What Else Is There - Röyksopp
June 28th 2008 08:49
The Understanding by Röyksopp
Interplanetary electronica, music that falls from outer space into wistful lyrics, a song that harbors a storm so artistically that the listeners might easily find themselves trying to find shelter from a tempest made of chaotic feelings.. These can be scattered poetic statements that might endeavor to describe Norwegian electronica duo Röyksopp's What Else Is There yet still fail to paint a picture. The song is that enthralling with frequent doses of underlying eeriness.
Taking their name from "smoke mushroom", Röyksopp was founded by Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. Brundlant united with ambient techno quartet Aedena Cycle, Volcano, Alanïa, Those Norwegians and Drum Island. Svein crossed paths with him along the way during 1996-1997 while he worked with Alanïa and Drum Island. The duo officially formed Röyksopp in 1998 and their debut album Melody A.M. came out in 2001 (initially released by Wall of Sound but re-released in 2003 by the elite electronica label Astralwerks; the duo also collaborated with Kings of Convenience lead Erlend Øye in two tracks). They embraced international acclaim and fame in the speed of light as the album sold 1.000.000 copies worldwide, received a Brit nomination for Best International Group, an MTV Europe Award for Best Video (with Remind Me) and enabled them to tour with Moby and do exclusive remixes for top notch artists such as The Streets, Coldplay and Felix Da Housecat. Various Röyksopp singles (that have the habit of ending up somewhere in the UK Singles Chart's top 50) were used in the commercials or promos of brands/companies such as Apple, BBC World, GEICO, T- Mobile, KLRU and Virgin Radio.
Along came The Understanding in 2005 with hit singles like Only This Moment, 49 Percent and What Else Is There which reached #1 in British Dance Chart. With its dark, ghastly video directed by Martin de Thurah, an award winning director, and featuring a fair haired woman (Marianne Schröder) gliding in the air over fields, roads and forests Röyksopp doubled the song's alien effect. The video is almost as famous as the track itself with its J-horrorlike elements. Although flooded with imaginary, tempestuous images resembling a dream sequence, it has the ability to makes one feel uneasy somehow.
The track opens its curtains with effects resembling an approaching electric storm and a tiny, crystal drop falling on the water. Although mainly standing on an electronica grounds, the song's moderate tempo and deeply echoing, gently sweeping structure quickly manage to create an enigmatic atmosphere enhanced by nordic, Bkörk-like vocals of Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife, a famous electronica act that won multiple awards at the Swedish Grammys and SAMA (Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards).
The cryptic lyrics are the final mystifying component with their veiled flow. Still, the song manages to convey a solitary journey (be it life itself or an emotional one) that is nearing an end most likely not anticipated.
"It was me on that road
But you couldn't see me
Too many lights on, but nowhere near here"
But you couldn't see me
Too many lights on, but nowhere near here"
The middle of nowhere is a common square with adjacent neighborhoods such as confusion, uncertainty and questions where one finds themselves on occasion throughout their life adventure. Although it might sound belonging to adolescence, grown ups are faced with as complex and discouraging situations as the youngsters but the first rule of being a grown up is developing an ability to act as if one is not confused at all and faking they never feel forlorn in the crowd.
We come and go alone; everyone in between are our companies who also came and will go alone.
We try to be seen on that road and rarely find thorough understanding from those we await thorough understanding from. Hence,
"Road's end getting nearer
We cover distance but not together"
We cover distance but not together"
because although some walk in the same direction or on the same road, they do not walk it the exact identical way their companions do. Even if they follow each other's footsteps, their feet will not be of same size, for instance, or they will not be wearing the same shoes. Hence, the footprints they leave behind will not be same. Some walk faster while others have a slower pace, some take tiny steps while others take big ones... The distance that is covered is always highly individual.
"I don't know what more to ask for
I was given just one wish"
I was given just one wish"
And the catchy ad phrase "One life, live it" shakes hands with the Latin phrase "Carpe Diem". Even if one believes in reincarnation, they are given one body and one story in this particular life. This body and story shall never repeat itself -- Make wise use of them both.
The lyrics might also reflect the end of a love affair and the many similes regarding a road, crash, explosion etc. might refer to a story of an accident. It does not matter how you take this electronica masterpiece. It has a treasure beyond lyrics that stems from human curiosity and the question they ask themselves at one time or another:
"What else is there?"
Ink Blots
Browse music videos online at IMEEM
Buy The Understanding online from Amazon
Meet the artist Röyksopp at // Royksopp.com //
Read the entire lyrics at Always on the Run
Browse music videos online at IMEEM
Buy The Understanding online from Amazon
Meet the artist Röyksopp at // Royksopp.com //
Read the entire lyrics at Always on the Run
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