Profound Mysteries III

by Roeyksopp

Overview

By most metrics, Roeyksopp's Profound Mysteries project is everything longtime fans could want: sleek Nordic synth pop, a grand return to the album format, and collaborations with left-field mavericks like Alison Goldfrapp, Jamie Irrepressible, Susanne Sundfor, and Astrid S, among others. Launched in April 2022, the Norwegian electronic duo's first proper album in eight years arrived as a highly conceptualized world of off-putting visual "artifacts" (each song is paired with its own digital music-visualizer), short films, cinematic instrumentals, and lush downtempo pop songs fronted by a highly curated cast of vocalists. A second volume followed in August, revealing a similar, though slightly altered, guest list, and the project now concludes with November's Profound Mysteries III. For those counting, that's 30 new tracks, 30 artifacts, and 30 films. Since their debut around the turn of the millennium, Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland have consistently produced at the top of their game, but even by their own standards, 2022 saw an absolute deluge of new content. Like its two predecessors, this third set dances between light and darkness, exploring the parameters of Roeyksopp's hallmark sound on highlights like the glacial, string-laden "So Ambiguous," with its very understated vocal from Irrepressible, and the menacing, nearly 10-minute instrumental centerpiece "Speed King." At its peak, the latter track feels like an Antarctic rave or the soundtrack to a high-speed snowmobile chase, proving that Berge and Brundtland can still bring the thunder to the dancefloor. Both Sundfor and Goldfrapp are back, though their unique talents feel a bit wasted on their respective cuts, "Stay Awhile" and "The Night," two underwhelming tracks that feel like paler sequels to their earlier contributions. Detroit's Maurissa Rose adds a rare bit of American flair to Roeyksopp's overwhelmingly European palette on "Feel It," and Londoner Pixx helps end the project on a high note with the dynamic "Like an Old Dog." Standouts aside, Profound Mysteries III feels like the weakest link in this ambitious, year-long project which, while exciting to behold, probably could have been condensed into a one exceptional album. ~ Timothy Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	11/18/2022
Label:	Dog Triumph
UPC:	5060236636959
Rank:	28203

Tracks

Disc 1

1. So Ambiguous
2. Me&Youphoria
3. Stay Awhile
4. The Night
5. Lights Out
6. Speed King
7. The Next Day
8. Just Wanted to Know
9. Feel It
10. Like An Old Dog

Disc 2

11. Speed King
12. The Next Day
13. Just Wanted to Know
14. Feel It
15. Like an Old Dog

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Roeyksopp   Primary Artist
Torbjorn Brundtland   Choir/Chorus
Svein Berge   Vocals,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Alison Goldfrapp   Vocals
Richard Pryce   Double Bass
Rosie Danvers   Cello
Maurissa Rose   Vocals
Susanne Sundfor   Vocals
Kerenza Peacock   Viola,Violin
Gaute Barlindhaug   Sampling
Chloe Vincent   Flute
Jamie Irrepressible   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Astrid S   Vocals
Pixx   Vocals
Zara Benyounes   Viola,Violin
Beki Mari   Vocals (Background)
Gunhild Ramsay Kovacs   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Mike Marsh   Mastering
Roeyksopp   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Instrumentation
Alison Goldfrapp   Composer
Rosie Danvers   Arranger
Jonathan Zawada   Artwork
Lewis Wright   Engineer
TommyD   Producer
Astrid S   Composer
Hannah Rodgers   Composer
Gunhild Ramsay Kovacs   Composer