Few acts helped to define the potential of deep, explorative electronica as it progressed into the 21st century quite likeRöyksoppdid – from their standard-setting debut,Melody A.M., up to their previous album efforts,JuniorandSenior, there has always been something drawing listeners back into their brightly coloured and endlessly expansive universe.
The Inevitable End is, as its title suggests, the band’s final studio album, and we are presented with one last chance to take it all in on a grander scale. It’s an album that’s fully aware of its mortality, and it makes no bones about the pain that comes with acceptance.
See the heartbreaking ‘You Know I Have To Go’ for perhaps the best example of this, or the tightened, punchier rendition of ‘Monument’ which first appeared at twice the length on Do It Again, their collaborative EP with Robyn from May. It’s occasionally exhausting given its hour-plus runtime, and some tracks could have either been edited down (‘Compulsion’) or removed entirely (‘Rong’). Its greater moments, however, far outweigh the cons.
Although they will continue to make music, Röyksoppclaim they are done with the album format. As such, they’ve given us quite the curtain call.
4.5/5.
