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Music

London,

Robyn

Description: Electro-pop and rap from Swedish female.



Rating: 3 out of 5 Chris Elwell-Sutton's rating
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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Cargo Rivington Street, Kingsland Viaduct, EC2A 3AY

Phone: 0207739 3440

Website: www.cargo-london.com

Email: cargomanagers@cantaloupegroup.co.uk

Extra info: Pub, Party Hire, Food, Air Conditioning

Transport: Rail/Tube: Old Street/Liverpool Street Transport for London , Tube / Bus: 26, 35, 47, 48, 67, 78, 149, 242 Transport for London

She's still got that something

Come of age: Robyn left no doubt about her showmanship and her potential
Come of age: Robyn left no doubt about her showmanship and her potential

By Chris Elwell-Sutton
30 Mar 2007


I remember being blown away in 1995 by You've Got That Something, a superb R'n'B track featuring a prodigious 16-year-old with heart-meltingly warm, sexy, soulful vocals. In an example of the kind of injustice with which pop history is littered, Robyn's debut single barely troubled the charts over here or even in her native Sweden.

Now, after snippets of international success and consistent prominence back home, there's a feeling that Robyn has come of age with a fresh album, look and sound that expresses her kooky creativity and character.

Last night's show, delivered to a packed crowd featuring an enthusiastic Swedish contingent, was a mixed bag musically but left no doubt about her showmanship and potential to shine with the right material.

Striking a feisty, impish figure with her taut dress and severe haircut, she imposed her personality well on opening track Cobrastyle.

With two drummers providing a sparse, tribal backing track, she rode the rhythm aggressively, her tortured voice and staccato delivery sounding rather like a cross between Bjork and a Jamaican ragga singer. It worked well.

Her 2005 single, Who's That Girl?, on the other hand, may have been a hit in Sweden, and was pleasant enough, but was ultimately a little too derivative and sickly sweet for British tastes, falling on the wrong side of retro with its Eighties-style synths and a melodic resemblance to Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

A couple more tracks in a similar vein followed to rowdy applause, although these were from her back catalogue.

Robyn writhed mesmerisingly to the beat of current single, Konichiwa Bitches, a cheeky, catchy bubblegum rap track with a crunchy electro bass line and distinctively Scandinavian flavour.

Her music may have been hit and miss overall, but Robyn's new material - and her spirited delivery of it - offers plenty of cause for optimism.

Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

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