Melody AM

Of all the ground-breaking releases of the early 2000s, few come as seismic – and ironically underrated – as Norwegian duo Röyksopp’s 2001 debut, Melody AM. You’ll naturally have heard its lead single "Eple", a gorgeous track of intricate synth-n-sample interplay, measured by a gloriously laid back downtempo rhythm.

It’s a handy introduction to the beautifully languid character of most of the album, with the likes of "Sparks" and "She’s So" ranking among chill-out’s most horizontal essentials. But that’s only one side of the coin; the cheeky self-reflexivity of "Röyksopp’s Night Out" and the bouncy shadowplay of "A Higher Place" traces out a noir-ish B-movie atmosphere.

This 20th anniversary edition is available on two disc black vinyl.