Swedish songstress Robyn mostly lives up to her reputation as a diva of electropop with her newest album, Body Talk, Pt. II. The second of a trilogy of records Robyn is releasing this year exudes audacity, which is her loveliest virtue and most bitter vice.
The standout song of the album, “Hang With Me,” which was also covered on Body Talk, Pt. I, illustrates what treasures can come from taking risks. The coalescence of the electronic beat and Robyn’s soothing voice form a compelling and catchy pair. Preserving the melancholy of Paola Bruna’s original rendition, Robyn injects the lyrics with a new, optimistic undertone. The dichotomy of the words and their portrayal gives “Hang With Me” depth and captures a compelling aspect of the irony of love, all in a little over four minutes. Robyn’s “Love Kills” and “Criminal Intent” also showcase her willingness to dabble in different beats without apprehension.
Robyn’s versatility is not without its bounds, though. The jaded sound of “We Dance To The Beat” would better serve as background music for a high school dance on Zenon the Zequel, and the whiny acoustic number “Indestructible” might as well be a generic remix from Jessica Simpson’s gallery of rejected sappy love songs.
Although Body Talk, Pt. II is a far cry from indestructible, the standout singles make hanging with Robyn worth your while.
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