keyboards and swooping, electronic strings.

`Remind me' reminds me (pun intended) of the Pet Shop Boys in their hey day, razor sharp synth work, a great dance beat, and soothing, easy sounding vocals. One of few sung performances on this cd, the others being `Poor Leno' and the tender `Sparks'.

If you love electronic/dance music, and are looking for something different and wildly innovative, it will be tough finding a cd more beautiful and satisfying than this.

I was in the Tower Records in Picadilly Circus (London) when a lovely lady said "try this" -- so I did. A meloncholy experience as I was so mesmorised by the music and where it was taking me (I listened to nearly the entire cd) that I thoroughly missed what could have been a wonderful "meeting."

. . . Ah, what one sacrifices for a wonderful new band.