It’s My Heart’s Desire

Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique “Set Me Free”

I felt vaguely bad about not connecting with Robyn’s EP with Röyksopp last year, as if I was in some way betraying an artist I’ve loved and supported for a very long time. When this sort of thing happens, I’m inclined to feel very “it’s not you, it’s me” about the artist, and give them the benefit of the doubt. You’re not always going to be on the same page. But here we are a year later, and this new Robyn track is outstanding, and exactly the sort of thing I want to hear from her. So maybe it was really just a problem with Röyksopp? “Set You Free” is right in Robyn’s sweet spot as a vocalist – a joyful song that’s weighed down a bit by melancholy and a touch of anxiety. The sound of the track screams “Madonna remix circa ’89-92,” but that’s a great fit for Robyn and that vibe feels very fresh right now in the context of a lot of dance music that either skews more atmospheric, or bludgeons you with post-dubstep noise and intensity.

Buy it from Amazon.