Swedish singer Robyn continues her dance pop album series this year with Body Talk Pt. 2 and even though it suffers some missteps in the second half, the highlights sparkle bright enough to compete with the likes of Katy Perry or Lady Gaga.
Since going solo in 2005 after troubled relationships with major labels, Robyn inhabits a gray zone of pop music in the world. While adored by all who discover her, Robyn’s audience cannot bring themselves to share her enough to reach to global stardom. The Body Talk series marks a turning point for Robyn and it seems to be part of a strategy to not only satisfy longtime fans with more music, but to also introduce herself, again and again, to newcomers.
Whereas Pt. 1 plays to Robyn’s strength of melding ear candy with her strong personal aesthetic and philosophy, even going so far as to end with a song sung entirely in Swedish, Body Talk Pt. 2 aims to bring new listeners up to speed on her recent history while moving them toward the dance floor. Album opener “”In My Eyes”” begins with a shout-out to Robyn’s own Konichiwa Records and words of encouragement to a “”little star”” to continue on. It’s like a friend who, after suffering some setbacks, suddenly grabs your hand when the disk jockey plays her song and starts dancing.
“”Include Me Out”” continues this optimistic streak as synths and drum machine beats bounce against each other. The first single “”Hang With Me”” is coated in cautious optimism and overflows with an arms-wide-open chorus: “”Just don’t fall / recklessly, heedlessly / in love with me / cause it’s going to be / all heartbreak, blissfully painful insanity. / If we agree / you can hang with me.”” “”Hang With Me”” is easily one of the best songs of the year.
The second half of Body Talk Pt. 2 seems to be designed more for DJ remixes or as the background music for a shopping spree at H&M, which would be rather fitting, given H&M’s Swedish roots. Snoop Dogg’s appearance on “”U Should Know Better”” works surprisingly well. As opposed to his stilted, phoned-in lines on Perry’s “”California Gurls,”” Snoop unleashes his signature easy-flowing verses and choruses about his conquests around the world while Robyn raps in response, going back and forth bragging about who’s tougher. Seemingly echoing what “”Hang With Me”” did to bridge the first two Body Talk albums, closer “”Indestructible (acoustic version)”” hints at what Body Talk Pt. 3 has in store for listeners later this year.
On Body Talk Pt. 2, Robyn shows she has what it takes to be the world’s next pop star without sacrificing her personal style. It’s just a matter of time before she wins over every heart and hipon the dance floor.
Video for “”Hang With Me”” can be found here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3a2qoyONVA
