Part II of the "Profound Mysteries" album series is the same mix of bangers, downtempo grooves and ambient soundscapes we found on the first instalment.
Once again there are a number of collaborations with vocalists as Astrid S, Pixx and Susanne Sundfør all return for another trip around the Röyksopp universe. After a brief pause Jamie Irrepressible is also back to sing on the track "Sorry".
For me the highlight of the album is "Unity" which is a track that contains a break beat and a thumping house piano - but this is no dumb four-on-the-floor behemoth. Karen Harding adds a wonderful vocal that is complimented by a great mix from Svein and Torbjørn.
Fan favourite "Oh, Lover" with Susanne Sundfør is quintessential Röyksopp and harks back to the sound of previous albums (and the criminally ignored single "Never Ever"). Less successful is the dreary ballad "Tell Him" which is uninteresting and predictable. Of the four instrumental tracks on the album, "Remembering the Departed" and "Some Resolve" are a rather nondescript but "Denimclad Baboons" and "Control" prove to be very entertaining.
I find it interesting that the band have included tracks that range from storming dance numbers to ambient washes; it's almost like they are trying to structure a cohesive album rather than a 'conceptual project'. For me this record is slightly less successful than Part I as its quieter moments aren't as engaging. Side D is a particularly dull affair in which the album just seems to limp along until its demise - but the more uptempo numbers here justify a decent score. 3/5
