Robyn - Got To Work It Out

Swedish pop genius Robyn has taken a page from the Korean music industry and opted for the concept of mini-albums over full lengths. Her newest is a journey through 90's-inspired dance and club music. It's loose and somewhat freeform, with an emphasis on groove over rigid song structure. As such, it's not likely to have as wide an influence as her best material. I'm hoping, though, that it'll have some nice staying power instead. I'm already impressed with the ridiculously catchy Got To Work It Out. The groove itself is enough to rave about, but Robyn has always been an expert at riding a song and imbuing every last word with a palpable attitude. It's so good to have her back, and I hope that mini-album releases mean we won't have to wait as long for new music next time.

Robyn - Set Me Free

Robyn is back with a new EP (finally!) early next month. It's another collaboration, this time with La Bagatelle Magique, a band of sorts that she has gathered to help her set the sound of her new material. I wasn't a huge fan of the first teaser track we got, but Set Me Free is much more in line with the Robyn I've come to know and love. A tad repetitive perhaps, but it's definitely got that quirky, swirling 80's electropop vibe that characterizes her best work. What I love so much about Robyn's music is that, barring her first few albums, she doesn't follow any trends. Instead, she blazes her own path and always comes up with something that sounds both current and classic. And even in something as melodically simple as this track, there's always a deep underpinning of emotions in the vocals.

Top 50 Singles of 2014: 20-16

20. Robin - Parasta Just Nyt (ft. Nikke Ankara)



A surprisingly aggressive comeback for Finland's reigning teen popstar. The unflinching beat and gargantuan chorus gives this track an almost operatic feel.

19. The Fooo Conspiracy - King Of The Radio



In a just world, this perfect pop song would've broken the band worldwide. I know I go on and on about hooks, but there's simply no denying the strength of that chorus, which comes in like a sledgehammer.

18. Taemin - Danger



Some people call Chris Brown the "new Michael Jackson," but they really need to look east to Taemin, who came back as a solo artist with this utterly MJ-inspired dance track.

17. Robin - Kesärenkaat 



Of all of Robin's amazing pop singles from 2014, this has to be the very best. It screams summer, and also feels like a welcome transition into more adult territory while still retaining an ebullient youthful energy.

16. Röyksopp and Robyn - Do It Again 



Another year passed without a proper return of Robyn, but at least we got this amazing collaboration. It just gets better as it morphs and grows throughout its five minutes, particularly that tearful refrain towards the end.

Don't forget, if you'd like to listen to the Top 50 Singles Countdown in full, download the audio version!

Röyksopp & Robyn - Do It Again

"Wait for the build-up"

Robyn's back! Well, sort of. She'll be releasing a new EP with former collaborators Röyksopp in about a month. Having heard most of it, to me the music sounds more like Röyksopp featuring Robyn than the other way around. The exceptions are this excellent single and the album track, Every Little Thing. Do It Again, released today in its shorter radio edit, could easily be mistaken for the lead single off a solo Robyn album (and selfishly, I wish it was). Now, it's no With Every Heartbeat or Dancing On My Own, despite sounding a bit like both in spots, but it's solid Robyn and it's just such a treat to hear her voice again. There is nobody at her level in the pop world right now. Prepare to hear this everywhere in the coming months.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Preorder the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 50 Singles of 2011: 15-11

15. Martin Rolinski - Blame It On A Decent Matter



I never had any doubts that this would be brilliant after Rolinski's work with BWO. But it was even better than I'd expected!

14. Studio Killers - Ode To The Bouncer



A welcome shot of Danish electro cool in a year without enough of it. The fact that we're still waiting for a follow-up makes it a little frustrating, though.

13. Patrick Wolf - The City



His most uplifting single in ages, and a track that set Summer off on the right foot.

12. Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend



The Swedish pop queen continues her dominance of my countdowns with yet another brilliant song. Even in a year without an album release, she ruled.

11. Tove Styrke - Call My Name



And hot on Robyn's heels is the ultra-cool Tove, who gave us a taster of future work with this fantastic single, a big jump in quality from her first album.

The 10 Best Singles By... Robyn

So here's the thing about Robyn. All her singles are excellent. And more than that, most of her album tracks are, too. Here's the best of the best.

10. Do You Know (What It Takes) (1997) - The only pre-indie song on the countdown, this is a completely different Robyn. But it's also a laidback, 90's highlight.

9. Dream On (2008) - Initially a duet with Ola Salo, this was later remixed as a solo Robyn track. The subject matter is unexpected, as is the staccato, experimental beat and melody. Even so, it manages to soar.

8. Hang With Me (2010) - A breezy Summer track if there ever was one. The electronics are pure bliss, but it's the lyrics and delivery that truly makes this something special.

7. Girl & The Robot (2009) - A spacey, odd collaboration with Röyksopp, this is Robyn at her most daring. Though it doesn't feature on any of her albums, it's a standout in her discography.

6. Handle Me (2007) - A confident, trash talking Robyn emerges on this single. The spare beat highlights the undeniable charisma dripping from every vocal. It's an underrated track.

5. Call Your Girlfriend (2011) - The melody just screams "anthem," while the lyrics pack a personal edge. This is Robyn at her songwriting peak.

4. Konichiwa Bitches (2007) - The cheekiest single of her career, it's a bit of a rarity in her discography. There's a handful of similar sounding tracks on her albums, but she never seems to release them. It's a shame, because this is totally entertaining.

3. With Every Heartbeat (2007) - The single that (quite rightly) broke her for the second time outside Sweden. It's an epic, orchestral track that ranks among the very best songs of the decade, which means the two above it are bonafied masterpieces. This single is pure emotion.

2. Be Mine! (2005) - This single-handedly introduced a different Robyn. With its Eleanor Rigby style strings and heartbreaking, spoken middle-eight, this is nothing short of a classic pop song. It still gives me chills.

1. Dancing On My Own (2010) - And she keeps getting better. Her standout comes after what some may have seen as the peak in her career. What can I say about this song? I've heard it hundreds of times and never tire of it. Perfection.

So there you go! But here's the thing, no list is complete without hearing what you think! Leave your top ten Robyn songs in the comments!

Pop Blitz 5/6/11

Friendly Fires - Live Those Days Tonight
Like their past singles, this has that distinct electro-indie vibe. I can appreciate it, and I actually quite like it, but there's something holding me back from loving it. The production is probably the strongest aspect. B

Jordin Sparks - I Am Woman
She's recorded exactly two brilliant pop songs in her career and everything else has really failed to impress me. This, unfortunately, will be filed with "the rest." From the cluttered production to the girl power lyrics, it's like a subpar Beyonce b-side. C

Hard-Fi - Good For Nothing
It's been a long time. The band definitely suffered from the sophomore slump, but I'm not sure if this is enough to bring them back out of obscurity. They've lost much of their electronic influence in favor of guitars. C+

Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss
They're clearly aiming for the kind of crossover success they achieved with their breakout single, as this isn't all that country. Instead, it's a calibrated-for-radio-success ballad that sounds an awful lot like their last one. Nice vocals and melody in the verses, but it's a little sleepy. The chorus should be stronger. B-

Jennifer Lopez - I'm Into You
It's certainly a comedown from the excellent On The Floor. This midtempo, slightly Latin sounding pop song has some of the dippiest lyrics of the season, but the melody is infuriatingly catchy. B

Rye Rye - Never Will Be Mine (ft. Robyn)
I never thought something that sampled Robyn could be so bad. Rye Rye basically takes on of the best songs of the last decade (Be Mine, the acoustic version in this case) and craps all over it. My only hope is that this would lead people to listen to the original. D-

Cody Simpson - On My Mind
He's tried to be the next Justin Bieber so hard, but it was never gonna happen. Now that his voice has changed, he's aiming to become the next Chris Brown, apparently. As derivative as this is, it's still the best thing he's recorded by far. B-

Troy This - Happy (ft. Robyn)

"Give me some time to just breathe"

Here's a newly re-swizzled version of an old favorite. Popstar Troy This first came to the attention of several of us bloggers back in 2009 with his AMAZING track Back That Up and after that he kind of faded away. But from as much as I can tell, he's still at it, and I think he deserves much more attention than he's getting. This track, a duet of sorts with Robyn (yes, that Robyn) has one of the most indelible, laid back melodies of the past few years. It existed a couple years ago in a slightly rougher version, but I recently came across this new version and it totally reminded me about how much I love this artist. Happy, in particular, has an incredible mid-80's Prince feel to it, even down to the dual-voiced vocals (Robyn mostly sings along, rather than taking her own verses). And if that isn't quite enough Robyn for you, Troy also recorded a cover version of her song, Bum Like You.

Troy This - Happy (ft. Robyn) by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 20 Albums of 2010: 2-1

2. Robyn - Body Talk Pts I-III



This was a tough one. If I were to choose my favorite tracks from the vast amount released during this project, I could easily cull together an album of the year. But I’ve decided to judge the project as a whole. Yes, there were a (very) few clunkers, but my god this woman is amazing. If Lady Gaga was he savior of pop music in 2009, then the title certainly goes to Robyn this year. The sheer amount of creativity and quality across these twenty-one tracks is something to marvel at. She is the female pop star of the year, without a doubt.

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1. Foxy Shazam - Foxy Shazam



My musical discovery of the year. Following the trends of this countdown, they were a band that, previous to this, released material that wasn't something I would listen to. But with this album, they chose to go big. And there was no bigger album this year than Foxy Shazam. Taking elements from epic artists like Queen and Meat Loaf and filtering them through Eric Nally’s otherworldly howl of a voice, the band managed to create an album that does it all. Music like this is timeless. It’s melodic, blistering, bombastic and dramatic. Funny, sad, blissful. In short, it absolutely blew me away. They sound ready to conquer the world, and with any luck they will. The world deserves them.

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Top 50 Singles of 2010: 5-1

5. Scissor Sisters - Invisible Light



The group’s longest, most experimental song to date. The final minute or so, with that drug-induced, otherworldly build, is the best moment in pop this year.

4. Tinashé - Zambezi



A somewhat unknown afro-beat pop anthem that utterly captured me this year. From the coming-of-age lyrics to the bright, soaring chorus, this is a staggering achievement.

3. Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over



Quite simply, it conquered the world this year. I can’t think of a more galvanizing song. Rattling drums battle it out with divine, gutsy vocals to create what can only be described as a masterpiece.

2. Robyn - Dancing On My Own



I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to return with something even better than With Every Heartbeat. This is everything I love about Robyn distilled into one song. Soaring, heartbreaking, cool, unforgettable.

1. Foxy Shazam - Oh Lord



From the moment I heard this, it was hard to imagine any song besting it this year. This was the arrival of something breathtakingly, awesomely new. They threw everything I love about music into a blender and Oh Lord was born.

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 20-16

20. Robyn - Hang With Me



A gentle, late summer electro gem. I didn’t think much of the acoustic version, but this is about as perfect as pop gets. One of my favorite videos of the year, too.

19. Liam Lever - Welcome To Earth



This may just actually become a real hit single in the future, but a music video was filmed this year so it makes my 2010 list. One of the best choruses of the year.

18. The Bang Bang Club - Chemistry



Another track that never took off the way it deserved to, this was a fixture of my Spring. From the scratchy vocals to the incessant chorus, this was pop music as cotton candy.

17. Mini Viva - One Touch



At once their death knell and their best single release, this song will always be a little bittersweet. I almost wish Girls Aloud would have recorded it so that it would have had the chance to be a proper hit.

16. Bjørn Johan Muri - Yes Man



The slow-burning single of the Spring. As hummable as Donkeyboys’ Ambitions was last year, this may do it one better (it was written by the same people). A song that never gets old.

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend

"It's time you had the talk"

I realize I'm a little behind the blogosphere on this, but there's been so much good music recently that I couldn't quite get to writing about these new Robyn songs until now. She remains the most exciting thing in pop at the moment and the tracks that conclude her Body Talk project are further proof of that. She's just the perfect pop star for our times, made even more perfect by the fact that she writes her own stuff. A Robyn song is instantly recognizable for its cleverness, powerful sense of melody and innovation. She's a leader in every sense of the word. The four new tracks are uniformly awesome, but this one just edges out the others as my favorite. The vocals are set to soaring and assisted by a moody dance beat that melds pop and electro in a perfect marriage. And that dramatic refrain, which intensifies each time it comes back, is one of the best moments of the entire project. Rarely has a song sung from the perspective of a mistress sounded so convincing. It's been an exciting year to be a Robyn fan.

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Robyn - Indestructible

"I'm gonna love you like I've never been hurt before"

Hmmm... what do we think about this? When Robyn unveiled the radio version of the previously acoustic Hang With Me earlier this summer, I was completely enchanted. It became the definitive version of the song, and one of her best singles to date. I'm not as sure about this one. In its "original" form, Indestructible was an achingly gorgeous, string-laden ballad of the highest order. This new version, while certainly an interesting choice of sound, hasn't immediately hit me as strong as I hoped it would. The spare, house-influenced beat seems to strip some of the grandeur that existed in the original. But I really hate to cement my opinion in stone this early, because I feel I may like this better with subsequent listens. Mostly, I'm curious what Robyn fans think.

Indestructible (Edit) by robyn

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the previous EPs here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Track-by-Track: Robyn - Body Talk Pt. 2

There is no more exciting popstar out there at the moment than Robyn. Another reviewer compared her recent output to Prince's heyday, and I think that's the perfect comparison. Like Prince at his best, Robyn melds experimentalism with pure chart-topping pop. And Pt. 2 of her Body Talk project is even better than the first.

1. In My Eyes - On first listen, this was slightly underwhelming. That's quickly changed. Rather than relying on a gimmick, this goes for the pop jugular with a melody so sticky and majestic that it'll be in your head for months. The programmed drums are to die for. 10/10

2. Include Me Out - Another old-school Robyn track that impresses more with repeated listens. This is the perfect sound for her--melodic, but totally quirky. The lyrics on this, especially, are great fun. 10/10

3. Hang With Me - A great follow-up to Dancing On My Own that utilizes the same type of hypnotic Kleerup beat that's served her so well in the past. It eclipses the acoustic version by miles and has a lethal earworm of a melody. Great, great pop music. 10/10

4. Love Kills - A more menacing club track, I'm not as fond of this as the past three. The general atmosphere is an interesting departure, but I guess I wish that it wasn't quite so anonymous. Still, it's an easy 9/10

5. We Dance To The Beat - Probably a more interesting experiment on paper than it ends up being aurally, the best part of this is the lyrics. If those lyrics would have been tacked to some type of hook (any hook), this would've been a total highlight. 8/10

6. Criminal Intent - Follows the Fembots template of attitude-filled rap-pop. I prefer this to Fembots, though. It feels a little funkier... grittier, even. However, I do feel that it'll wear a little thin over time. 9/10

7. U Should Know Better (ft. Snoop Dogg) - I feared that this might not work as well as I'd want it to, but I was completely long. It's my favorite thing Snoop's ever done, and a huge highlight of the album. The hook is probably the strongest out of all eight tracks, even though it might not seem so on first listen. 10/10

8. Indestructible (Acoustic) - The best ballad she's recorded in some time, this is just begging for an uptempo "remix" on the next EP. The strings add necessary drama and Robyn's voice is as strong as it gets. 10/10

Album Grade: 9.5/10

And, if you were curious, here's how I rate Pt. 1:
1. Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do - 10/10
2. Fembot - 9/10
3. Dancing On My Own - 10/10
4. Cry When You Get Older - 10/10
5. Dancehall Queen - 8/10
6. None Of Dem (ft. Royksopp) - 7/10
7. Hang With Me (Acoustic) - 8/10
8. Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa - 8/10
Album: 8.8/10

Pop Blitz 8/4/10

Robyn - Hang With Me She's two for two this year, following up the instant classic Dancing On My Own with a song nearly as strong. The beat's similar, but it's the sticky melody that keeps you coming back. A

The Wanted - All Time Low
I've never been much of a fan of boybands. They're so inherently cheesy. But this is as close to a Kings Of Leon style anthem that boybandpop gets. Adding a bit of a club beat throughout was a great touch. A deserved UK #1. B+

Ne-Yo - Beautiful Monster
If Closer was a step in the right direction, this is an example of Ne-Yo's fully realized club sound. He pulls a total Jacko in the video, and I appreciate the new sound, but something about his vocals has always left me a little cold. B-

Linkin Park - The Catalyst
In which Linkin Park extend their fame yet again by trying something totally new. This odd breakbeat/protest/anthem/experimental-rock/dance hybrid is unlike anything else on the radio right now. I'm not sure what I think about it, exactly, but it's more interesting than anything the band have done thus far. B+

Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me (ft. David Guetta)
I am so tired of this David Guetta sound. Flo-Rida aims for an I Got A Feeling and gets something with the same drive but no feeling behind it. A hit by default, but it'll be forgotten next year. C-

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Like the first album, she's followed up a ridiculously catchy novelty hit with an equally catchy pop track. And also like the last album, it's a one-two punch. A perfect example of breezy, modern radio pop. A

Eliza Doolittle - Pack Up
This should be subpar Lily Allen, yet it completely works. It's all about the sample, which is the perfect hook for the summer. I don't think I'd like to hear anymore from Doolittle, but this is a great little novelty pop song. A-

Wow, this may have just been my highest rated Blitz yet!

Pop Blitz 6/2/10

Robyn - Dancing On My Own
A worthy successor to With Every Heartbeat, this is yet more proof that Robyn has mastered the aural equivalent of heartbreak on the dancefloor. A

Eminem - Not Afraid
Should have been called "Not Again." It's all very 2002. The pissed off rapping, the off-key singing. It doesn't work anymore, and the hook is too weak. C-

Pendulum - Watercolour
I appreciate the epic melding of dance and rock that these guys specialize in. That being said, this is not, melodically, one of their stronger singles. It sounds a little bit like BT's (superior) work. B-

B.O.B. - Airplanes (ft. Hayley Williams)
I have a feeling this song is more popular because of who's involved than the actual merits of the production. Compared to similar emo-rap tracks, this is middling to average. At least the hook's better than the Eminem one. C+

Lena - Satellite
This year's Eurovision winner. It's certainly catchy, if a bit meh overall. Lily Allen's pretty much got this type of thing covered. Last year's winning song was 100% more exciting. This is simply nice. B

Love Generation - Love Generation
Producer RedOne's new girl-group, and no the song isn't a cover of Bob Sinclar's epic dance tune of the same name (unfortunately). This goes for the "club anthem on the summer" title and falls slightly short of achieving it, settling instead for "mid-rate Melodifestivalen contender." Not entirely a bad thing. B

Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me
Newcomer Mike Posner goes for an electro thump (à la Sam Sparro) with this single. The vocals work well and the melody's subtly addictive. A pleasant surprise. A-