Profound Mysteries III

By most metrics, Royksopps Profound Mysteries project is everything longtime fans could want: sleek Nordic synth pop, a grand return to the album format, and collaborations with left-field mavericks like Alison Goldfrapp, Jamie Irrepressible, Susanne Sundfor, and Astrid S, among others. Launched in April 2022, the Norwegian electronic duos first proper album in eight years arrived as a highly conceptualized world of off-putting visual "artifacts" (each song is paired with its own digital music-visualizer), short films, cinematic instrumentals, and lush downtempo pop songs fronted by a highly curated cast of vocalists. A second volume followed in August, revealing a similar, though slightly altered, guest list, and the project now concludes with Novembers Profound Mysteries III. For those counting, thats 30 new tracks, 30 artifacts, and 30 films. Since their debut around the turn of the millennium, Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland have consistently produced at the top of their game, but even by their own standards, 2022 saw an absolute deluge of new content. Like its two predecessors, this third set dances between light and darkness, exploring the parameters of Royksopps hallmark sound on highlights like the glacial, string-laden "So Ambiguous," with its very understated vocal from Irrepressible, and the menacing, nearly 10-minute instrumental centerpiece "Speed King." At its peak, the latter track feels like an Antarctic rave or the soundtrack to a high-speed snowmobile chase, proving that Berge and Brundtland can still bring the thunder to the dancefloor. Both Sundfor and Goldfrapp are back, though their unique talents feel a bit wasted on their respective cuts, "Stay Awhile" and "The Night," two underwhelming tracks that feel like paler sequels to their earlier contributions. Detroits Maurissa Rose adds a rare bit of American flair to Royksopps overwhelmingly European palette on "Feel It," and Londoner Pixx helps end the project on a high note with the dynamic "Like an Old Dog." Standouts aside, Profound Mysteries III feels like the weakest link in this ambitious, year-long project which, while exciting to behold, probably could have been condensed into a one exceptional album. ~ Timothy Monger

北欧エレクトロの至宝による壮大なコンセプチュアル・プロジェクト第3弾にして完結編。30の才気溢れるコラボレーターと30の楽曲/フィルムを制作し、1年を通して全貌を明らかにしてきたシリーズもついにクライマックスを迎える。動画サイトで視聴できる3Dアニメーションのヴィジュアルも引っ括めて世界観が完成することを思えば、これらを引っ提げてのライヴに否応にも期待が高まるというものだ。
bounce (C)野村有正

ノルウェーはベルゲンを拠点に良質なエレポップを鳴らし続けるユニットが、今年2枚目となるアルバムをリリース。前作『Profound Mysteries』の続編にあたる本作は、メロディアスな曲が多い。ダフト・パンクの"Something About Us"を彷彿とさせる"Let's Get It Right"、甘酸っぱい幻想的な音像がコクトー・ツインズに通じる"Tell Him"など、さまざまな観点から楽しめる音は聴き応え十分。
bounce (C)近藤真弥