Misplaced Pages

Motordrome
Studio album by MØ
Released	28 January 2022 (2022-01-28)
Genre	Pop • electropop • disco
Length	32:15
Label	Columbia
Producer	Ariel Rechtshaid Ronni Vindahl Jakob Littauer Jam City Lotus IV SG Lewis Sly Stint
MØ chronology
Walshy Fire Presents: MMMMØ – The Mix (2019) Motordrome (2022)
Singles from Motordrome
"Live to Survive" Released: 28 May 2021 "Kindness" Released: 30 July 2021 "Brad Pitt" / "Goosebumps" Released: 12 November 2021 "New Moon" Released: 28 January 2022 "True Romance" Released: 17 June 2022 "Spaceman" Released: 12 August 2022

Motordrome is the third album by Danish singer and songwriter MØ, released on 28 January 2022 through Columbia Records. It was announced alongside the release of the singles "Brad Pitt" and "Goosebumps" on 12 November 2021, and also includes the singles "Live to Survive" and "Kindness". MØ embarked on a tour in Europe and North America from February 2022 in support of the album.

Background

MØ began work on Motordrome to help herself "out of a downward spiral – out of the motor dome of her own head". She characterised the album as being "about both the sadness and the joy of making changes in your life" and stated that she hopes Motordrome feels "genuine" to listeners in the sense that "there are stories there that they can connect with". She also expressed that the album "represents a huge change in my life. Even though I'm still doing what I love doing, it does feel like a new chapter. That is scary, but it's freeing."

Singles

"Live to Survive" was issued as the first single on 28 May 2021, followed two months later by second single "Kindness" on 30 July. The official album announcement on 12 November 2021 was accompanied by the dual third singles "Brad Pitt" and "Goosebumps". On 28 January 2022, the fourth single "New Moon" was released, alongside the album. The fifth single, "True Romance", was released on 17 June. Two months later, "Spaceman" was released as the album's sixth single on 12 August.

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.9/10
Metacritic	68/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	7/10
DIY
Dork
Gigwise
The Independent
The Line of Best Fit	9/10
NME
Pitchfork	6.2/10
The Skinny
Slant Magazine

Motordrome has received generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 68 based on ten reviews. Writing for Slant Magazine, Charles Lyons-Burt gave the album rating 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "When Ørsted ramps up the bombast, Motordrome reaches a serviceable level of pop pageantry. But most of the singer's cooed melodies feel comparatively half-hearted. Ultimately, the album has a way of getting your attention and failing to keep it." In a positive review Gigwise's Adam England stated that "MØ sound might have evolved to incorporate both her previous material and her teenage tastes, but this could be her best album yet. It's algorithm, baby." El Hunt from NME stated "The record doesn't always hit the mark" and add that "The immensely memorable hooks on show certainly help, too – but after 'Motordrome''s fizzled out, you're left wishing the engines revved a little louder." The Independent's Helen Brown opined that "Tracks have enough energy to keep limbs twitching, but not enough force to pull bystanders from the walls." Writing for Clash, Robin Murray felt that "Motordrome utilises its 10 track span to broach a number of fresh ideas; spinning the dial once more, MØ is able to conjure something fresh, taking risks that few peers would attempt". Writing for The Line of Best Fit, John Amen lauded the album, concluding that "Motordrome is a multifaceted delight and an early contender for pop album of the year."

Chart performance

Motordrome charted only in Denmark, debuting at number nine on the Danish Albums Chart.

Tour

MØ made the first announcement of her Motordrome World Tour Chapter One tour dates on November 12, 2021, and ticket sales were available from November 17, 2021. The tour covered Europe and North America. However, on December 17 on social media, the singer wrote that concert dates in Europe had been postponed from February to May due to coronavirus restrictions. In March, the singer performed with Imagine Dragons as a support act on their North American tour Mercury World Tour. The tour began on February 26, 2022, in Chicago.

Track listing

Notes

• signifies a miscellaneous producer
• "Spaceman" interpolates a Babylon Zoo's 1995 track Spaceman from their debut album The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes.

Personnel

Musicians

• MØ – vocals
• Jake Braun – cello (1)
• SG Lewis – bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, programming, synthesizer (2)
• Rasmus Littauer – programming (5), drums (10)
• Andreas Lund – guitar (6)
• Josefine Struckmann Pedersen – background vocals (7)
• Melissa Gregerson – background vocals (7)
• Ronni Vindahl – guitar (7)
• August Rosenbaum – piano (8)
• Yangze – piano (8)
• Live Johansson – cello (10)
• Karen Johanne Pedersen – violin (10)

Technical

• Emily Lazar – mastering
• Chris Allgood – mastering (1, 3–10)
• Geoff Swan – mixing (1, 3–10)
• Serban Ghenea – mixing (2)
• Jasmine Chen – engineering (1, 4)
• Matt DiMona – engineering (1, 4)
• John Hanes – engineering (2)
• Anthony Dolhai – engineering (7)
• Karen Marie Ørsted – vocal production (1, 3–5, 9)
• Ariel Rechtshaid – vocal production (1, 4)
• SG Lewis – vocal production (2)
• Sly – vocal production (2)
• Caroline Ailin – vocal production (2)
• Ronni Vindahl – vocal production (3, 9)

Charts

Release history

References

1. Kenneally, Cerys (12 November 2021). "MØ announces third album with two new singles "Brad Pitt" and "Goosebumps"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. ^ Anderson, Carys (13 November 2021). "MØ Announces New Album Motordrome, Shares Tracks "Brad Pitt" and "Goosebumps": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
3. ^ Shutler, Ali (13 November 2021). "MØ announces third album 'Motordrome', shares two new songs". NME. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
4. Goggins, Joe (3 August 2021). "MØ Music, Less Problems". DIY. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
5. Richards, Will (28 May 2021). "MØ returns with euphoric new single 'Live To Survive'". NME. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
6. Fu, Eddie (29 July 2021). "MØ Shares New Song "Kindness": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
7. "MØ shares new track 'New Moon'". 29 January 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
8. "MØ Shares New Single 'True Romance'". Broadway World. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
9. "MØ's NEW SINGLE 'SPACEMAN' - Music - Verge Magazine". Verge Magazine. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
10. "Motordrome by Mø reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
11. ^ "Motordrome by MØ Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
12. ^ Murray, Robin (27 January 2022). "MØ – Motordrome". Clash. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
13. Tipple, Ben (28 January 2022). "MØ – Motordrome Album Review". DIY. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
14. MacMillan, Jamie (26 January 2022). "MØ – Motordrome". Dork. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
15. ^ England, Adam (26 January 2022). "Album Review: MØ – Motordrome". Gigwise. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
16. ^ Brown, Helen (27 January 2022). "MØ review, Motordrome: 'Dark disco' album doesn't stand out from the crowd". The Independent. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
17. ^ Amen, John (28 January 2022). "MØ offers a cohesive set of distinct pop gems on third album Motordrome". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
18. ^ Hunt, El (27 January 2022). "MØ – 'Motordrome' review: rebellious star's smouldering slow-pop stays in one lane". NME. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
19. Torres, Eric (2 February 2022). "MØ: Motordrome Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
20. Hepburn, Tara (24 January 2022). "MØ – Motordrome". The Skinny. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
21. ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (24 January 2022). "MØ Motordrome Review: Midgrade Electro-Pop That Leaves a Faint Impression". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
22. "MØ on Instagram: "lets. fucking. GO!! 😭 On sale next Wednesday."". Instagram. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
23. "MØ on Instagram: "Due to increasing Covid restrictions, we are postponing the EU/UK tour to May. Tickets are valid for the new dates, refunds available at point of purchase ❤️ No changes to my cozy little US tour. I'm sad but I can't wait to sing with you this Spring ⛅️🌻🌙️!!!!"". Instagram. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
24. This show was part of Sound Money Festival 2022
25. This show was part of Jellingmusikfestival
26. This show was part of Northside Fest
27. This show was part of Tinderbox
28. This show was part of Mad Cool Festival
29. This show was part of The Secret Garden Party
30. This show was part of Gaesten
31. This show was part of Flow Festival
32. This show was part of Way Out West
33. This show was part of Corona Capital
34. the show will be part of a series of shows at Tivoli in Copenhagen during Fredagsrock I Tivoli
35. This show will part of Heartland Festival
36. This show will part of Gæsten
37. ^ This show Is part of Grøn Concert
38. This show will part of Smukfest
39. Viswanathan, Aswath (13 November 2021). "MØ Confirms New Album Motordrome For January 2022 Release, Announces U.S And European Spring 2022 Tour Dates, Shares Two New Tracks 'Brad Pitt' And 'Goosebumps'". Mxdwn. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
40. "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40 Uge 5, 2022". Hitlisten. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
41. "Motordrome Vinyl LP". momomoyouth.com.
42. MØ (12 August 2022). "Motordrome (The Dødstrom Edition)". Apple Music (NZ).

• 2022 albums
• Albums produced by Ariel Rechtshaid
• Albums produced by Linus Wiklund
• Albums produced by SG Lewis
• Columbia Records albums
• MØ albums