Happy 2014, Stereofoxes! I wish you a year full of great music, great people and great adventures. And what better way to celebrate the year to come than a nostalgic reminiscence of the year past...is what Röyksopp were apparently thinking, while releasing "Twenty Thirteen" on December 23 last year.
Having worn the crown of mellow house and mainstream ambient for almost 16 years now, Norwegian duo Röyksopp hardly needs an introduction. And if you are not familiar with the work of Jamie "Irrepressible" McDermott, he is the mastermind behind the art-pop audio-visual "performance orchestra'' The Irrepressibles, noted for their lavish stage productions, abundant use of classical string instruments and subject matters centered around love, loss and sexual repression.
Now forget all you know about both acts and instead imagine the soundtrack of a 1930s Classical Hollywood film (or The Shining). "Twenty Thirteen"'s lo-fi, almost al-bowlliesque sound has no trace of a Röyksopp production. This 180-degree shift from downbeat electronica to a crooner swing ballad might be surprising but is frankly quite brilliant. With its retro-nostalgia and melancholic vocals, the track is clearly meant to display not only versatility, but a more intimate approach of subtle, yet vivid emotional outbursts. Indeed, this unconventional tune seems like a spot on way to remember 2013: as one single great night, that happened ages ago.
The track is available only on Röyksopp's website and you can download it for free.
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