The first time I heard “With Every Heartbeat”, it was the Tong and Spoon remixed version in the late fall of 2007 and it didn’t dawn on me that it is the same Robyn of “Show Me Love” fame. Then along comes this EP with her heartfelt interpretation of the same song to remind us that many a slammin’ club floor-filler are born from emotional ballads. I love the serious thirty second piano solo introduction.
I love Robyn’s attitude and music; the former expressing her desire to be free and independently in control of her musical destiny. She says, “It would be great if I could decide everything [about my musical career] myself”. Well who DOESN’T have that dream, whatever your passion? I know I did as a radio personality visa v the modern corporate terrestrial radio landscape. Most procrastinate, but she got it done by pursuing her vision and having luck enough to have met a local Stockholm brother-sister producer/writer duo, Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer otherwise known as The Knife. Their CD, ‘Deep Cuts’, became a blueprint for a kind of abstract future pop that Robyn embraced and drew energy from.
She commented, “I was amazed by it. I thought it was the best thing I’d heard in years. I just felt like, wow this is really what I’ve always been looking for – and not only was it good, it was Swedish.” Way to go back to your roots for the answer!
Her label, Konichiwa Records is the result of her disappointment and dilemma; what she did to solve the problem...sounds like a version of “I fought the law (major labels) and the law won” – but the “law” in this case being Robyn!
Robyn is part of a group of young female trend-setter singers who have gone “Fleetwood Mac” (their own way), as I call it, on the traditional methods of getting out there in the music industry mainstream; it typifies today’s struggle of defining and re-establishing Pop music, against the perception of loss of ones musical material control and identity to a major label taking place. I commend her for having the perspicacity necessary to, at least with this offering, ameliorate her goals. Now on to the other cuts:
For years it has been common knowledge that Swedes have their sensuality in perspective. Now add Robyn to that equation and there is no-doubt something very sexy about a cute Swedish gal spittin’ raw Hip Hop lyrics like she does on the first track, “Konichiwa Bitches” which is a redo of the same song from her self-titled 2005 album. The press release calls it her “signature tune”. I got a rush that is similar when I first played “Rapture” by Blondie on the radio back in 1980. “How are you” ladies, indeed!
Finally, who would’ve imagined Prince’s 1980 “Jack U Off” [Controversy Lp] with a nineteenth century saloon-style piano underneath it? Well that is exactly how Robyn has retooled it on the last cut without losing its naughtiness, and even making me think of it as a silent movie soundtrack!. I think he’s somewhere smirking behind that one.
Robyn seems to have always had the versatility in delivery to command and portray either a torch song or bubble- gum Pop effectively. “I’m a Gemini maybe that’s what it is!” I am this very outgoing person [and] people think that I’m always sure what I’m gonna do, which I’m not! I always question myself! The perfect example is ‘Konichiwa Bitches’. That song was made because I was so scared!” she says again via her press release.
Ms. Carlsson also kicks the look to keep your pupils glued to each of her videos going back to “Show Me Love”.
Robyn didn’t want to just come to the U.S. and be absorbed by a major label’s giant talent vacuum cleaner or be just another pretty face. She is the story of one ass-kicking little blonde chick who turned her back on the old format, was blessed by a succession of relevant producers from her home town, and rose like a mythical musical Phoenix with her brand of “modern, inventive music – what pop music should try to be.” as she says. She is part of a wave of performers who risk all in the hopes of being her own star. I would absolutely love to check her out LIVE at any one of these upcoming US tour Dates: Feb 5th at New York’s Highline Ballroom; Feb 7th in San Francisco at Popscene or Feb 9th at Los Angeles’ Troubadour. If I do, I’ll be sure to meet this dexterous five star Hottie, and in that event you just might read about it right here.
