Robyn - Honey

Robyn, aka Robin Miriam Carlsson, since the mid 90's has been dishing out Dance Pop and Electro Pop that's gotten her a ton of acclaim.  But I've always been a little iffy on her early stuff.  1995's "Robyn Is Here" is a decent Pop album, and it's clear that she's a hell of a singer.  But almost nothing about this stands out and comes off like something I couldn't hear anywhere else.  1999's "My Truth" though at the very least did come off as a little more outside-the-box.  Tracks like "Electric" did show Robyn pushing in a more futuristic direction, and I loved that. But still, there wasn't anything grabbing me about this wildly.  So much so, that I just sort of forgot about Robyn for a while.  But with 2005's "Robyn", I felt like I was starting to really get the hype.  This was just the album I wanted to hear From Robyn.  The production was quirky, I loved the snarky lyrics and Eurobeat flavor, and Robyn was just making really great Pop and Dance Pop.  Sure, lyrically this wasn't reinventing the wheel.  But Robyn just seemed so much more sure of herself, and the results were great. And then 2010's "Body Talk" absolutely blew up and Robyn became a megastar, and it was pretty easy to see why.  This was an absolutely gigantic Pop album filled with anthems and personal tracks, bombastic beats, and heavy synths, sassy lyrics, and quirky hooks.  And it was just all sone so freakin' well.  Uhhhh but like, these new singles are OK.  But to be honest, they're just not nearly as instantaneous or filled with personality.  Let's chat friends!

(CLASSIC BANGER ALERT)

This album starts out with “Missing U”, and it’s pretty much exactly where you think this album would start.  This is a very shimmering track with some really great production.  And honestly, in a few short bars, I can already tell you this is exactly where I want to hear Robyn.  This soaring chorus, the smooth verses, all around this is just well done.  It’s a sort of retro, but it doesn’t come off as dated as you would fear.  Not to mention, there’s just this human aspect to this that I really can’t deny.  That’s one thing I’ve always really loved about Robyn.  Hell, her usually booming personality isn’t even in full effect here, this is just an all around really great Pop tune.  Then we get “Human Being”, a much more synthetic track.  Like, if there was any semblance of human feeling in that first one, it’s gone now.  And of course, since this is one is about being a human being, which is awkward.  But Robyn really pulls it off in a big way.  Her performance here is one of her sleazier, but it comes off genuinely sexy most of the time.  There may not be any beat bashing you in the face.  But the slick grooves and steamy instrumentals make up for that in a big way.  This one works on all cylinders.  Up next is “Because It’s In The Music”, and we really do have to give it to Robyn.  The production on her albums is always so pristine, she always does so well in bringing in the right people.  But tracks like this is where I’ve always sort of lost Robyn with tracks like this.  This one is much more low key.  And while the last track showed how Robyn could handle a slower track, this has almost none of the same qualities.  The atmosphere isn’t steamy or interesting, and I just feel like this one doesn’t pop at all. 

Once again, “Baby Forgive Me” shows Robyn focusing on a much more low key vibe.  And to be honest, that’s a little disheartening.  Like many, I love hearing Robyn with gigantic Pop hooks.  Like, this one is just so quiet and subdued, which are words I’ve literally never been able to use to describe Robyn.  Like, I actually do really love the atmosphere here, and the very dreary instrumental.  I feel like as far as that goes, this is wonderful, and Robyn could have done something very steamy and legitimately cool.  And her vocals are actually really great too.  But why the hell is there literally nothing else going on with this one?  And “Send To Robin Immediately” literally just continues with everything that made the last track so iffy.  And guess what?  I have the same feelings.  Robyn’s vocals are beautiful and all, and I love the hulking atmosphere.  But nothing about this reaches out and grabs me.  But the progression of this one is interesting at least, and the way this one evolves.  But this is still just an over-over-exaggerated interlude.  Like, yea, it eventually sounds just fine, after like 3 and a half minutes.  But why am I like, pulling for things to say?  Thankfully, “Honey” does instantly grab my attention.  Robyn here doesn’t sound low key or subdued, she sounds like a damn dance floor queen immediately.  And while this still isn’t as flashy or as bombastic as maybe I wanted to hear, this is once again, an overly decent Pop song.  The beat is just so hypnotic, the production is Icy, and Robyn’s vocals sound just incredible really.  There’s also a slight Euro-Dance element that has been seemingly absent this entire album.  When Robyn really gets in the groove like this, she really is a force to be reckoned with. 

Now, “Between The Lines” actually comes off like something off of “Body Talk”.  It’s got that glistening, Future Pop sound, but Robyn strings it together with some Euro-Dance flair and some steamy lyrics.  And honestly, this is an awesome sound for her.  And when this one picks up and gets into its more upbeat groove, things are really refreshing.  It honestly sounds like something she should have been working with this entire album.  This track is great.  But oh God, just when I think Robyn is sort of in a groove, we get “Beach 2K20”.  This one starts out with a glitchy sort of beat.  And honestly, it’s just sort of agitating.  Like, so much of this album just doesn’t come off like a Robyn album.  I just wanted to hear her come back and dominate the dance floor.  But this track is absolutely a head-scratcher.  On top of this from Robyn.  If you even want to call it that, cause it’s barely that.  Between that and the genuinely obnoxious vocal snippets and sound effects and I literally feel like I’m back in the 90’s in the worst way.  Like, this sounds like a 90’s Pop parody.  This is bad, so bad that it may just be the worst track I’ve heard all year.  And the fact that this is literally one of the longest track here, makes things rough.  But Robyn ends off with a good note on “Ever Again”.  This is so straightforward and groovy that I couldn’t be happier to hear it.  This is so simple, but after that last track which almost made me scream, this is a breath of so much fresh air.  This is a sassy, catchy Dance Floor track that’s empowering and shows how strong Robyn is.  This is literally all I wanted to hear, and why we didn’t get more of this is beyond me.  It’s simple, it’s catchy, and has a great groove.  Where was this?

Rating: 7.1/10

Give A Listen To: “Missing U”, “Human Being”, “Honey”, “Between The Lines”

Least Favorite Track: “Beach 2K20"

Genre: Electro-Pop / Post-Disco

Overall Thoughts:  Swedish Electronic queen Robyn returns with a seriously mild album that’s honestly really disappointing.  The singles leading up to this were great, and when Robyn focuses she sounds absolutely incredible.  But there are so many really strange experiments on this album.  And very rarely do they end up doing anything more than makes me want to listen to some of her other material.  The production is pristine though, and vocally Robyn still sounds amazing.  But this is just a really great example of an artist maybe stepping too far outside of the box.