The thing I like most about Royksopp is their ability to transform themselves again and again. Many fans were left wondering what Royksopp’s second album, The Understanding, would sound like, but instead of being a mirror image of their first album, Royksopp chose to go a different route. The Understanding was a bit more edgy and energetic. It still retained some resemblances of the soothing and tranquil sound of Melody Am, but they managed to branch out onto new ground.
The one main difference between, The Understanding and their previous album are the addition of more vocals and electro-beats. The lyrics to many of the songs aren’t very meaningful or clever, yet they are appealing when combined with soothing and tranquil sound created by the background beats. Many of the lyrics deal with that of relationships, heart break and love. Don’t let that fool you, because the atmosphere created by it can still be enjoyable while unwinding with some friends.
The Understanding album starts off slowly with classical style instrumentals. These emotionally filled tracks continue progressing throughout the cd with songs such as 49%, What else is there, and Beautiful day without you. These are probably the most recognized tracks on the cd. The album hits a crescendo with the energetic sound of the song Circuit Breaker. After that, the cd pretty much loses momentum and finishes off with a couple of more instrumental tracks.
All in all, Royksopp’s The Understanding is a well-rounded cd. Computerized sound combined with synthesizers is something that you should expect when listening to some of Royksopp’s music, but since they are still experimenting and developing new styles, you should keep track of them. I feel that everyone could find something about Royksopp’s The Understanding album that they could identify with. So if you’re in a mood to listen to some soothing sounds you should definitely check them out.
"The Understanding" is on sale November 30, -0001 from Astralwerks.
