Royksopp

It has been far too long since my last installment of "Tune of the Week", but I have been searching high and low to find something shocking, something so incredibly good that I may never be able to top it. I believe I have finally succeeded. I frequently tune in to DJ Friendly on the NRK broadband network. His selections are based on a laid back electronica philosophy, but they remain considerably varied. Being on the Norwegian national network a good 50% of the music played has Scandinavian origins with an obvious weighting on showcasing local talent. It is on this program that I first heard the music I am about to share with you.
Bergen, which I just had the great pleasure of visiting a couple of weeks back, is a hotbed for culture and music. Aside from being the birthplace of the likes of Grieg and Ole Bull it also widely known for its black metal and electronic scene. In the mid to late 1990's a great number of underground electronic acts matured in this coastal paradise and managed to achieve success both at home and abroad, the phenomenon was coined the "Bergen Wave". One of the most notable artists to emerge was Royksopp, a duo comprised of Torbjorn Brundtland and Svein Berge. Royksopp directly translated is "Smoke mushroom", although it is tempting to connect this name to hallucinogens it has nothing to do with that at all. A royksopp is a mushroom commonly found in Scandinavia that, when trampled on, emits a cloud of seedlings which resemble a puff of smoke. Far from being a quick puff of smoke, Royksopp has made a lasting impression on electronic music. I actually first discovered them some time ago without knowing it as a component of live sets by Oakenfold and Bonobo which I had acquired and didn't have the track listings for. Some of you may recognize the first track "Eple" if you have purchased an Apple computer recently. This cut has been licensed by Apple to be used as the official song welcoming you to the Apple experience on your initial boot. The song has also been used as the intro track for the BBC's Click television program.
I love the Royksopp sound, but what makes this artist so incredible and unique is their ability to amplify their sound by producing perfectly complimenting music videos. Unlike far too many artists who's videos do nothing for the overall musical experience, Royksopp is a stronger experience with the video than without.
In this first video for "Eple", which is "apple", look for everything typical of life in Norway. You will see Easter skiing in the mountains, camping (Scandinavian flags in foreground), Fornebu airport, a Norwegian Christmas tree, lettmelk and O'Boy, skjaergaard, tur til syden - Spania, furuskog, boat life, newspaper reading, Oslo cityscape, a traditional bunad, the zoo in Kristiansand and of course fjords.
Eple

Remind Me
This video for "Remind Me" is absolute genius. Remember going to school in the 90's?

Only This Moment

So many incredible videos and songs. The last one I would like to share is one you must have heard as some point, but did you know it was about a bear?
Poor Leno

I hope you have enjoyed your Royksopp experience and that some of you have discovered a new sound.
Be sure to visit Royksopp on the web at www.royksopp.com