ABBA’s ‘Voyage’ is the Comeback We’ve All Been Waiting For
Mamma Mia, here we go again! Produced "trend-blind," the album brings about some much-needed comfort only the iconic pop group can provide.
We’re only four days away from the release of ABBA’s highly anticipated reunion album ‘Voyage’ and fans everywhere are on the edge of their seats. With over 80,000 pre-orders in the UK alone 3 days after the announcement of their latest album in September, it’s clear as day that ‘Voyage’ is no ordinary reunion; this will be the comeback of the century.
In an interview with The Guardian, the frontmen of the group Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus reveal that the 10-track album will mark the last ABBA reunion ever — an exclusive rework of unreleased songs abandoned by the group in the ‘80s and newly written songs that relate to where the members are in life now.
When asked if ‘Voyage’ incorporates current pop trends into its sound, the response is a resounding no. To quote Ulvaeus exactly, the album is produced “absolutely trend-blind,” giving longtime ABBA fans a much-needed comfort of familiarity when listening to their new tracks again.
“We decided early on that we’re not going to look at anything else,” Ulvaeus continues. “We’re just going to do the songs, the best songs we can right now. That meant writing lyrics I could get some of my thoughts of these past 40 years into, and add some kind of depth that, hopefully, comes with age and that makes it different from the lyrics I wrote 40 years ago.”
In short, you can expect a continuation of the legacy left behind by the group when they disbanded in 1982; a sound and essence that is so uniquely ABBA.
Taking the backseat of the project, the ladies of the group Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad made it clear that they’re here for the music only. It is the reason why Andersson and Ulvaeus are doing most of promotional press when it comes to ‘Voyage’. “They didn’t take much persuasion, but we did have to tell both of them that they don’t need to speak to the media,” explains Andersson.
"Bringing the ladies in, we didn't really know what to expect," he continues. "Because I mean, they're not 30 anymore, they're 70-plus. They came in and they started to sing, it was like bang! Spot on."
After the release of their album on 5 November, the band will be preparing for their forthcoming residency at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from May 2022 onwards. With a capacity of 3,000, the arena will showcase a tour unlike any other; a holographic show featuring ABBA’s digital avatars, specially designed for the experience with the help of 800 animators from across the world and a 10-piece live band.
"There is something irresistible in this," says Ulvaeus, "being able to replicate yourself, you know, in zeros and ones, on huge screens with 3,000 people in the audience. It's going to be something spectacular."
Listen to ABBA's latest single 'Just A Notion' here:
ABBA’s singles ‘Just a Notion’, ‘I Still Have Faith in You’ and 'Don't Shut Me Down’ are available to stream on all platforms now. For more information, visit https://abbavoyage.com/.
