Royksopp Junior

• Words: David Hemingway
• Label: Astralwerks
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

The third proper album from Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland is, conversely, both a disappointment and a joy. Though Junior feels like an album that will improve with play, it undeniably lacks the poise of its predecessors. The inclusion of three Swedish female vocalists—Lykke Li, Robyn, and, most successfully, The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson—alongside frequent Norwegian collaborator Anneli Drecker is perhaps a misstep, an over-egging of a pudding. Nevertheless, the album is still largely a delight, as the duo reconfigures the influences they demonstrated on their Back to Mine mix album (Mr. Flagio, Kasso, Pino D’Angio) into a brash, anthemic, and contemporary European pop album.