Body Talk (Robyn album)
Encyclopedia
Body Talk is the seventh studio album
by Swedish recording artist Robyn
. The album was released on 22 November 2010 by Konichiwa Records
. Robyn first announced plans in early 2010 that she would was planning on releasing three mini-albums throughout the course of 2010. The first two mini-albums, of what was dubbed the Body Talk series, Body Talk Pt. 1
, and Body Talk Pt. 2
were released in June and September 2010. The two albums saw two single releases, with Robyn citing that only one single would be released per mini-album.
Although Robyn originally announced that she would be releasing three mini-albums in 2010, it was later announced that instead of releasing a third mini-album, a full-length album would be released. The album acts as a compilation album
, containing the "best songs" from the Body Talk series, as well as five new songs. The five new songs were also available separately as an EP, entitled Body Talk Pt. 3
, in certain territories.
and I didn't want to wait with a release until they are all recorded, so I decided to start putting them out right away." Robyn told Popjustice
journalist Peter Robinson
, "It's been a long time since I actually made a record! And I was thinking of how to shorten that time down and Eric, my manager, came up with the idea of what if I just start releasing songs, then I can tour them, then I can make some more songs. We started working like that. I think once it starts it will make more sense – you can just keep releasing stuff without the long breaks."
on the song "Time Machine". Martin was responsible for producing Robyn's US breakthrough hits "Do You Know (What It Takes)
" and "Show Me Love
", which both charted inside the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100
in 1996 and 1997. She said of the collaboration: "It was nostalgic to go back into the studio together. For me, it’s perfect timing – I’ve come full circle. It’s a way for me to show that I’m not trying to distance myself from where I come from. It’s still all about the songs."
", on 13 October 2010. An acoustic version appeared on her previous album, Body Talk Pt. 2
. The song was released on 1 November 2010 in Scandinavia and one day later in the United States. It is co-written by Klas Åhlund, and has been described as a "pulsating full power version [that] takes every ounce of that emotion and wraps it up in another exceptional disco-pop record worthy of any dance-floor or passion-laden sing-a-long." The second single, "Call Your Girlfriend
", was released on 1 April 2011.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 86, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Body Talk was chosen the 2nd best album released in 2010 by Popjustice
and Slant Magazine
, the 3rd best album released in 2010 by Entertainment Weekly
, MTV
and Billboard
, the 10th best album of 2010 by both The A.V. Club
and Spin
, and was also selected as the 14th best album of 2010, by Rolling Stone
.
Music critic Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine
awarded the album with four stars (out of five). He said that the album is "a testament to Robyn's truly forward-thinking take on contemporary pop music and to her rare ability to infuse chilly, futuristic soundscapes with genuine emotion and soul." Keefe also said that Body Talk "impresses for its thematic focus and laser-precise editing" and that the album is "one of the year's finest, most progressive pop albums". Genevieve Koski from The A.V. Club
also felt that the album is "hands-down the best dance-pop album of the year." Koski said that the album "proves there’s still room for smart, mature songwriting and heartfelt performance in the high-gloss world of club music." The reviewer concluded her review by saying that "Over the course of Body Talk, Robyn has proved that there’s real emotion to be found among the ones and zeros of electronic music, and Pt. 3 is the culmination of that outlook: euphoric, personal, and inspirational to the last beat."
Entertainment Weekly
music critic Leah Greenblatt gave the album an A grade. She said that "Spectacular Swedish import Robyn continues to languish in the cult-act remainder bin, but these 15 excellently curated tracks deserve to change that." Pitchfork Media
rated the album with a score of 8.7/10, stamping it with its "Best New Music" label. Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone
gave the album four stars (out of five). He said that "It all adds up to the best dance-pop album of 2010, 15 songs that are both immaculately catchy and packed with quirks". Jon Falcone from musicOMH
awarded the album four and a half stars (out of five). Falcone said that Body Talk "shows just how easily she can churn out hits more frequently than labels can process production teams. Robyn deserves her success" stating that "it's impossible to think of a better pop communicator for our time."
Allmusic music critic Heather Phares gave the album four stars (out of five). She said that "Releasing that much new music within six months was a feat in and of itself, but the fact that each part of Body Talk was so consistent made the whole project even more impressive." Phares said that the album's appeal "isn’t just experimental: by picking the best of the project’s songs, it feels like a greatest-hits collection and brand new album rolled into one."
2010 Year-end list entries
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Swedish recording artist Robyn
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...
. The album was released on 22 November 2010 by Konichiwa Records
Konichiwa Records
Konichiwa Records is a record label founded by Swedish pop singer Robyn. The label has no other artists signed. The word "Konichiwa" is an incorrect romanization of the Japanese greeting こんにちは meaning "Good Day" ....
. Robyn first announced plans in early 2010 that she would was planning on releasing three mini-albums throughout the course of 2010. The first two mini-albums, of what was dubbed the Body Talk series, Body Talk Pt. 1
Body Talk Pt. 1
Body Talk, Pt. 1 received an aggregate score of 76 out of 100 from Metacritic, indicating generally favourable reviews from music critics. Heather Phares of Allmusic stated: "Capturing the freedom and loneliness of independence, Body Talk, Pt...
, and Body Talk Pt. 2
Body Talk Pt. 2
Body Talk Pt. 2 is the sixth studio album by Swedish recording artist Robyn, released on 6 September 2010, by Konichiwa Records. The album is the second part of the Body Talk trilogy, which consists of three mini-albums, all released during 2010. Robyn started working on songs for the album when...
were released in June and September 2010. The two albums saw two single releases, with Robyn citing that only one single would be released per mini-album.
Although Robyn originally announced that she would be releasing three mini-albums in 2010, it was later announced that instead of releasing a third mini-album, a full-length album would be released. The album acts as a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, containing the "best songs" from the Body Talk series, as well as five new songs. The five new songs were also available separately as an EP, entitled Body Talk Pt. 3
Body Talk Pt. 3
-Charts:-Release history:...
, in certain territories.
Background and development
In an interview with Swedish magazine Bon, Robyn announced that she had plans to release three new albums in 2010. She said, "I got all these great songs so why not? [...] It's been 5 years since RobynRobyn (album)
Robyn is the fourth studio album by Swedish recording artist Robyn. It was released by Konichiwa Records on 27 April 2005 in Sweden. The album represented a change in Robyn's musical style, and featured pop and electronic dance music; inspirations were electronic duo The Knife and rock band...
and I didn't want to wait with a release until they are all recorded, so I decided to start putting them out right away." Robyn told Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
journalist Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (journalist)
Peter Robinson is a British music journalist. He is the creator of the pop music-based blog Popjustice. Robinson first came to the attention of music fans with his self-published biography/fanzine of The KLF, Justified and Ancient History...
, "It's been a long time since I actually made a record! And I was thinking of how to shorten that time down and Eric, my manager, came up with the idea of what if I just start releasing songs, then I can tour them, then I can make some more songs. We started working like that. I think once it starts it will make more sense – you can just keep releasing stuff without the long breaks."
Production
Robyn collaborated with Swedish producer Max MartinMax Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
on the song "Time Machine". Martin was responsible for producing Robyn's US breakthrough hits "Do You Know (What It Takes)
Do You Know (What It Takes)
"Do You Know " is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn from her debut album, Robyn Is Here. It was released as the third Swedish and as the second single in the United Kingdom in 1996. The song was released as her debut single in the United States in 1997...
" and "Show Me Love
Show Me Love (Robyn song)
"Show Me Love" is the fourth Swedish, third UK and second U.S. single from Swedish pop singer Robyn's debut album Robyn Is Here. The song is sometimes confused with Robin S.'s 1993 hit "Show Me Love", because of identical song titles and similar first names...
", which both charted inside the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1996 and 1997. She said of the collaboration: "It was nostalgic to go back into the studio together. For me, it’s perfect timing – I’ve come full circle. It’s a way for me to show that I’m not trying to distance myself from where I come from. It’s still all about the songs."
Release and promotion
On 20 October 2010 Robyn announced the details of Body Talk on her official website, along with the track listing and artwork. She described the album as the "turbo version of the Body Talk album", as it includes five songs from each previous Body Talk album along with five new songs. Her Myspace page provided a free streaming of the entire album before the release date.Singles
Robyn announced the release of the single, "IndestructibleIndestructible (Robyn song)
"Indestructible" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her seventh studio album Body Talk . The song was written by Robyn and Klas Åhlund, and produced by Åhlund. It was released as the lead single from Body Talk on 1 November 2010 in Sweden and one day later in the United States...
", on 13 October 2010. An acoustic version appeared on her previous album, Body Talk Pt. 2
Body Talk Pt. 2
Body Talk Pt. 2 is the sixth studio album by Swedish recording artist Robyn, released on 6 September 2010, by Konichiwa Records. The album is the second part of the Body Talk trilogy, which consists of three mini-albums, all released during 2010. Robyn started working on songs for the album when...
. The song was released on 1 November 2010 in Scandinavia and one day later in the United States. It is co-written by Klas Åhlund, and has been described as a "pulsating full power version [that] takes every ounce of that emotion and wraps it up in another exceptional disco-pop record worthy of any dance-floor or passion-laden sing-a-long." The second single, "Call Your Girlfriend
Call Your Girlfriend
"Call Your Girlfriend" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her seventh studio album, Body Talk . It was released as the album's second single on 1 April 2011. The song was written by Robyn, Klas Åhlund and Alexander Kronlund. Åhlund handled production, with assistance by Billboard...
", was released on 1 April 2011.
Critical reception
Upon its release, Body Talk received acclaim from most music critics, with most critics agreeing that Robyn had blown away all her American competition in 2010. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 86, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Body Talk was chosen the 2nd best album released in 2010 by Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
and Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
, the 3rd best album released in 2010 by Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, the 10th best album of 2010 by both The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
and Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, and was also selected as the 14th best album of 2010, by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
.
Music critic Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
awarded the album with four stars (out of five). He said that the album is "a testament to Robyn's truly forward-thinking take on contemporary pop music and to her rare ability to infuse chilly, futuristic soundscapes with genuine emotion and soul." Keefe also said that Body Talk "impresses for its thematic focus and laser-precise editing" and that the album is "one of the year's finest, most progressive pop albums". Genevieve Koski from The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
also felt that the album is "hands-down the best dance-pop album of the year." Koski said that the album "proves there’s still room for smart, mature songwriting and heartfelt performance in the high-gloss world of club music." The reviewer concluded her review by saying that "Over the course of Body Talk, Robyn has proved that there’s real emotion to be found among the ones and zeros of electronic music, and Pt. 3 is the culmination of that outlook: euphoric, personal, and inspirational to the last beat."
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
music critic Leah Greenblatt gave the album an A grade. She said that "Spectacular Swedish import Robyn continues to languish in the cult-act remainder bin, but these 15 excellently curated tracks deserve to change that." Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
rated the album with a score of 8.7/10, stamping it with its "Best New Music" label. Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the album four stars (out of five). He said that "It all adds up to the best dance-pop album of 2010, 15 songs that are both immaculately catchy and packed with quirks". Jon Falcone from musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
awarded the album four and a half stars (out of five). Falcone said that Body Talk "shows just how easily she can churn out hits more frequently than labels can process production teams. Robyn deserves her success" stating that "it's impossible to think of a better pop communicator for our time."
Allmusic music critic Heather Phares gave the album four stars (out of five). She said that "Releasing that much new music within six months was a feat in and of itself, but the fact that each part of Body Talk was so consistent made the whole project even more impressive." Phares said that the album's appeal "isn’t just experimental: by picking the best of the project’s songs, it feels like a greatest-hits collection and brand new album rolled into one."
2010 Year-end list entries
| Publication | Rank |
|---|---|
| The A.V. Club The A.V. Club The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its... |
10 |
| Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... |
3 |
| Cokemachineglow | 26 |
| Drowned in Sound Drowned in Sound DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:... |
60 |
| Entertainment Weekly Entertainment Weekly Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture... |
3 |
| MTV MTV MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs.... |
3 |
| MusicOMH MusicOMH musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:... |
3 |
| Pitchfork Media Pitchfork Media Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock... |
15 |
| Popjustice Popjustice Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others.... |
2 |
| PopMatters PopMatters PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,... |
69 (for Body Talk Pt. 1 Body Talk Pt. 1 Body Talk, Pt. 1 received an aggregate score of 76 out of 100 from Metacritic, indicating generally favourable reviews from music critics. Heather Phares of Allmusic stated: "Capturing the freedom and loneliness of independence, Body Talk, Pt... ) |
| Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J... |
14 |
| Slant Magazine Slant Magazine Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :... |
2 |
| Spin Spin (magazine) Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard... |
10 (for Body Talk Pt. 1) |
Track listing
Charts
| Charts (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Flanders) |
32 |
| Danish Albums Chart | 13 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
8 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
2 |
| UK Dance Albums Chart UK Dance Chart The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital... |
11 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
142 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Dance/Electronic Albums |
3 |
| Charts (2011) | Peak position |
| UK Dance Albums Chart UK Dance Chart The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital... |
12 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Denmark | Gold |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 22 November 2010 | Cherrytree Cherrytree Records Cherrytree Records is an American record label and is an imprint of Interscope Records.-History:Cherrytree Records was founded in 2005 by Martin Kierszenbaum, being German for cherry tree... |
Body Talk |
| Body Talk Pt. 3 | |||
| United States | Body Talk | ||
| Body Talk Pt. 3 | |||
| Scandinavia | Konichiwa Konichiwa Records Konichiwa Records is a record label founded by Swedish pop singer Robyn. The label has no other artists signed. The word "Konichiwa" is an incorrect romanization of the Japanese greeting こんにちは meaning "Good Day" .... |
Body Talk | |
| Body Talk Pt. 3 | |||
| United Kingdom | 29 November 2010 | Body Talk | |
| Germany | 3 December 2010 | Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and... |
Body Talk |
| Body Talk Pt. 3 | |||
| Poland | 10 December 2010 | Universal Music | Body Talk |
| Australia | Modular Modular Recordings Modular Records is an Australian record label. It was established by Sydney-based music promoter Steve Pavlovic as a joint-venture with EMI, but is now distributed by Universal Music in Australia... |
Body Talk |
External links
- Body Talk at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...