release date: Sep. 6, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]
producer: Klas Åhlund
label: Konichiwa Records - nationality: Sweden
Track highlights: 2. "Include Me Out" - 3. "Hang With Me" - 4. "Love Kills" - 5. "We Dance to the Beat" - 7. "U Should Know Better" (feat. Snoop Dogg) - 8. "Indestructible (Acoustic Version)"
Mini-album by Robyn and Part 2 in her "Body Talk" trilogy is like Part 1 primarily recorded, produced and co-written by Klas Åhlund, although, the album also features Andreas Kleerup, Alexander Kronlund, and guest artist Snoop Dogg.
Stylistically, the album doesn't differ a great deal from Body Talk Pt. 1, but it feels even closer to Robyn (2005) with its equal share of dance-pop and electropop than the more electronic-founded Part 1 of the trilogy.
The album was officially promoted by the single "Hang With Me", which is found on Body Talk, Pt. 1 in an acoustic version, and this uptempo version became another major hit topping the Swedish single chart list though "only" reaching #54 in the UK. Also the album peaked at #1 in Sweden (and Denmark), and became her highest charting album on the overall Billboard 200 in the US as #41.
Despite being another top-selling victory and being positively reviewed, I don't find it near as good as Part 1.
Yes, it may be club- and dance-orientated with a certain house and disco-influence, but it simply lacks the great hooks and twists and turns of the predecessor. To me, this was a clear step down - proving how difficult Part 1 would be to follow, although, it's no near a mediocre album. Robyn is still aeons over Madonna, Lady GaGa, P!nk and everyone else in the genre. Like Part 1 this offers music at around half an hour, clocking in just over 32 mins, which makes it difficult to file as a full-length album, and some reviewers also refer to it as part 2 of her ep trilogy. Even so, it contains more than just "Hang With Me", and it still secures high expectations to the last chapter.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, Slant 3,5 / 5 stars ]
