If you are looking to go on a musical journey look no further than the duo Röyksopp. The Norwegian duo are back in North America for the first time in six years and had one of their tour stops at The Novo in Los Angeles, California on September 22nd. They are known for the performance and it did not disappoint.
The venue was packed and there was a general calm anticipation throughout as the opener played trance music, the crowd waiting for Röyksopp. They finished playing and final technical checks were made for the lights and lasers. Röyksopp started with an entrance of lights, smoke and a static radio call as well as three cloaked dancers coming forward. The DJ duo dressed up in matching ensembles and large hats appeared on stage with a round of applause.
Röyksopp has been in the EDM scene for over 20 years and over time has gained an array of fans, the audience at The Novo reflected that. There was a wide range of ages present, a diverse mix of groups and cultures. The DJs asked who was visiting from England and random pockets of the crowd cheered.
The most recent album from Röyksopp, Profound Mysteries, has multiple components that are virtual. The songs have their own corresponding “film” and “artifact.” It was interesting to see how they performed on stage without the virtual aspect. Instead of video, there were multiple lasers set up that projected and lit up the entire venue. The light show throughout the night was incredible and fun; providing enough to fill both the top and bottom levels of The Novo with a field of color that kept in time with the music. There was also drum and keyboard set up on the stage next to the DJ’s main deck.
The Röyksopp dancers were crowd favorites as they built upon the energy of the audience. There were two women and one man who each had their moment to stand out. The dancers showed a range of styles with a mix of choreography and improvisation.
There was a clear buildup in the music as Röyksopp went through their setlist ranging from house to synth-pop. The lights transitioned from shades of blue to pink to green matching the music, nothing was repetitive which kept the audience’s attention. They played songs from the album such as “Tell Him,” “Unity” and a crowd favorite “Oh, Lover.” There was an unfortunate moment at the beginning of their set where one of the speakers seemed to have blown out, sounding like static and lasting longer than expected but Röyksopp continued playing and the moment passed.
Röyksopp introduced their final song, “Like an Old Dog,” saying “This is a little bit of a different one thanks to our friend.” It had a clear change of style compared to the rest of their music, transitioning into more of a bass sound. It was an unexpected change of pace that showed the range of sound Röyksopp played and was a nice end to the night with the duo expressing many thank you’s for being in the United States.
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