Robin Carlsson--better known as Robyn, the diminutive Swedish fireball who scored a hit with 1997’s "Show Me Love"--has slowly but surely made her mark as an international R & B queen. Robyn, her fourth album, is arguably her strongest statement to date, jam-packed with sassy, streetwise lyrics and an array of novel beats and songs. Tracks like "Be Mine" and the playful, upbeat "Konichiwa Bitches" are instant, immaculate pop gems, while "With Every Heartbeat"--which boasts a Royksopp-esque melancholy, sidereal bleeps and rousing strings--is much more dance than R & B. "Who's That Girl" (produced by The Knife) rides an infectious electroclash groove; "Crash and Burn Girl" is a cheerful take on disco; while "Bum Like Me" and "Should Have Known" (which owes a conspicuous debt to Prince) are shiny slower jams that warn against getting hurt by time-wasting men. With the exception of "Eclipse" and "Anytime You Like", Robyn is a delightfully upbeat album, cementing Robyn’s reputation as a kick-ass pop diva with some seriously deadly Ninja moves. --Danny McKenna
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