Foot Of The Mountain  by A-ha

A-ha returned in 2009 - after a four-year recording absence - with their ninth studio album, Foot Of The Mountain, which marked a significant return to their synth-pop roots. Here, the band A-ha abandoned the chimes-guitar sound of previous years to once again embrace synthesizers and melodic synth-pop lines that made them famous in the '80s. The lyrics retain the band's familiar melancholy and emotionalism.

The recording lasted five months (January–May 2009) in various cities such as New York, Oslo, Hamburg, and Bath. The production involved names like Steve Osborne, Mark Saunders, Roland Spremberg, and Erik Ljunggren. Foot Of The Mountain was released in June 2009. The eponymous single became the official anthem of the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009 (!) The cover was designed by Martin Kvamme and depicts abstractly the Kyrkja mountain in Norway. The photo on which the cover was based was taken by Coldplay's bassist, Guy Berryman, during a hike with Magne Furuholmen (!)

The album in the United Kingdom reached No.5, their highest position since 1988. In Germany, it occupied the 1st position and 2nd in Norway. The global sales of the album are estimated at approximately 220,000 copies.