45 years ago, ABBA’s music was inescapable. 25 years ago, it had become a seemÂingÂly unwelÂcome reminder of the inaniÂties of the 1970s in genÂerÂal and the days of disÂco in parÂticÂuÂlar. But now, it’s revered: rare is the 21st-cenÂtuÂry music critÂic who absoluteÂly refusÂes to acknowlÂedge the Swedish fourÂsome’s masÂtery of pure pop songÂwritÂing and stuÂdio proÂducÂtion. With curÂrent musiÂcians, too, namÂing ABBA among their inspiÂraÂtions withÂout embarÂrassÂment, the time has sureÂly come for ABBA themÂselves to return to the spotÂlight — a spotÂlight that first illuÂmiÂnatÂed them for the world in 1974, when their perÂforÂmance of “WaterÂloo” won the EuroÂviÂsion Song ConÂtest.
ABBA’s streak lastÂed until the earÂly 1980s, endÂing in a hiaÂtus that ultiÂmateÂly stretched out to some 40 years. Pop culÂture has changed quite a bit in that time, but techÂnolÂoÂgy much more so. The band have thus put togethÂer a thorÂoughÂly modÂern comeÂback involvÂing not just a new album, but also a live show starÂring comÂputÂer-genÂerÂatÂed verÂsions of memÂbers Björn Ulvaeus, BenÂny AnderÂsÂson, Agnetha FältÂskog, and Anni-Frid LynÂgstad — “Abbatars,” as Ulvaeus calls them.
BeginÂning next year, they’ll play ABBA’s hits in a cusÂtom-built 3,000-seat areÂna in LonÂdon’s Olympic park, engiÂneered to accomÂpaÂny each song with their own elabÂoÂrate light show. AniÂmatÂed with motion-capÂtured perÂforÂmances by the real ABBA, their appearÂance has been modÂeled after the way the band looked in the 1970s (if not quite the way they dressed).
Titled VoyÂage, this digÂiÂtal ABBA expeÂriÂence will open in 2022, thus solvÂing the probÂlem of tourÂing that had long disÂcourÂaged a reunion. “We would like peoÂple to rememÂber us as we were,” Ulvaeus said in the late 2000s. “Young, exuÂberÂant, full of enerÂgy and ambiÂtion.” But with all four now-sepÂtuÂaÂgeÂnarÂiÂan memÂbers still alive and able to make music, remainÂing wholÂly inacÂtive seems to have startÂed feelÂing like a shame. They made their return to the stuÂdio in 2018, recordÂing the new songs “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down,” both of which will appear on the new album, also called VoyÂage, comÂing out in NovemÂber. All this will bring back memÂoÂries for longÂtime fans, as well as proÂvide a thrilling expeÂriÂence for their many lisÂtenÂers too young to have expeÂriÂenced an ABBA show or album release before. But I can’t be the only memÂber of my genÂerÂaÂtion wonÂderÂing if, twenÂty years from now, we’ll be buyÂing tickÂets for a digÂiÂtalÂly re-creÂatÂed Ace of Base.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
How ABBA Won EuroÂviÂsion and Became InterÂnaÂtionÂal Pop Stars (1974)
LisÂten to ABBA’s “DancÂing Queen” Played on a 1914 FairÂground Organ
This Man Flew to Japan to Sing ABBA’s “MamÂma Mia” in a Big Cold RivÂer
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
I’m not sure, but this artiÂcle implies that, while “I Still Have Faith In You” was recordÂed in 2018, “Don’t Shut Me Down” was recordÂed latÂer.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/02/abba-reunite-for-voyage-first-new-album-in-40-years