Melody A.M.
Arguably one of the best releases of 2002 and unquestionably one of the most original, the filmic, dreamy and mostly instrumentalMelody A.M.--from Norwegian duo Svein Berge and Torbjorn Brundtland, or Röyksopp--finds uncommon beauty in the study of contrasts. At once frosty and lush, austere and joyful, ambient and wildly detailed,Melody A.M.is equal parts classical, electronica and film score, but with way better optics. Yes, optics--or at least that's how it feels. Opening track "So Easy" lulls with a gently whispered chant casually draped over what sounds like plucked harp strings while technicolor gurgles and bloopy keyboards sputter in the background. The sweeping, beatbox-damaged "Eple"--its cascading piano notes exploding into tiny white flashes of light--is as panoramic as the Nordic vistas that inspired it. Cinematic strings flood through "In Space," creating a real sense of velocity. Like Philip Glass orBoards of Canada, Röyksopp are minimalists who wring every bit of juice out each note without ever losing sight of the emotional core.Melody A.M.is music as painting, in watercolor, and destined to be a sleeper classic for the ages.--Kim Hughes