After taking over three years to roll out her self-titled 2005 album, which included the addition of new tracks in various markets and only made its way to the States in 2008, Swedish pop artist Robyn decided that her follow-up project would be best made in pieces throughout 2010. June saw the release of Body Talk, Pt. 1, the first part of a trilogy of albums planned for release this year. Three months later, Robyn releases Body Talk, Pt. 2, the second album in the Body Talk series.
Where Pt. 1 dealt more with heartache (“Dancing on My Own,” “Cry When You Get Older”), Pt. 2 finds its voice in softer tones. The album begins with “In My Eyes,” which begins with the line “It’s gonna be okay…” – a far cry from Pt. 1‘s opener, “Don’t F**king Tell Me What to Do.”
Over the course of its eight tracks, Pt. 2 is a decidedly less experimental, more focused project than Pt. 1. While Pt. 2 features some interesting and slightly unusual dance tracks in “We Dance to the Beat” and “Criminal Intent,” nothing quite compares to the blissful absurdity of Pt. 1‘s “Dancehall Queen,” which managed to make dancehall music fit into a wholly Swedish sound.
It’s not that the album is bad – far from it. Tracks like “Include Me Out,” “Love Kills,” and “Hang With Me” are glistening dance pop tracks that rate among Robyn’s best tracks.
There’s also the hilarious “U Should Know Better,” which features Snoop Dogg collaborating with Robyn as repayment for her assistance with the Fyre Department remix of his 2008 hit “Sexual Eruption.”
Ultimately, Pt. 2 is a more-than-solid entry in the Body Talk series. The album’s closing song, an acoustic version of the upcoming Pt. 3‘s “Indestructible,” hints at grander things for the series’ closing album. Judging at the current rate of release, look for Body Talk, Pt. 3 to hit stores around December.
