#7: Robyn - Dancing On My Own

Before we get on with the review, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! *hands out virtual gifts to everyone* I'm most likely asleep, tired from last night's festivities, when this is published and I'll most probably be out the entire day. But I really do want to wish you all a merry Christmas with lots of presents and food and people you love. ;D

There are times when I don't want to write about a song, for fear that I won't be able to put it into words properly and do it justice - I'd rather have the song speak for itself. This is one of those times. But I promise to try my best to somewhat put this epic song to words. Somewhat.


Strangely enough, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Dancing On My Own is cram school. Last summer I was in the Philippine equivalent of "cram school", reviewing for the series of university entrance exams I was to take come the start of senior year - this what what I was listening to during my marathon late-night study sessions with my books and chocolate as best friends. So apart from the fact that it's a brilliant song (we'll get to that in a while), it holds very vivid memories.

It's such a pleasure to listen to the song, even if there are a gazillion things all happening at the same time. The song has a very clear direction, and I think that's one of the biggest factors - yes, you have synth lines and whatnot floating above Robyn's very full, yet ever so slightly thin, vocals but when you listen closely they all complement one another.

The melody's a big factor in me adoring the song - it's slightly disjointed during the verses, but as the chorus nears it slowly gets slightly more flow-y. The gaps in the melody allow for the amazing instrumental to be heard more, and who wouldn't want that? It works on Dancing On My Own because the instrumental is actually something that's worthy of being heard on it's own.

Put everything together, and you have an epic song, worthy of it's place in this list. But then again all the songs are worthy. But you get the point, right? I hope you do.

Robyn - Dancing On My Own

Holy crap. OK that wasn't exactly the best way to start a review but it's been a while since I've properly reviewed something that isn't Korean or Asian so yeah. Cut me some slack.

As you all probably know, I'm really out of the European pop loop at the moment and I haven't really made the best effort to try and catch up for lost time. I'm just really lazy, OK? But anyway, by some stroke of luck (and a little persuasion from Mel) I managed to not only get a hold of Robyn's new EP but also listen to it and actually adore the heck out of it.


I read Mel's review last night - she nailed it. So now I'm like, what the crap do I say now?

Robyn has been a rather vital part of my taste in music since probably the very beginning of this whole blogging thing (around 2007?) - Don't Stop the Music has got to be one of the most brilliant early 2000's pop masterpieces everrrrr and of course, it was covered by Play and I think you all know I was a Play fan for like a year or something. And of course when With Every Heartbeat came around I was all over it - as was probably everyone else.

Robyn has a distinct sound to her name, she doesn't sound like another RedOne clone or eurocrap wannabe - her last album practically banged that in our heads. So Robyn's back. And for crap's sake she's still brilliant.

Dancing On My Own is epic in the Robyn way, it really is like 2010's With Every Heartbeat. All the techno stuff in the background usually has the tendency to be annoying and whatnot, but Robyn has a knack for making these seemingly annoying eurocrap loops rather tasteful. I love the synths (are those synths? it sounds more like an electric piano) - it adds another dimension to the song.

The effects and the loops and practically the entire song remind me of a certain Simon Curtis, actually. And that was a compliment for both of them. hahah.

Put aside all the eurocrap and the bells and whistles and you have a flexible melody, like With Every Heartbeat. The hook sticks and the verses have the potential to be remixed and rearranged like there's no tomorrow (there're probably mixes floating around already) - that's a pop song. Artists decades later can take the basic melody and the chords and slap it on a new instrumental but it'll still sound like Robyn and it'll still sound like the same song.

5/5