Flunk's newest album is what downtempo get this month as an excellent present from Norway. After establishing themselves as one of the best Scandinavian trip-hop bands for the last decade Flunk offers a new portion of music for the body and soul. "This Is What You Get" is their sixth proper studio album and a fine continuation of ther dreampop style with obvious influences of post-rock, shoegaze and blue-eyed soul.
Anja Oyen Vister's voice is as soothing and inspiring as well, exploring the depths of melody through composition and vocal. Despite not being as skillful as Sade Adu or Sarah Brightman, Anja does her best to create the relevant ambiance for a spiritual endeavor in the spectrum of emotions, memories and dreams. "This Is What I Get" most definitely is not the groundbreaking album of 2009, but still is a perfect addition to the an extensive electronic library. While listening to the record you might spot how softly the songs swift, the tempo reaches emotional peaks and there is no confrontation between lyrics and music. A pleasant surprise is the cover of "Karma Police" by Radiohead, which perfectly puts the final touch in the track-list. I really don't like Thom Yorke and company, but the cover is worth the listen and I do believe they've done it very well, preserving the common feeling from the original and still creating a different atmosphere when listening to it.
Even if you are not a true ambient fanatic or an actual fan of Flunk this album, as well as the rest of their material, "This Is What You Get" is actually everything you can really expect from a downtempo trip-hop driven record. Mild, soft and charming it takes all the problems away, teaching us to cherish life as it is and never take anything for granted, even the mere existence.
Songs to hear: "Common Sense", "Ride", "Stain" and "Karma Police"
Personal rating: 7 out of 10
