1 / 6
Norway’s foremost electronica duo will offer both a concert and a rave party – and partially succeed in both.
Say what you will about “Profound Mysteries”, Röyksopp’s three-part album from last year, but it is neither particularly deep nor particularly mysterious.
Recognizability is rather the overarching theme of these three album-long releases – from the duo’s soaring analog synth fetishes and choice of vocalists to the delicate balance between patiently built greatness and unresolved boredom, as well as the not-too-active pursuit of a new hit à la “Eple” or “Poor Leno” – two Norwegian electropop classics who, absurdly enough, are turning 22 this year.
The rather indisputable elephant in the room: Fillers definitely appear among these 30 songs.
However, all the songs from “Profound Mysteries” came equipped with an artistically elaborate film clip, and it is perhaps precisely the visual that a large part of the evening’s expectations are linked to.
Unless Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge have brought some bright living people into their scheme, then.
The Tromsøværingen kick off the show in Spektrum with a couple of songs from “Profound Mysteries”. Two red-clad figures apparently sing “Impossible”, although it’s obviously Alison Goldfrapp’s voice we’re hearing.
However, both it and the subsequent “This Time, This Place” benefit from being performed uncompromisingly and hard, both sonically, lighting-wise and scenographically. In addition, a guest vocalist can be seen on the latter song. Becky Marie?
The sound level in Spektrum occasionally approaches the limit of what is acceptable, at both ends of the scale, but the volume must still be said to be an essential part of the show.
A heavy and cool “The Girl and the Robot” comes equipped with dancers, but lacks the main character. “Monument” is also served without Robyn. Here the duo falls through for the first time tonight – blue stage lights and live drumming do not compensate for one of the world’s most charismatic vocalists.
In return, both Astrid S and Susanne Sundfør are heavily present in the set. The former injects much-needed youthful energy into “Let’s Get it Right” and “Breathe”. Sundfør does what Sundfør does – slightly limping on “If You Let Me”, clinging to the stage ceiling without a safety net on “Running to the Sea” and almost vainly pop fantastic on “Never Ever”.
Brundtland and Berge are quite aware of what they want to communicate this evening (“Oslo!”), and introducing vocalists is not on the menu.
So far, that’s fair enough. But when limp lasers, monochrome stage lighting and smoke seeping out so persistently that you have to squint to see the actors involved make up the visual expression, it all feels a bit simple in a venue like Oslo Spektrum.
At times it feels a bit as if Röyksopp would most like to organize a rave tonight. To a certain extent, they did as well – with partially sparkling results. But they were not entirely successful in moving the club into the concert hall, or vice versa.
Equally damned: A satisfying mushroom ride, this time too.
Looking back on when VGTV met Röyksopp in 2009: