Röyksopp
The Understanding

THE REVIEW

"The Understanding" is the latest work produced by the Norwegian duo from Tromso, released in 2005.
It's an album where the sounds of synths typical of electro-pop prevail, with ambient atmospheric nuances and some typically funk rhythmic loops.
One of the major strengths that make this album fantastic from many points of view is the variety between one track and another highlighted by frequent sound changes; this factor allows the listener not to get bored after the first listens.
The exclusively instrumental track opening the album is "Triumphant" which begins with an initial piano riff that is later overlayed by a progressive and rhythmic development of electronic percussion with various additions of synth sounds.
The next track, "Only This Moment", for me, is the peak of the album: an enchanting and captivating song to listen to in a moment of pure tranquility, letting oneself be carried away by the beautiful and sweet voice of singer Kate Havnevik (who also appears in another track on the album, "Circuit Breaker") and the soft and low voices of the Röyksopp themselves.
Moving a few steps forward, there is "What Else Is There?", one of the most abstract pieces of the album, where Karin Dreijer's evocative singing is accompanied by intense string, pad, and synthetic choir sounds that render the atmosphere dark and mysterious, enriched by an almost obsessive rhythmic session.
"Alpha Male" is another instrumental track of the album where the continuous rhythmic and sound changes are evident in more than 8 minutes of the track, which is the result of a magnificent hybrid of electronic genres; and the second subsequent track, "Dead To The World" with its heavenly ambient sounds express a certain sense of peace, melancholy, and emptiness that is difficult to fill.
However, the album presents some flaws: in the track "Sombre Detune" the synthetic bass riff and the rhythmic loop repeat a little too often within the track, making it rather boring after a few listens, or in the sonic poverty of the closing track "Tristesse Globale" composed solely of a few low piano notes with delay effects, lasting just over a minute.  

Still, the fact remains that overall, "The Understanding" remains a complete album from a sonic point of view where Röyksopp demonstrate they are one of the best groups in the world of electronic music in recent years.