By the Autumn of 2009, Röyksopp’s third album, Junior, had been released and available to purchase for a few months. I was on a Beatles trip during that part of the year and can’t remember checking anything out that was new and current at the time. But I was aware of the goings-on of Röyksopp. Earlier in the year, ‘Happy Up Here’ had been released as the first single from Junior. I remember enjoying that one massively, think I played it on repeat a fair few times once I pirated it of a website. ‘The Girl and the Robot’ followed as the second single. Got a feeling its video played on MTV2 a few times. Being an avid FIFA series follower like I was back then, I got the most recent game – which would have been FIFA 10 – and lo and behold, Röyksopp was on the game’s soundtrack, with album closer ‘It’s What I Want’ chosen by the people at EA Sports to include. The duo just seemed to be within my peripheral vision in 2009, and I wasn’t complaining ’cause the songs were good.

Now, ‘This Must Be It’ was released as Junior‘s third and final single in that Autumn of 2009. I want to say I saw its music video actually on TV maybe once or twice around the time it was due to come out. But after that, until maybe 2018 or 2019, I had honestly forgotten the song existed. And not because it was bad or anything. I was too busy listening to the Beatles and probably working on the YouTube channel I had at the time. Why I revisited the track in either 2018 or 2019, I’m really not too sure. I know that’s what you guys read these for, to know the things I can’t remember. I think it was simply a matter of looking up Junior, seeing ‘This Must Be It’ was a single, thinking “I really can’t remember how this song goes at all” and taking a listen. It wasn’t really a special occasion. Whatever the spark behind my decision was, I’m glad it was there because I find it to be a very enjoyable track. A real bop. Once the beat gets going, I can’t help but nod my end along to it until the eventual end.

The song features the vocals of Karin Dreijer, you may know them as Fever Ray or one half of The Knife. I’ve never done a deep dive into either acts, but I honestly should. In the few songs I know sung by Dreijer, I’m always drawn toward their vocal delivery and melodies. There’s still time for a whole discography discovery. Anyway, ‘This Must Be It’ sees Dreijer, I think, write about waiting for a couple of people to arrive – I’m guessing friends rather than strangers – and getting bored in the process, but then feeling at peace once they finally do and have a good time together. That’s just this simple guy’s interpretation. The string of evocative lyrics make the whole situation sound much more ethereal and otherworldly. It’s like the whole thing’s taking place in space, the song sounds so wide and expansive. With the Dreijer’s reverb-drenched vocal and the spacey production, anchored by the entrancing four-on-the-floor rhythm, it all makes for a very mesmerising experience. How could I have forgotten about this one? Seems silly thinking about it now.