In a matter of days I will be attending the dance party of a lifetime. My childhood and adulthood pop idol, Robyn, will be bringing the noise full force at Park West here in Chicago. I’m dragging three girlfriends along on my journey, and I don’t think they really seem to mind too much either. For those of you who weren’t 12 year-old girls, speed skating at the roller rink to such poppy songs as ’94-‘95’s “Show Me Love” and “Do You Know it Takes,” I completely understand how lunatics such as myself may be overhyping this Swedish pop sensation.

But to those of you who love to have a guilt-free time and shake your shit to pounding bass, synths and irresistibly delicious girly vocal harmonies, than you know what I’m talking about. Robyn is awesome. I didn’t think she could get any more awesome since I had copped her imported UK 2007 self-titled release last year. Her latest effort had originally hit record store shelves back in Sweden in ’05, while we Americans are just now getting a taste of her reinvention this past Tuesday. She made a handful of appearances the past six months or so, bringing her beats to those lucky enough like me at SXSW this past March as well as gigs in LA and New York. An appearance of the Teddybears’ cover “Cobrastyle” was super ferocious live on Letterman this past Thursday evening.

But to the record. Since I had the UK import, I didn’t really think I would need to pick up the US version. Since it’s technically been made available for purchase for ongoing 3 years now, I figured I already had the beats down—Robyn is after all, my all-time favorite shower sing-along sensation. But damn am I glad I picked up this new release. I know not everyone is deliriously hung up on pop artists from the 90’s, so if you’re no super fan and you already have the UK version, the differences aren’t necessarily worth another $15—but if you have yet to pick this up, the US version is definitely one up.

The 16-track pop staple starts up with a totally cheesy, 2-minute boastful introduction, accurately titled “Curriculum Vitae,” claiming that “You cannot stop this, you cannot escape this, and you cannot turn it off.” Accomplishments apparently include the high score of 2 bazillion in Tetris, splitting the atom, inventing the x-ray, and still managing to do stunt doubles for Jackie Chan on the weekends, amongst several other things.

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Well, that’s pretty good, I suppose, but can she rock? Yes. Next track transitioning is the delectable “Konichiwa Bitches,” which sports an equally lighthearted music video. Beeping, clapping and a video gamesque series of synths as well as a sense of humor highlighted this track as my first favorite number.

Next up to bat is the Teddybears’ cover, “Cobrastyle,” which is Robyn’s current single. In my opinion, this is even better than the original track, upping the ante in pace and throwing in some serious bass. “Handle Me,” brings the album along as another catchy single, talking smack to an overhyped admirer. You gotta give this girl cred for her level of confidence and sass in her lyrical context. (Even if it is something as petty as turning down a boy for being a selfish narcissistic psycho freak and boot licking Nazi creep.)

“Bum Like You,” is one of the changes on the US release that is definitely a better fit. Versus the lighter, acoustic guitar bed found on the UK version, Robyn threw in some extra synth power bass and dance happy jams—completely transitioning an otherwise chill love ode into a sexy dance hit.

I don’t want to hog up all the room on Ryan’s page of posts with my overly excitable word shrine to Robyn so I’ll try to sum this up by saying this is a hit-packed record, complete with several dance happy numbers like personal faves, “Be Mine!,” “With Every Heartbeat,” “Crash and Burn Girl,” and the Knife produced “Who’s that Girl.”

Additional changes to the release include “Robot Boy,” which was definitely not a favorite on the past release—but now with the help of a more upbeat tempo bed series of jangles and claps, is much more likely to make its way on my iPod rotation. There are also two extra tracks, the easygoing clubesque airy “Dream On,” and the RedOne remix of “Handle Me.” For all the different remixes of “Handle Me,” I’ve come across; I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed that this is the one that made the final cut. It’s good, but a bit over doing it on the cheese factor. The more rockin’ Bjorn version would have been my choice, but again, I’m just a super fan, not a pop icon, so what do I know.

All in all, I am not embarrassed to say that this will most definitely end up on my Top 3 Albums of 2008, at this point I’d like to say this is the numero uno, but we still have seven more months to go. Let’s see if Chumbawumba can make that comeback.

Myspace: Robyn