With the recent release of Body Talk Pt. 1 and the imminent release of Pt. 2, I was eager to see how Robyn’s performance has evolved since I last saw her in 2008. The good news: Robyn’s headlining performance on Friday was everything I could have hoped for and more. The bad: she left “Konichiwa Bitches” off an otherwise strong set list. But personal gripes aside, Robyn’s set was hands-down my favorite of the week.

She started things off with ”Fembot” and went straight into “Cry When You Get Older” before kicking back to 2005′s Robyn with a retooled version of “Cobrastyle”. The set list was perfectly balanced between old and new songs, and included almost every track from Body Talk Part 1 (“Dancing On My Own”, “Dancehall Queen”, “None of Dem” and “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do”). As with “Cobrastyle”, Robyn offered up fresh interpretations of several old favorites, including “Be Mine”, “Who’s That Girl” and her breakout debut single, “Show Me Love”. She also played “Dream On”, a collaboration with Swedish musician/producer Christian Falk, and closed the show with an epic rendition of “With Every Heartbeat” in its full original glory.

The creativity that Robyn displays in her impressive body of work has already set her apart from the droves of pop stars that have come and gone over the course of her fifteen-year career. Add her showmanship to the mix and she is completely untouchable. Robyn had me captivated from the moment she took the stage for her first-ever U.S. show at Highline Ballroom in February 2008. She began the show with “Cobrastyle”, delivering the first four lines with a rigidity that matched the form of the song, then suddenly broke into a dance so uninhibited and natural, I can still remember the audience’s collective awe and delight.

What I find so admirable about Robyn (aside from her music, of course) is how high she set the bar back in 2008, and how easily she cleared it two years later. Almost all of the artists I’ve seen on multiple occasions have failed to live up to magic of the first time, but Robyn is a clear exception. Not only did she wisely wait until she had new material before embarking on a major tour, her effervescent personality is so infectious, it makes you wish she was your best friend.

Body Talk Pt. 2 will be released in the U.S. on September 7 with Pt. 3 on the horizon, also slated for a 2010 release. Click through for photos of Robyn’s amazing Øya performance, and CLICK HERE to see more photos from the festival.

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What’s left to say about Major Lazer? After attending every single NYC appearance, I thought I’d tire of seeing them live. Not so. Diplo and Skerrit Bwoy took over Øya’s Vika stage with lazers blazing for one of the most explosive sets of the week. Though there were familiar elements I’d come to expect from a Major Lazer show – Skerrit Bwoy’s “Pon De Floor” moves, girls dancing on stage, and a touch of Ace of Base – there were definitely some surprises in store.

Assigned the sunset time slot, Major Lazer ushered in the night with a full-blown party, transforming the stage into outdoor dancehall. Flaming Lips lead singer Wayne Coyne joined us in the photo pit to take some choice shots of his own, a testament to Major Lazer’s growing popularity. Coyne wasn’t the only one who made a guest appearance – Die Antwoord joined the action and clearly had a blast on stage, wearing Pokemon and Stitch onesies, no less. Unpredictable as always, Skerrit Bwoy took advantage of the scenic atmosphere, disappearing for a moment only to emerge in one of the trees surrounding the stage.

All in all, it was one of my favorite Major Lazer performances to date. I had to take off a little early to catch Robyn, but given their recent collaboration, I have to wonder if La Roux made a cameo after I left.

Catch some snaps of Major Lazer’s set after the jump… and CLICK HERE for more photos from the festival.

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Miike Snow’s performance was the one I was most looking forward to on Øya’s second day. And while Richie Adomako and Kenroy George reported on one of three sold-out NYC shows back in March, I personally never had the pleasure of seeing them live.

The band took the stage in matching black jackets and white theatrical masks, which coupled with the lights, fog and ambient intro, gave off an eerie vibe reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera. They launched into “Cult Logic” and “Burial”, removing their masks in one fell swoop during “Black & Blue” to reveal the full emotional range behind their music.

Physically watching each member’s contribution to the sound made me appreciate the complexity of each song even more. While the entire set list came from their eponymous debut album, the live interpretations were not mere regurgitations of the originals. Miike Snow pushed the boundaries of each song’s structure, adding improvisational breaks to several album favorites, including “Sylvia” and “Black & Blue”. As expected, they ended the show with a rousing rendition of their first single, “Animal”.

Click through for photos from Miike Snow’s Øya performance, or CLICK HERE for more snaps of the festival.

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Øya got off to a rainy start on Wednesday, where dedicated poncho-clad fans came out in droves to take in a wide variety of both local and international acts. We checked out performances by Imperial State Electric, Gaslight Anthem, Sleigh Bells and M.I.A., and stumbled upon a hilarious scene during Fucked Up’s set, when the lead singer stripped to his skivvies and sang from the audience, stopping for a photo opp along the way (above).

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

The night before the official start of the festival, Øya kicked things off with the annual Klubbdagen (Club Day), where nearly 80 local bands played in 25 venues scattered around Central Oslo. Armed with the official Klubbdagen map and our iPhone (which will surely come back to haunt us with an astronomical phone bill), we navigated the streets of Oslo, making stops to check out The Last Heat at Juicy På Sukkerbiten, Tre Små Tøser (which loosely translates to “Three Small Hussies”) at Blå, and Phone Joan at Gamla.

And since the experience was just as much about exploring the city as it was about exploring the music, we’ve included some snaps of the sights we encountered along the way.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

We were already amped about the massive line-up for Øya Festival in Norway, but after seeing the list of artists scheduled to perform at Nighttime Øya, our anticipation has gone through the roof. Øya has teamed up with some of the best clubs in Oslo to keep the music going after the park closes at 11 PM. Diplo, Caribou, Four Tet, Jamie XX are among those who will illuminate the nightlife scene in the nation’s capital each night after the festival.

As for the festival itself, Yeasayer, Die Antwood, and the Flaming Lips have been added to the roster, which was finalized last week. They will join the list of previously announced artists that includes M.I.A., LCD Soundsystem, Robyn, La Roux, The xx, Sleigh Bells, Miike Snow, Major Lazer and many, many more.

Tickets for Øya Nighttime events will be available at the venue and in advance at the festival. Discounts will be given to those who hold a festival pass, which costs around $330 for five-days. CLICK HERE for tickets and info.

After a five-year absence, Robyn is set to release Body Talk Pt. 1 – her fifth studio album – on June 14. In anticipation, she has already released three tracks – “Femebot”, “None of Dem” (produced by Royksopp) and “Dancehall Queen” (produced by Diplo) – through digital outlets; today sees the video release for her first single, “Dancing On My Own”. The video, directed by Max Vitali, is about “being sad on a dance floor”, Robyn said in a behind-the-scenes video,”there’s a lot of dancing in the video, both by me and other people.” Decida, the video’s choreographer, adds: “It’s about her being kind of pissed off… and dancing and bringing out some kind of energy.” Indeed, the video showcases Robyn’s signature dance style that first charmed us on her 2007 tour.

The behind-the-scenes video also gives us a sneak peek of what her upcoming tour will look like. “It’s going to be looking a little bit like what I’m going to bring on tour,” Robyn said of the video set, “So it’s going to be a performance video but it’s also going to be in something like a rave or like a club or somewhere where people are dancing.” In a creative marketing move, Robyn and Kelis engaged in a Twitter conversation yesterday, which served to announce their joint US Tour, tentatively called the “All Hearts Tour”.

Watch the video for “Dancing On My Own” after the jump, and CLICK HERE for a behind-the-scenes look. We’ll be catching Robyn this summer when she headlines the Øya Festival in Oslo, and will bring you more details on her stateside jaunt as they emerge. Stay tuned…

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The summer just got a little more exciting. The initial line-up for Oslo’s annual Øya Festival is so huge, there’s no way we can pass this one up. Robyn, M.I.A., LCD Soundsystem, Miike Snow, Major Lazer, The xx and Raekwon are just some of the artists on the initial line-up, along with several local Norwegian acts. With both Diplo (Major Lazer) and Robyn on the bill, we’re hoping that their recent studio collaboration will manifest itself onstage.

The five-day festival will be held from August 10-14 in Middelalderparken, a picturesque medieval park surrounded by sandy beaches, the Oslo Fjords and the Oslo skyline. Those who are environmentally conscious will be happy to learn that Øya has been officially named the greenest festival in Europe.

A five-day pass will set you back roughly $330 and are available HERE. Single-day tickets are also available.