Track Review: Robyn ‘Because It’s in the Music’

Robin Miriam Carlsson, known as Robyn, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and producer. She began her career in 1995 with her debut album, Robyn is Here, which produced two Billboard Hot 100 top singles “Do you Know” and “Show Me Love.”

She has always challenged the idea of what “pop” or “feel good” music sounds like. She refrained from filling the mold of the generic pop star and created a new sound. This is clear throughout her new album, Honey, which she spent eight years developing.

“Because It’s in the Music,” the third track on Honey, is a slice of new-wave pop. The song is both gloomy and buoyant, beginning with an unusual beat, and moving into an octave change that will likely make listeners flock to the dance floor.

Her first line pays homage to an idol: “They wrote a song about us/it’s called something like stardust/and on that day they released it/ saying they’ll release me/ even though it kills me/ I still play it anyway.”

The low bass octaves in the background place emphasis on the memory of her idol and how it feels to dance through the night. While many songs about death or loss of a role model are morbid and discouraging, Robyn uses techno and high octaves to engage and celebrate life. The song forces a choice on how to deal with their loved ones whom they’ve lost. It raises the idea that dealing with grief shouldn’t be sad and discouraging, but celebrated with dance, music, and happiness.

Although Robyn breaks the norm of songs about loss in “Because It’s in the Music,” the contrast between her sad lyrics and upbeat rhythm is disjointed in places. The lyrics also occasionally lack depth and border on generic and repetitive.

Because the song only has two adequate versus —  the rest being generic phrases — there isn’t enough to really dig into. She should’ve elongated her lyrics and refrained from filling her song with just the chorus.

While the song seems designed to tell a story, it doesn’t quite reach fruition. “Because It’s in the Music” challenges the norm, but the lack of lyrical depth fails to fully connect on an emotional level.