The Understanding

[2] Röyksopp's popular 2002 debut, Melody AM, was a pleasant blend of melodic, dimple-cheeked house and frosty downtempo pop that placed a soothing ice pack on trip hop’s troubled brow. Highlighted by the insanely catchy and cheerful bleep-funk nugget “Eple,” the disc charmed effortlessly. Unfortunately, The Understanding lacks Melody AM's winsome ways. It’s by no means awful; rather, The Understanding is bland and undistinguished. Much of the disc is Ikea-sterile funk lite with excessively polite beats and sugary synth pads that make Pet Shop Boys sound like Mastodon. Röyksopp’s dreamy, airy electronic pop practically evaporates in the headphones. Frankly, it’s hard to understand. (ASTRALWERKS) Dave Segal