The problem with much of the downtempo music that occupies our bedrooms, lounges, and car commercials is that it's often too tranquil to hold the masses' attention for any length of time. Even when you're paralyzed after a weekend of nonstop dancing, you still want to nod your head along to the music you're using to decompress. Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge of the Norwegian duo Röyksopp have this part of the downtempo equation figured out, bringing the "easy" back into easy listening without losing their pulse in the process.

The duo has been generating a lot of hype lately, ending up on top-10 lists and "acts to look out for" alerts, but I can honestly say that it's all warranted. On Röyksopp's debut album, Melody A.M., Brundtland and Berge come out swinging like two pasty studio programmers hell-bent on getting some action. The first track, "So Easy," opens with a hooky funk bass line and plucked string samples over a breakbeat. It's followed by "Eple," the showcase cut--another infectious, dance-floor-ready breakbeat with a slightly tweaked-out Fender Rhodes melody making gorgeous, dreamy soundscapes. As Melody A.M. continues, it sways through downtempo, breaks, and house beats; Röyksopp aren't scared to wear their sweet pop sensibilities on their sleeve, but luckily they never get too cheesy. "Poor Leno," with its straight 4/4 beats and effects-laden vocals, risks crossing over into that questionable little area we like to call "trance," but the restraint in the production work saves it--though you'll more likely hear this track blowing up in large clubs than in secret after-hours parties.

I've heard that in a club setting, Röyksopp have been coming at it live-PA-style with keyboards, laptops, DATs, a bass player, and a keen sense of humor. Despite the icy climate of their native roots, the duo effortlessly fuse dance-floor electronics with warm, eclectic downtempo that remembers how to break a sweat. NICOLAE WHITE

Röyksopp w/Sunitzu Sound featuring A. C. Lewis, J-Justice, and Atlee, Sat March 8 at Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison Ave, 324-8000, 9 pm-2 am, 21+, $6.

nicolae@thestranger.com