Arrival

“Dancing Queen”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Money, Money, Money” make Arrival feel familiar before it has even begun. ABBA’s fourth album was first issued in Sweden on 11 October 1976, with those very different singles sharing the same polished setting.

The pleasure is in the contrasts: the lift of the dance floor, a relationship coming apart, then a theatrical fantasy of wealth. The voices and arrangements make each change feel natural. Away from the singles, the wordless title track offers a gentler way out.