This week, Swedish pop princess Robyn and Norwegian production duo Royksopp teamed up to ignite the pop blogosphere, as their collaborative “mini-album,” “Do It Again,” was released after weeks of eager anticipation. With five songs that combine Robyn’s razor-sharp hooks and the lush electronica of Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland, “Do It Again” marks an ambitious detour in the careers of two accomplished Scandinavian entities, and the trio will further dazzle North America with a joint tour later this summer.
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Before diving in to the thrilling “Do It Again,” you’re going to want to explore the impressive catalogues of Robyn & Royksopp, which stretch over the past decade-and-a-half and include the twists and turns befitting artists that refuse to be pigeonholed. Check out five essential Robyn tracks and five indispensable Royksopp tracks below — start your Scandi-pop education, and then do it again:
Robyn, “Show Me Love”
Found On: 1997’s “Robyn Is Here”
When Robyn was 17 years old, she scored two Top 10 hits in the United States, both from her 1997 debut “Robyn Is Here.” The gospel-tinged “Show Me Love” is the more enduring of the pair, and finds Robyn reveling in bubblegum pop before backing away from the genre and reinventing herself as an indie darling.
Royksopp, “Remind Me”
Found On: 2001’s “Melody A.M.”
The most memorable track from Royksopp’s 2001 album “Melody A.M.,” “Remind Me” finds the duo pairing a jazzy arrangement with the subtly prodding vocals of Kings of Convenience’s Erlend Øye. One of the dreamiest moments on an aesthetically gorgeous release, and famously used in a T-Mobile commercial in the States.
Royksopp, “Eple”
Found On: 2001’s “Melody A.M.”
“Eple” is the Norwegian word for “apple,” and with the second track on “Melody A.M.,” Royksopp showcased a sprawling instrumental as juicy as a red delicious. As the synth strolls on, the rest of the track wobbles and readjusts like a spinning amusement park ride; when it ends, you run back in line for another.
Robyn, “Be Mine!”
Found On: “Robyn” (2005)
“It’s a good thing tears never show in the pouring rain,” Robyn glumly admits at the beginning of “Be Mine!,” the single that rescued Robyn from mid-90’s obscurity and introduced her to a new generation of pop purveyors, in Scandinavia at first and eventually in the U.S. If the spoken-word breakdown doesn’t make you break down (“You looked happy, and that’s great… I just miss you, that’s all”), you may very well be made of steel.
Royksopp, “What Else Is There?”
Found On: 2005’s “The Understanding”
One year before the Knife released their masterpiece, 2006’s “Silent Shout,” the duo’s Karin Dreijer teamed up with Royksopp to concoct an aching Scandinavian epic. Everything about 2005’s “The Understanding” was heavier than “Melody A.M.,” and few moments in Royksopp’s discography prove more dramatic than when Dreijer declares, “I don’t know what more to ask for/I was given just one wish.”
Robyn feat. Kleerup, “With Every Heartbeat”
Found On: “Robyn” (2005)
A smash in the U.K., this collaboration with Swedish producer Andreas Kleerup foreshadowed the maximalist heartbreak of “Dancing On My Own” while remaining a singular gem on Robyn’s 2005 self-titled album.
Royksopp feat. Robyn, “The Girl and the Robot”
Found On: 2009’s “Junior”
Royksopp and Robyn combined for two collaborations prior to this year’s “Do It Again,” and “The Girl and The Robot” — from Royksopp’s 2009 album “Junior” — hinted at the magic the trio could conjure with an extended partnership. Strange and slightly sinister in a way that Robyn’s music seldom reflects, “The Girl and the Robot” became the standout from “Junior” and is arguably Royksopp’s most well-known single to date.
Robyn, “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do”
Found On: “Body Talk” (2010)
A blistering dance anthem that finds Robyn listing her anxieties and then rejecting all advice against alleviating them, “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do” led off the first installment of “Body Talk” and remains one of Robyn’s most unique tracks to date.
Royksopp, “Senior Living”
Found On: 2010’s “Senior”
Royksopp quickly followed 2009’s “Junior” with an all-instrumental counterpart, and although the full album is worth exploring, “Senior Living” represents its most luxurious moment: a darkly lit swirl of guitar, keyboard and bass, perfect for a nighttime drive in the rain.
Robyn, “Dancing On My Own”
Found On: “Body Talk” (2010)
Before “Girls” made it famous to a certain subset of society, “Dancing On My Own” defined Robyn’s ambitious “Body Talk” project and elevated the level of pop euphoria that the Swedish singer was able to achieve in one song. A disco anthem in 2010? Anything’s possible.