I continue my series of reviews focusing on female artists with a decidedly interesting character: Robyn, a Swede from Stockholm, with a history that in many respects mirrors that of Melanie C; like her British colleague, she is a "laboratory product," if we want to define her as such, who at a certain point had the initiative and ability to start an autonomous career path. Her career began at the very young age of sixteen, precisely in 1995: Sweden, the '90s, the first thing that comes to mind is the explosion of the eurodance phenomenon, which was very fashionable throughout the continent during that period, with the Scandinavian country undoubtedly being the major exporter. Most likely, the local BMG branch saw in Robyn the perfect national teen idol, a sort of Swedish Britney Spears two years in advance; after her debut album, there was a first participation in the Eurovision, and for several years, her career seemed to travel smoothly on predetermined tracks, but at a certain point, Robyn said enough. Exactly like Melanie C, she also left the major that had launched and piloted her to found her independent label (Konichwa Records), taking the helm of her artistic journey.
It's been a while since then, and Robyn succeeded where even her illustrious compatriot Agnetha Faltskog had failed: she built her own career on solid grounds, a sober, gritty and charming image just enough, and a credible and personal proposition, based on a rather "club-oriented" electro-pop that is refined and creative enough to stand out effortlessly against a generally flat and mediocre mainstream at best. "With Every Heartbeat," the single marking the start of this "second life," caught attention even in our tedious and unreceptive hit parades, but instead of riding the wave, Robyn carefully paced her record releases, so much so that it took five years to find a confirmation of the quality demonstrated with the self-titled 2005 album. With the "Body Talk" project, the Swedish blonde once again demonstrates her ambition, broad vision, and ability to evolve and experiment; she is not afraid to go big, undertaking a fairly unusual and potentially risky operation from a commercial standpoint. Within a few months, she released two short albums (eight songs each) with similar but not entirely alike soundscapes, "Pt. 2" is a passable dance/electropop mix with a vaguely American taste, "enhanced" by a not very convincing featuring with Snoop Dogg, and there's not much else to say about it, unlike its fine and interesting counterpart "Body Talk Pt.1."
The first and more fortunate chapter of the "Body Talk" project is an album much more Swedish compared to its successor: less standardized, much more creative, more courageous, livelier, more beautiful in every way. Eight songs that reserve many small surprises, varied and creative atmospheres united by a general mood of great lightness and easygoingness, somewhat modern and somewhat retro. "Body Talk Pt. 1," also due to its limited duration (far from a flaw), proves to be a very engaging listen, enriched by captivating and never trivial episodes like the hypnotic and minimal techno of "Don't XXXXXXX Tell Me What To Do" or "Fembot", lighter and coquettish, charmingly robotic/semi-rapped, or even the brilliant, enthusiastic and lively rhythm of "Cry When You Get Older" and the pleasant ska inflections of "Dancehall Queen", all of this without neglecting the electroclash verve of "Dancing On My Own" or "None Of Dem" with its trip-hop base curated by friends Royksopp, with whom Robyn has recently undertaken a joint project.
Vibrant, colorful, and joyful album, "Body Talk Pt. 1" unexpectedly concludes with "Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa", a traditional Swedish song with Robyn's voice accompanied by a music box; an unexpected, slow, and atmospheric epilogue that, despite the contrast with the rest of the offering, underscores the versatility and excellent interpretive qualities of the Swedish artist who, with style and competence and by trusting the right people, is building her own dimension, almost cult, carrying on in her own way the legacy of Cyndi Lauper more than that of ABBA. This is the kind of pop I like, the one that is not shouted, without arrogance but with a lot of character, and above all, that does not give up on being itself.
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