Body Talk Pt. 1 is the fifth studio album (third internationally released) by Swedish singer Robyn, released on 11 June 2010 by Konichiwa Records. It is the first part of the Body Talk series, which consists of three mini-albums.[1][2] The only single from the album, "Dancing On My Own", was released on 1 June. Robyn promoted the album with the All Hearts Tour she co-headlined with Kelis. Body Talk Pt. 1 reached number one in Sweden and number four in Denmark and Norway. In the United States, it peaked at number three on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Albums chart.
Body Talk Pt. 1 | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 11 June 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009–2010 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 30:31 | |||
Label | Konichiwa | |||
Producer |
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Robyn chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
Singles from Body Talk Pt. 1 | ||||
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Background
editFollowing Robyn's career relaunch and "indie" rebrand with the release of her synthpop "breakthrough" Robyn in Sweden in spring 2005, she promoted and toured the record with several subsequent editions and singles globally, taking advantage of the mid-2000s social media explosion to "amass a new 'netroots' fanbase" until the winter of late 2008.[3] Work began on the album in July 2009 in Stockholm with Swedish producer Klas Åhlund, who also served as its executive producer. Returning to recording, Robyn revisited the records she loved and drew inspiration from including Laurie Anderson's Big Science, Prince's Dirty Mind, the Knife's Silent Shout, Janet Jackson's Control, Technotronic's Pump Up the Jam, Kate Bush's The Kick Inside, Black Box's Dreamland and work by Kraftwerk, David Bowie, KLF, TLC, Neneh Cherry, Dr. Alban, Gossip, DJ Mujava, Booka Shade and Gui Boratto.[4][5][6][7][8]
In early spring 2010, in an interview with Swedish magazine Bon, Robyn announced that she had plans to release three new albums throughout the year: "I got all these great songs so why not? [...] It's been 5 years since Robyn and I didn't want to wait with a release until they are all recorded, so I decided to start putting them out right away."[9] Robyn told Popjustice journalist Peter Robinson, "It's been a long time since I actually made a record! And I was thinking of how to shorten that time down and Eric, my manager, came up with the idea of what if I just start releasing songs, then I can tour them, then I can make some more songs. We started working like that. I think once it starts it will make more sense – you can just keep releasing stuff without the long breaks."[10] The release of Body Talk Pt. 1 was announced on 6 April 2010, alongside the cover art and track listing.[11][12] Robyn said that "the songs that are on the first album are simply the first ones that were finished."[10]
Lyrics and production
editIn an interview with Pitchfork, Robyn talked about the main lyrical theme of the album: "The whole album is about being really lonely, but I think it's interesting to put that idea in a club where a lot of people are crammed into a small room." She particularly wrote the song "Dancing On My Own" with that in mind, and continued, "I've been touring so much the last three years and spent a lot of time in clubs just watching people, and it became impossible to not use that lyric—"dancing on my own"—because it's such a beautiful picture."[13] Robyn told Billboard that Body Talk Pt. 1 is "a record about the dancefloor", and elaborated: "It's a really important place for my generation. It's the new church. It's where people go to experience something bigger than themselves."[7] A number of songs on the record were inspired by Robyn's "juvenile" state of mind and her outsider perspective. She said, "I'm always going to be writing about those issues, it's what I'm fascinated by but I also think there's something about the state of mind you find yourself in a lot when you're younger, and you just want to get out of somewhere. You just want to do something. Feel things!"[10] She continued that despite her age, "I'm always going to feel like this person on the outside looking in."[10] Another theme prevalent on the album is "technology versus humanity".[10]
Robyn collaborated with Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp at their studio in Oslo on the song "None of Dem".[7] American producer Diplo produced the song "Dancehall Queen" with Åhlund, which came together during a discussion of Ace of Base: "We were just having fun with that kind of genre music. And the idea of making this song came out of that discussion. It was fun. We really connected on something where music that you might put in one box becomes something else, depending on how you look at it."[14] On the decision to record a dancehall inspired song despite Robyn's nationality she said, "In my world, there are people who have already pushed those boundaries [of crossing styles] forward enough for me to feel comfortable doing a song like 'Dancehall Queen', so it's not a big deal to me."[13] The last song on the album, "Jag vet en dejlig rosa" is a recording of a traditional Swedish folk song, famously recorded by jazz singer Monica Zetterlund. Robyn said, "I always listened to her, and she made this classic jazz album in the 60s [Waltz for Debby] with Bill Evans, which was quite a spectacular thing in Sweden at that time. 'Jag vet en dejlig rosa' was one of the songs they did, and when [producer] Klas [Åhlund] and I were in the studio, he bought exactly the same microphone that she recorded that album on. So we got all excited and decided to record the song."[13]
Singles
editRobyn stated in an interview with Swedish magazine Nöjesguiden that she would release only one official single per Body Talk album. "Fembot", "Dancehall Queen" and "None of Dem" were released to digital outlets as promotional singles on 13 April 2010.[15][16][17] "Fembot" and "None of Dem" were initially posted on Robyn's official website in March and April 2010, while "Dancehall Queen" had previously leaked under the title "No Hassle".[18] Due to strong sales and frequent airplay, "Fembot" reached number three on the Swedish Singles Chart and number 10 on the Norwegian Singles Chart.[19] "Dancehall Queen" was the only other song of these three that charted, peaking at number 56 in Sweden for a single week.[20] The official lead single, "Dancing On My Own", was released on 1 June 2010. It became Robyn's first number-one single in Sweden.[21] It reached number three on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the US, and became her fourth UK top-10 entry, peaking at number eight.[22][23] It also charted in Denmark, Norway, Belgium (Flanders) and Germany.[21]
Critical reception
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 76/100[24] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [25] |
The A.V. Club | B+[26] |
Drowned in Sound | 7/10[27] |
The Guardian | [28] |
NME | 7/10[29] |
Pitchfork | 8.5/10[30] |
PopMatters | 7/10[31] |
Rolling Stone | [32] |
Slant Magazine | [33] |
Spin | 8/10[34] |
Body Talk, Pt. 1 received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 76, based on 23 reviews.[24] Heather Phares of AllMusic stated, "Capturing the freedom and loneliness of independence, Body Talk, Pt. 1 is a concise set of songs on its own, and an impressive first third of the whole ambitious project."[25] Marc Hogan of Pitchfork raved, "With Body Talk Pt. 1, [...] Robyn doesn't just walk the line between what she has called the 'commercial' and 'tastemaker' realms. She obliterates it. Immaculately produced, fantastically sung, and loaded with memorable choruses, this eight-song effort has plenty to please everyone from post-dubstep crate diggers to teen tweeters—often at the same time."[30] The A.V. Club's Genevieve Koski opined that it is "an album about aligning your heartbeat with the pulse of strobe lights and basslines, embracing synthetic sounds as a conduit for genuine emotion. Robyn's icy, controlled vocals and cool synth textures are almost alienating in their precision, but there's a beating pulse underneath the dance-bot artifice that captures the celebratory catharsis that can be found on the dance floor."[26] Michael Cragg of musicOMH wrote that with Body Talk Pt. 1, Robyn is "ready to finally take her place at pop's top table of greats."[35]
The Guardian's Michael Hann commended Robyn for her "defiant independence of spirit and her versatility within the pop idiom".[28] Spin magazine's Jessica Hopper believed that on Body Talk Pt. 1, Robyn "confidently chronicles the heartbreak ('Dancing on My Own') and pleasure ('Dancehall Queen') of epic disco nights like she's ready to rule."[34] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone called the album "near-perfect" and concluded, "Capped with a Swedish folk gem, Body Talk shows a dancehall queen with more than just blonde ambition."[32] Slant Magazine critic Sal Cinquemani commented that "[t]he bulk of the album is comprised of stiff beats and in-your-face bluster that attempt to portray Robyn as more impenetrable machine than flesh-and-blood sweetheart." He added that "it also comes fully loaded with more hooks than your average pop album's entire tracklist."[33] In a review for PopMatters, Jer Fairall expressed particular appreciation for the track "Fembot", and stated that "Body Talk, Pt. 1 shows Robyn working with the same tools that have served pop divas quite well since at least as far back as Madonna, if not earlier." However, he also noted that "[n]ot all of Body Talk, Pt. 1 works", referring to "Dancehall Queen" as "the only real bomb".[31] Luke Lewis of NME called the album "impressive, but thin at eight tracks", while concluding, "Would it not have been better to hold back, and release just one, truly stunning record?"[29] Matthew Horton of BBC Music felt that the album "triggers the sense Robyn's holding something back" and that it "houses so much filler", but nevertheless described "Fembot", "Dancing On My Own" and "Cry When You Get Older" as "scorchingly catchy, and laced with Robyn's familiar cordial of sparkling hook mixed with unutterable poignancy."[36]
Track listing
editNo. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do" | Åhlund |
| 4:11 | |
2. | "Fembot" |
| Åhlund | Åhlund | 3:35 |
3. | "Dancing On My Own" |
|
|
| 4:49 |
4. | "Cry When You Get Older" |
|
| Åhlund | 3:35 |
5. | "Dancehall Queen" | Åhlund | Åhlund |
| 3:39 |
6. | "None of Dem" (featuring Röyksopp) | Robyn | Röyksopp | 5:13 | |
7. | "Hang with Me" (acoustic version) | Åhlund | Åhlund | Åhlund | 3:18 |
8. | "Jag vet en dejlig rosa" | Traditional | Traditional | Åhlund | 2:11 |
Total length: | 30:31 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
9. | "Dancing On My Own" (radio version) | 4:13 |
Total length: | 34:44 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
9. | "Dancing On My Own" (PMS remix) | 3:12 |
Total length: | 33:43 |
Notes
edit- ^[a] signifies a co-producer
Personnel
editCredits adapted from the liner notes of Body Talk Pt. 1.[39]
Musicians
edit- Robyn – vocals (all tracks); instruments, programming (tracks 1, 3, 4); arrangement (track 8)
- Klas Åhlund – instrumentats, programming (tracks 1, 2, 4); arrangement (tracks 7, 8); Mellotron vibraphone (track 8)
- Patrik Berger – instruments, programming (track 3)
- Diplo – instruments, programming (track 5)
- Röyksopp – instruments, programming (track 6)
- Robert Elofsson – piano (track 7)
- Simona Bonfiglioli – strings (track 7)
- Claudia Bonfiglioli – strings (track 7)
- Erik Arvinder – strings (track 7)
- Patrik Swedrup – strings (track 7)
- Marianne Herresthal – strings (track 7)
- Pelle Hansen – strings (track 7)
Technical
edit- Klas Åhlund – production (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8); mixing (tracks 1, 7, 8); executive production
- Robyn – co-production (tracks 1, 3, 4)
- Niklas Flyckt – mixing (tracks 2–6)
- Röyksopp – production (track 6)
- Tom Coyne – mastering
Artwork
edit- Mary Fagot – creative direction
- Lucy McRae – art direction, body architect
- Johan Renck – photography
- Sandberg&Timonen (Adamsky) – typography
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[59] | Gold | 15,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[60] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
editRegion | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ireland | 11 June 2010 | [61] | ||
United Kingdom | 14 June 2010 | [62] | ||
Denmark | Konichiwa | [63] | ||
Finland | ||||
Norway | ||||
Sweden | ||||
United States | 15 June 2010 |
|
[64] | |
Germany | 18 June 2010 | Ministry of Sound | [65] | |
Australia | Modular | [66] | ||
New Zealand |
References
edit- ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ Gregory, Jason (6 April 2010). "Robyn To Release Three New Albums In 2010". Gigwise. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100–51". Pitchfork. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- ^ Dombal, Ryan (17 March 2010). "Robyn Talks Ambitious 2010 Plans". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ Daw, Robbie (15 March 2010). "Robyn Reveals New Music On 'Dom Kallar Oss Artister' (Watch The Full Episode)". Idolator. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "What's In My Bag? - Robyn (Ep. 34)". Amoeba Music. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ a b c McLean, Craig (11 June 2010). "Swedish Pop Sensation Robyn Brings 'Body Talk' To United States". Billboard. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
- ^ "Robyn finds freedom in making own way through club music scene". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ Dombal, Ryan (26 February 2010). "Robyn Plans Three Albums for 2010". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Robinson, Peter (12 April 2010). "Robyn talks 'Body Talk'". Popjustice. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ Copsey, Robert (6 April 2010). "Robyn announces new album details". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ Daw, Robbie (6 April 2010). "Robyn Will Release 'Body Talk 1' In June". Idolator. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ a b c Dombal, Ryan (28 June 2010). "Interviews: Robyn". Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
- ^ Suarez, Jessica (10 May 2010). "Progress Report: Robyn". Stereogum. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
- ^ "Fembot: Robyn". Amazon MP3. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "Dancehall Queen: Robyn". Amazon MP3. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "None Of Dem (Featuring Röyksopp): Robyn". Amazon MP3. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (18 March 2010). "Robyn unveils new track "Fembots"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ "Robyn – Fembot". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "Robyn – Dancehall Queen". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
- ^ a b "Robyn – Dancing on My Own". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ "Robyn Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ "Robyn | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Body Talk Pt 1 by Robyn Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Body Talk, Pt. 1 – Robyn". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ a b Koski, Genevieve (15 June 2010). "Robyn: Body Talk Pt 1". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ^ Gardner, Noel (9 June 2010). "Robyn – Body Talk (Part 1)". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ a b Hann, Michael (11 June 2010). "Robyn: Body Talk Pt 1". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
- ^ a b Lewis, Luke (12 June 2010). "Album Review: Robyn – 'Body Talk Pt 1' (Konichiwa/Island)". NME. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ^ a b Hogan, Marc (1 June 2010). "Robyn: Body Talk Pt. 1". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
- ^ a b Fairall, Jer (14 June 2010). "Robyn: Body Talk, Pt. 1". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ^ a b Hermes, Will (19 July 2010). "Body Talk Pt 1". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (1 June 2010). "Review: Robyn, Body Talk Pt. 1". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ a b Hopper, Jessica (9 June 2010). "Robyn, 'Body Talk Pt. 1' (Cherrytree/Interscope)". Spin. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- ^ Cragg, Michael. "Robyn – Body Talk Pt 1". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ Horton, Matthew (9 June 2010). "Review of Robyn – Body Talk, Part 1". BBC Music. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ^ "Body Talk, Pt. 1 (Bonus Version) by Robyn". iTunes Store. Sweden. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ "Body Talk Pt. 1 (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version) [Explicit] [+Digital Booklet]: Robyn". Amazon. United States. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ Body Talk Pt. 1 (liner notes). Robyn. Konichiwa Records. 2010. KOR020.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "The ARIA Report: Issue 1061" (PDF). The ARIA Report (1061): 2. 28 June 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Robyn – Body Talk Pt I" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Robyn – Body Talk Pt I" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
- ^ "Top 100 Albums in Canada". Jam!. 24 June 2010. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Robyn – Body Talk Pt I". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 122, no. 27. 10 July 2010. ISSN 0006-2510.
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- ^ "Robyn – Body Talk Pt I". greekcharts.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
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- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Robyn – Body Talk Pt I". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
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- ^ "Robyn joins EMI in the Nordic region". EMI. 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
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