Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Best Songs: Who Is It?, Oceania, Mouth's Cradle Listen Again: Yes
Very experimental with some hits and misses. Personally i enjoyed "Where is The Line" probably the most with it's aggressive beat and "Who is it" for a more chill vibe. Honestly if this was released today i wouldn't be that impressed but it is so ahead of the curve being released in 2004. Thinking of where artists such as "Arca" and "Holly Herndon" would take it further 10+ years later. So how do you judge it? By the merits today or it's groundbreaking merits. I think I'll ignore some of the stinkers and write it of as experimentation from the time and give it a very strong 3. Worth a listen.
Satte seg ikkje heilt
Bro is spittin’
Almost an a cappella album. Would probably grow on repeat listening.
And so, we return to the world of Björk. I listened to Vulnicura a few days ago for this project, and I quite liked it. I thought it was a really good album. So, how does Medulla compare? Well, I think this one's good too. It's very refreshing to listen to an avant-garde album that doesn't make you want to tear your ears off after listening to Duck Stab yesterday. I think the idea of having an album focused primarily on a cappella is one with some substantial merit to it. While this album isn't totally instrument-less, it does focus on instruments less than the average album. Björk's singing is still quite good. This album was released 11 years before Vulnicura, and her voice didn't change much in that time, which is something that I consider to be good. This album isn't as focused as Vulnicura. That one was clearly a concept album through and through. While this album does occasionally go back to common themes tying to motherhood and politics, it's not as evident through the lyrics, which are a bit more abstract than they were in Vulnicura. Overall, while I liked that album a bit more, I do still think that Medulla is a good album, and my opinion of Björk's music remains a positive one. High 3/5.
I'm not even gonna start it. I've listened to it a million times.
Not my favourite bjork. Just didn’t get into it.
Expect the unexpected from Bjork. This is an ambitious work that is not overly successful. There are passages that are grating and other spellbinding. Difficult to know when this would get played.
The a capella aspect of the background music was interesting, but I'm not a fan of the actual vocals. 3/5 for creativity. Maybe I'll like Bjork music someday. Triumph of a Heart was a fun surprise at the end of the album, because Rahzel doing the backing track was a fun surprise.
2/3
I liked this better than I expected. Interesting all-vocal concept. Not one I'd listen to much, but it was fun to experience once.
Eh this was ok but definitely not my thing. Her voice can either be really beautiful yet annoying at times.
Not my favorite Björk Album
Less my style but great use of voice/breathing
This was a weird one that I hadn’t listened to before. I loved her first two albums.
Wow. She is just so .... different. First time hearing this one. I have a favorable opinion of her and her music so I go into each album knowing it's going to be weird, but probably weirdly good. This one was no exception. I don't know any of the songs. The singles: Who is it and Triumph of the Heart sound ok, but definitely not the most interesting songs on the album. But, I need more time with this one. Very nice first listen. 3/5
Possibly the funniest album to give to your dad
The singing and music is quite good. It's a little experimental, which is sometimes bad. But it's largely really good. It's a little theatrical, or video game music-like. Reminds me a lot of Imogen Heap, who I like as well. Some of the voice sounds are just weird, but I assume that's part of the point (sighing and breathing, grunting/animal/sex noises). Ancestors is horrible - the heavy breathing and grunting is just bad. It sits in the middle of avant-garde (and unlistenable) and actually good (like something I want to listen to). Would have been a 4 if certain songs weren't so off-putting.
I rate this 3 on its uniqueness alone. I like how it’s primarily human voices as the instrumentation, I just don’t particularly care for the songs the human voices are creating.
I’m never going to listen to this again but it was interesting this time.
just not for me but it’s nice that she’s trying
I want to like Bjork but this often just puts me on edge. Its experimental and I admire what she's done but its too much for one sitting.
Ok, I can make it through Debut and even some of Vespertine but this is almost unenjoyable. I support Bjork and her artistic integrity, but this just shows how far you can go with the vocally driven, casual choral, rhythmically challenging sub-genre of electro-oddness.
An album where the instruments are entirely* (*mostly) vocals deserves its place on the list, if done well, and this is done pretty well. The crack team of guest vocalists are employed in an impressive variety of ways: mimicking percussion/brass/synths, adding choral backing, or making completely unique sounds. The two singles (Who Is It, Triumph Of A Heart) successfully manage to create something that's definitely pop music, just not as we're used to. Of course, this being Björk, she doesn't just experiment with the instrumentation but the song structures, phrasing, melodies etc etc. Like most of her 21st century output, it's a pretty challenging listen a lot of the time. Even repeated plays don't guarantee that some tracks will ever 'click'... Still, little bits of magic frequently do reveal themselves, and the sounds are intriguing enough to keep me trying for more. I once listened to this while travelling through Iceland's rugged landscapes and the music matched the scenery nicely: sometimes beautiful, sometimes stark, but always having an impenetrable, alien quality. 3.5
5/10. You know, I really want to like Bjork. Because she's doing some cool sounding stuff on this album, and her lyrics are cool as well. But I just really can't stand listening to her singing for a whole album.
I dunno. It wasn’t terrible but I don’t really wanna listen to this again. 5/10
Just not really my kind of thing.
To be clear, Björk is an artist, and this album is a great example of her work. But her music works for me better when she creates within the constraints of a song. Her other, freer tracks are fine, but I keep returning to her songs.
So odd but fun
Some weird stuff. Pleasant though,
Bonkers
Un poco gritona.
Too much like hard work
An adventurous and experimental album. It is a bit difficult to rate this one, because I didn't hate it but I didn't find it pleasant or enjoyable to listen to it either. I appreciate how much Björk showed the variety of different vocals on this album.. It's the second album by her on this challenge and I liked her debut album more than this one.
This is one of those genuinely polarising albums. At times, totally bonkers and daft, and at others quite beautiful.
Música experimental de Björk. Ni fu ni fa.
Un poco gritona.
Bit of an awkward one, where I had to make three other people listen to it with me. We were getting ready to go out on the lash and Bjork's entirely acapella album was probably not it. She's very talented though, and obviously barking, to her credit.
Try as I might I'm just can't take to this austere, mostly a capella haunting. She's got the vocal goods and I've no doubt she is executing her particular vision, just not my taste.
I'm starting to think Björk is not the artist for me. The music, arrangement and use of her voice isn't something I particularly like. And it's a waste, I could imagine her doing great toned down folksy records. It's a very challenging listen, maybe I'd need to do more. But I'm not feeling too fond about it after one spin. I respect her for staying true to herself and not cashing in. It turns out to be a unique record, and fans probably love it to bits. But if you're new to Björk, this is probably not a good starting point. 5,5 out of 10
Probably a 2.6 for me but rating up. I’m not a bjork fan but credit where credit is due for her wackiness
This was pretty cool. I did find the novelty of it mostly being voices to wear a bit thin by the end, but overall; this is a varied set of songs and is an incredibly creative album.
Interesting, a lot of groundwork was paved for the pop and even EDM scene through this album. All acapella and probably a launchpad o:
Otro impresionante álbum de la reina de la música alternativa. Melodías vocales poco frecuentes y producción esquelética que forman una experiencia interesante. Sin embargo, no es uno de los mejores trabajos de Björk, y si tuviéramos que elegir un álbum representativo de su carrera para la lista de los 1001 álbumes, sin duda sería “Debut”.
Interesting concept and the production is excellent, but it’s not really anything I want to come back to.
2.5 stars. Meh this was weird. At times it was fine, but overall it was too avant-garde for me. The acapella was impressive, while also not being an enjoyable listen.
Interesting. Not electronic. Not entirely vocal driven. Somewhere in the middle. 3/5
We serendipitously were gifted "Medúlla" by the generator on the very day we were driving around Iceland, starting in Reykjavik and heading along the southern coast to Vik and the black sand beaches at Reynisfjara. Iceland's most notable musical export served as a fitting soundtrack to our travels, and we went on to also listen to "Post" and some Of Monsters and Men. We passed on Sigur Rós to stay away from music too sleepy for the drive, but "Ágætis Byrjun" is on the list so we'll get there eventually. But "Medúlla" actually is no longer on the 1001 list. "Debut" remains, along with "Vespertine" and 2015's "Vulnicura." But "Post" has never been included. This is a mistake. It is Björk's best. "Medúlla" has its moments, but remains just a bit too inaccessible, a little too Björk-y for my taste. Even the best songs had at least a moment or two of extreme weirdness that took me out of it.
What a fantastic concept for an album, using all human produced music. This is definitely an album everyone needs to hear. The thing I enjoy the most is Björk’s total dismantling of traditional song meter. The music and lyrics are in odd time signatures, which are sometimes not even the same on a given song. While everyone should hear this album, it’s not quite what I’ve come to expect to need to hear it on a regular basis. Mad respect for this 3.5.
Has Bjork's signature floaty voice and production, but has a dark tone in most of the songs for a nice juxtaposition. Liked this better than the last album of hers we had to listen to, but still wasn't super into it. Feeling a strong 3/5 for this one
Interesting, but a bit weird to listen to normally (especially Ancestors).
5 / 10 que du chant, aucun instrument. beat box et chant de gorge not my cup of tea
Beguiling! I don’t honestly know what to say! It’s a Björk a cappella album, we didn’t know that we were gonna get that, I didn’t know that was gonna happen, and yet here we are, with a Björk a cappella album. And it’s 80% so, so, cool. And 20% disturbing and gross! Whyyyyyy the weird disgusting sounds on Ancestors, Björk, why? Why? I was really enjoying the album and then i was like, please stop Björk. Please stop. It turned from admiration into complete disgust. But then again, that’s just me. So much to be repulsed by with this album is also what gives Björk her power… she is mercurial. Creatively electric, full of emotion, impassioned and somehow never pretentious, more childlike. She is our resident lovable space alien. I think so much of this album was brilliant, and a decent amount was misguided, but that’s what you get, and you don’t get upset. 3/5. I was very moved at points, but truly some of those grunting noises were the biggest turn-off
A strange acapella album by Björk, but then again - she has always been a little kooky. Didn't enjoy this as much as her previous album Vespertine, probably due to it's wildly experimental nature. The track "Who Is It" sounds like there's some beatboxing going on, then "Ancestors" sound like people in compromising positions! You never know what you're gonna get with Björk! Best: Where Is The Line Worst: Show Me Forgiveness
The idea of the album is cool and I like bjork’s first album quite a bit but I don’t think it works for a full project super well 3/5
Interesting but probably a bit too strange for me
This was an interesting album. No instruments (maybe a drum machine?) and just Bjork's voice. I can't say I enjoyed the album, but it is definitely one of a kind. I would perhaps listen again to it, but it's certainly original.
This is a weird one. Not bad necessarily, but not exactly as listenable as Vespertine or something lol. For now, solid 3.
7/10
what on earth is she going on about?!!?
I get that she is Icelandic, and she always looks for creativity and innovation... but it is still so boring...
Meh. Not my thing.
Love Bjork, not one of my favorites of hers, but still a few good tracks.
Björk is not a favourite artist of mine, and this album did nothing to change that opinion.
What about fisting?
Un poco gritona.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Vokuro
Kind of hard to listen to. I was tempted to give it a 2 but there were some interesting bits.
Interesting album overall - it’s a good one simply for intellectual curiosity but at least to me not one to return to often. It’s well paced and somehow the jagged edges that Bjork usually presents are sanded down while still retaining the good part of her eccentricity - and I especially love the vocal instrumentation and beatboxing.
Uitblinker in originaliteit. Een paar heel goede songs, maar af en toe net iets te vreemd
very artsy, using multiple layered voices and beatbox which is kinda cool wouldnt listen for my own fun but a cool experience
Not my thing, but I honestly expect this to be horrible. I was pleasantly surprised that it was okay. Still not my thing, but okay.
surprised I liked it so much
Really fascinating as an experiment in human sounds and vocals as instruments. I thought “Where is the line” was wild. Great vocals on Vokuro. I get that it’s not an everyday listen though. Will explore further.
7/10 İt's a really different type of music. İ liked the new patterns and throat singing in the album but they were on repeat. İt was also confusing listening to this album and i couldn't do something else while listening, it has to be listened with attention or else it becomes like a headache.
so pretty
Interesting. Not my usual genre but I’ve enjoyed Bjork’s work in the past. Can hear Peter Gabriel influence. Loved the vocals
A bit too experimental for me
Respeitável, mas não é minha praia.
Ik vind het ergens wel fascinerend wat Bjork doet. Los val alle kaders en hokjes muziek maken. Dit is bij vlagen iets te experimenteel om echt van te kunnen genieten, maar naar boven afgerond toch 3 sterren.
Ik zag gisteren een documentaire over Sinead O'Connor en kwam vandaag tot de conclusie dat de stemmen van de dames wel iets van elkaar weg hebben. De liedjes van Sinead vind ik wel meezingbaarder.
Hated the first two but then it gets better and it has pretty good songs. I do feel in some of them there's too much happening for my brain to process. It was... good¿ overall, but I don't see myself listening to this again.
This album is utterly opaque but yet also fascinating. Starting with the cover art. I love the woven hair helmet that trails off into tendrils. I get almost Valkyrie vibes from it. The striking medulla bone necklace (presumably a nod to the "marrow" theme) laying across her porcelain skin. Except her skin is actually mottled red and bruised making it uncomfortable to look at. And whatever her garment is seems more like binding adding to the undercurrent of violence or at least menace. The lack of color aligns well with the acapella music. What does it mean? What does any of the music mean? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
She has wonderfull voice, but the acapella doesn't appeal me
Not my favourite of hers but I do like a couple of songs.
Hard to review. I'm amazed and repulsed at the same time. Very inconsistent - enjoyed some, hate some. Highlights: Where Is The Line, Vokuro
Probably my least favorite album from Björk, from the selection I've heard. It lacks instrumentals and is way too focused on vocals. Her voice and experiments are great, but simply not enough to sustain the whole album.
Interesting, but wasnt in the mood for that kind of vocal early in the morning without my first daily coffee. She has done way more good stuff
Debo revisitar este disco más adelante.
No one is allowed to say that Bjork never innovated or pushed boundaries during her career. While an entire acappella album is risky (especially given the standard of quality set by her first 4 albums up to this point), I think that her execution here warrants respect. Utilizing different vocal styles throughout (choral, Mongolian throat singing, katajjaq, etc.), Bjork accesses a wide range of ambience and sound textures in order to give each song new dynamics. This avoids the obvious trapping of the album getting boring, as one would imagine using only your voice as being limiting. An easy highlight is the song Who Is It, which has long sustained notes being sung underneath Bjork's primary vox and a beatbox that makes it feel like it could be a normal pop song. It's a stunning use of vocal layers that serves as a testament to Bjorks compositional abilities. I sympathize with this self-imposed limitation as a way to sprout creatively, Bjork could have very easily found herself in a slump after coming out with four of the most innovative pop albums of all time. I do, however, struggle to think that a whole album of mostly acappella songs were viable to up to a certain level of quality. That is, these songs can only be so good. I think Bjork hit the upper limit of how well a vocal-only album can be, and that limit floats around the word "impressive!". It's impressive. It's not something you'd listen to again because the novelty of it precedes the actual content. This is a trapping that Bjork simply could not break free of, and that kneecaps Medúlla. I appreciate it nonetheless.
Surprised good
bjork - medulla (2004) notes: - follow up to vespertine (my fav) - didnt know going in that this was capella - thought it was just an interesting gimmick for the first song but it just kept going - never really worked for me, theyre good songs that would have been much better with instruments imo fav - oceania - the acapella stuff didn’t distract from this one - when she hits that high gritty note you can feeeeel it least favourite - grunting moaning breathing and animal noises for like 4 minutes - theres a bit in the middle that sounds like using a pump to blow up an air mattress - also kinda sounds like that korn song 3/5
Música experimental de Björk. Ni fu ni fa.
Sonically adventurous, and marked by Björk's ear for dynamic melody. I'm just not sure it's an album I'll end up listening to more than once.
Well, well, looks like this album features none other than ol' Robert Wyatt (of the ''nit nit folley balloley'' fame), on 'Submarine' and 'Oceania' no less, still looking for that mermaid you old sea dog? I should have known our paths would cross again, after all, it may be a list of 1001 albums, but it's only like 50 artists. But enough about falsetto Bob, let's get to the star of the show, also known as the human beatbox - Rahzel. Ok, maybe not the star, but on a mostly acapella album, his beatboxing provides some indispensable grounding. The tracks that don't feature him suffer for it. I actually think just an album with just him and the Icelandic choir would have been interesting. Bjork could play the triangle or something. Half kidding. Speaking of the Bjorkster. I've had the occasional pleasure and occasional misfortune to hear her music before, but this album is a first for me. And for the most part it's a combination of pleasure and only occasional uncomfortable squirming (Ancestors stands out in particular). But for 45 minutes of Bjork, it is pretty damn tolerable. I feel compelled to comment on the lyrics. Some are in English, some Icelandic, still others appear to be just gibberish. As I don't speak Icelandic, and Bjork's English prose is of the a million monkeys on a million typewriters variety, it's all equally incomprehensible to me. I'm not sure how to appraise it, I respect the artistry of it, but giving it a 4 would not be consistent with my rating system so far. So a 3 it is, leaving plenty of room for her to impress me with her other work. Best songs: everything with Rahzel (But especially ''Where is the line'', also featuring Mike Patton and the human trombone Gregory Purnhagen).
Greatest a cappella achievement since Don’t worry, be happy? All joking aside, it is impressive how much warmth and intimicy is created on Medúlla through the use of the human voice. This is amplified by the production on Björks voice, which makes you feel like she is either whispering or screaming into your ear - a great example is on the Icelandic 'Vokuro'. Maybe a bit uneven track listing favoring the first half - or perhaps the curiosity sparked by innovation quickly wears off?
Pretty much what one would expect. Was a long one, but fair play to her for creating this.
It's Bjork...just kind of weird.
Some amazingly bright moments on this brought down with an bit too much dull and aimless experimentation. Worth a listen for the good tracks
À ma grande surprise cet album n'est pas classé dans la catégorie trip-hop et pourtant, j'ai ressenti tous les désagréments procuré par ce genre musical sur mon comportement : montée de stress, mains tremblantes, pensées suicidaires, diarrhées et j'en passe.
Respectable but not something I’d listen to very much.
Þessi er skemmtileg og vel gerð. Er ekki reglulegri hlustun þó, því ég myndi fá leið fljótt.
Yes
Excellent artistry but I struggled for any standout tracks or moments
My favorite Bjork album. I feel like it's severely underrated by her fans.
Wat een stem, maar zal het niet vaak uit mezelf aanzetten
I really appreciate the concept of the album. I didn’t realize from the start that it was pretty much all human vocals. At the point that I asked myself “Is that someone beat boxing?” I suddenly became more aware of what I had been listening to. I did find quite a bit of the album a challenge, though. I was not able to embrace all the compositions even with the variety of interesting vocal sounds.
This album presents me with a conundrum. I was in awe of what could be done using just the human voice. Once I had admired that, the mostly slow vocal delivery of the main lyrics became tedious. I appreciated this but could not find emotional connection to it. Still, I am marveling at the accomplishment of this album. I understand why it is on this list and it is definitely something to behold which rounds up the rating half a point. But the academic attraction I felt was not enough to say I enjoy this.
A lovely voice. The music felt like an avant garde art performance. Might have been more tolerable if I was deep into my cups
Not my favorite Bjork album but there are some great songs here
The album is decent but her voice is starting to get to me. I appreciate the notes she can hit but it’s still getting to me.
This was interesting and experimental, some songs worked others didn’t. Really glad I listened but would I listen again probably not.
Non ci sono strumenti musicali, ho paura. Non così pessimo, ma sicuramente straniante. Particolare a dir poco, tra il 2 e il 3.
Con buena voz y sucesión de tonos, el disco destaca la buena calidad de la cantante, con influencia igualmente de coros y de instrumentación variada. Para escuchar sosegadamente
It's much better than I remember it being but it's still undeniably niche.
A really strange and beautiful album. I can't say I am a fan of Bjork, however that is not because a dislike of her music more because I have never really heard her solo music. I don't think this is the best introduction, I presume not anyway, nevertheless I enjoyed it 3.5 stars
Very cool experiment. Can never go wrong collaborating with Rahzel and Patton. But hardly repeatable.
It was just okay.
Fascinating in the same way watching a murder is fascinating. Apart from Ancestors, which sounds like an absurd, Inuit orgy.
Oh hey weird Bjork. Early Bjork is good, later Bjork is weird
love bjork but this album is not one i like
Ok! I’ve now listened to my third of the three Björk albums on this list. Hallelujah. Honestly they aren’t so different from each other to merit that many. There are so many artists in the world, you don’t need three from Björk to understand she makes avant-garde music. I would omit this one. It’s probably a 1.5 star album for me although I’ll round up to two for the song Who Is It.
Why would you put what’s arguably Björk’s worst album on here?
Firmly in the weird category. But I appreciated the dedication to an acapella album with lots of texture.
Yeah rlly not my style I don't fuck w it. Too artistic for me I guess
It's Bjork so you know it's gonna be different every time. And this isn't any different. It's dark and hollow and echo-y and big and brooding. It's like hearing a Greek tragedy from another planet. It's impressive as it is hard to take all in.
I respect the game and creativity but this shit was so hard to get through
Album #300. Quick side not before I begin. I’ve been informed that the correct pronunciation for this artist is “Byerk”, which is significantly less fun than the way I’d been pronouncing it this entire time. On to the review. Oh boy, people do NOT like this one do they?? This is my second Björk album for this project out of 4 total, following 1993’s Debut, which I really liked for being unique and having some cool Electronica components. Multiple years later down the line, we’ve got Medúlla. What did I think of it, you ask?? Well… yeesh, it’s pretty bad. A capella music, first and foremost, is just not generally my bag. I need some actual music in my songs to be interested enough to care. An entire 45 minute long album of it is asking a lot, and it feels longer if it’s not in your language some of the time. I think Björk has a fine singing voice. It’s nothing spectacular, but it’s ok enough, but I don’t want to listen to her and 3 others mimicking instruments and breathing heavily for just under an hour. As another review mentioned, they should use that for torture. In fact, this is another one of those albums where reading the reviews is a better experience than listening to the album itself. Something else that didn’t really give me a lot of positive things to say about this album is that it’s got none of her hits at all. I get that the author thought this one was unique, but do you really need 4 of these in total, and specifically add this one, with none of her Top 10 on Spotify on it?? I don’t think you do. So many artists to pick from, but Björk steals 4 entire slots. Returning to the uniqueness of this album, I’ll at least also concede that the concept is cool on paper. Having an Icelander, a throat singer and some beatboxers replace instruments sounds neat enough in theory, but I just don’t want to personally hear it with Björk at the helm. My absolute biggest complaint with this album is actually the underutilization of the aforementioned beat boxers and throat singer. Songs where they’re prominently featured, like “Where Is The Line”, and “Triumph of a Heart”, are easily my favorite on the album, my personal favorite being the closer, “Triumph of a Heart”. I’d personally rather have more of that and less singing by Björk. Her breathiness annoys me, and like I already said, I don’t want to listen to her for 45 minutes at a time when she’s not paired with some instruments. For instance, if “Vokuro” was just the background singers, I’d enjoy the song much more than I do. Other songs where it’s literally just her, like “Oll Birtan”, while a novel concept, annoy me extensively in execution and I end up skipping them. Most other songs are just boring and utterly forgettable. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this album, and I’m a bit skeptical of the other 2. Sorry Björk, this is an easy 2 from me. Neat concept, cool concept even, but not so great on the ears. I want more of the beat boxers next time. Let them shine some more. They kick ass.
Medúlla's a cappella concept is an interesting one, and one that leads to fantastic results on the more upbeat songs on the album. The deep beatboxing on "Where is the Line?" gives the song a nice bounce. The slightly electronic closer is the best song on the album - while it strays from the concept a bit it still uses a lot of voices and is very fun. If the entire album was like the closer this would get a 4. Sadly, the rest of the album is much more difficult, focusing on slower songs where the vocals are drawn out. The slowness of the songs aren't the problem as much as the slowness of Bjork's vocals, which make the songs feel like they meander a bit. And outside of the experimental a cappella-ness, they aren't much different from Bjork's other songs structurally. There are definitely some interesting ideas here, but it's just too hard to listen to.
What a weird album. Some guttural sounds that get tiresome and just what seems like a cliche Bjork album. Almost a parody of itself.
This is something
Yeah… so, this is not really the Björk I like. But respect to her for doing this
This was a mixed bag, there were some songs I really liked and some I really didn't like.
Oooooo 2/5
It was just too much, flirted with a one for bits near the end
Tough going , very tough.
Not an easy listen but fair play to a Bjork for trying something different at least.
As always, fair play for Bjork and her inventiveness. It’s gentler on the ear in a sort of way than other offerings. Can’t say it makes me want to listen to it again mind, ‘Mouths cradle’ was the only song I actively liked.
Not for me
Hmm lite mer out there än vad jag var sugen på
I didn't really like it
# Playlist Track - Show me forgiveness # Notes - I've just picked the shortest track for the playlist track. - Unique? Sure. Good? No way. - I respect the work and the experimentation and I'm sure this has and will influence artists to do all sorts of interesting things. But it's annoying and not that interesting to hear.
Look, Björk is great, pushes boundaries in fun and interesting ways, but this one's not for me dawg.
Very odd and strange, like all of her other albums. She's got nice boobs, though.
# Album Name: Medúlla # Artist: Bjork # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Great vocals as always but this one just didnt click for me. Large parts of the album werent great. # Top Tunes: Where is the line / Who is it / Triumph of a heart # Would I listen to it again? No
That was something
Slow - mysterious? vibe - Not my kind of music 2.1
Bjork is an acquired taste. Beyond her experimental excursions, her vocal style is deliberately syncopated and you can hear her breathing in after most phrasing which kind of distracts from how good her voice really is. This album's experiment is acapella, including beat-boxing and an Inuk throat singer. She's so wacky, hijinks ensue. Even the mild songs sound vaguely intimidating and schizophrenic, not exactly easy listening. "Triumph of a Heart" and "Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right)" are the only catchy songs with a discernable melody and beat, the rest are further from accessible. While this is definitely an ambitious and technical record, I struggle to consider it an entertaining one.
I'm trying Bjork, but its not working for me
20/03/2026 What a bad start to the day. I was generated Björk and I knew it would be a bad day from then on out. I had road closures on the way to work and my curry wasn't great. Björk needs to go away now. I'm bored of her. Spotify listeners: 8.1 million
2/3. I didn’t really like it to be honest, but it’s undeniably more artistic and forward thinking in its production than much of the stuff I’ve heard on this album (looking at basically every punk album on the list). She has a pretty impressive voice, and the style is certainly unique.
Not the best bjork album by a long way. Definitely interesting due to the acapella gimmick but ... Not for me thanks
I really want to like Bjork because Iceland... I thought the last one was pretty good. This one... I'll say 2.
Good for her in making something using mostly entirely vocals, but this was a bit much. If I want pure acapella, I'm going to listen to the Nard Dog.
doamne cât se poate mieuna femeia asta zici că s ceva mâțe în călduri ce urla noaptea și un câine care încearcă să le fută (ancestors), tot respectul pt Björk dar sa se ia de mana cu Ada Milea si sa se duca inapoi pe Neptun de unde au venit
I really want to like Bjork, and some of her things are good. But listening to this I felt it was just ... annoying!
I can appreciate how different this album is, but I just personally don't find it very enjoyable.
Wanted to like it and limited parts were almost good but then the weirdness took over and ended up overshadowing the good parts.
I appreciate the experimentation and like her voice, but this one is just too tough to listen to for me.
Not listened
Not my favorite bjork
A lot of this just sounds like a weird ASMR YouTube video as opposed to music. Her Debut record on this list is significantly better. This one is just odd. 2/5.
I have tried so many times to get into Bjork and I just cannot do it. Another artist who is critically acclaimed but I don’t see it. On par with Arcade Fire. Giving a 2 for uniqueness but not for me.
lowkey hate bjork
Good songs, but this is definitely not an easy album for me to digest.
2 sterne
I usually like Bjork but this album was kind of a mess.
The sounds of woodland Icelandic elves during their lunar ritual.
Overall a rough listen but I appreciate her voice and a couple songs
Not my favorite. It’s basically a dance pop album with some electro influences. It’s a bit too experimental for me. Who Is It and Triumph of a Heart are probably the most appealing songs for me. Overall a pass on this album.
weird
4.0/10
A bit wierd. Not horrible, but tough to listen too in long stretches
This is a super creative album, bursting with talent, but at the same time, I find it mostly unlistenable and headache inducing. I give Bjork a lot of credit for making music that sounds like it's from an alien world in another galaxy, but it's just not for me. If I had to pick a favorite track, I guess I'd go with "Desired Constellation". 2 stars.
Several species of small furry animals gathered together in a cave grooving with a Bjork.
I guess I can appreciate how technically interesting this was, but it was a difficult listen.
I did not enjoy this.
I cannot say it was boring, but it also wasnt much pleasurable to listen to. The concept of replacing instruments with voices is interesting. However, probably i will not listen to this album again so my rating is 4/10.
Is Bjork unique? Yes. Should someone hear one of her albums at least once? Yes. Do we need 3 or 4 albums on the list? No. I get it, but it's too weird for me. Fundamentally, my issue is she never seems to be singing a melody that has anything to do with the music.
Favorite Tracks: Who Is It / Desired Constellation Rating: 2.4 Listened to "Vespertine" for this list a couple weeks ago, and on the whole enjoyed that album significantly more. Several songs on here were skips for me: Submarine was weird, and Ancestors .... yiiiikes never again. From the wiki: "Medúlla received critical acclaim from music critics, with many calling it "unique", although others deemed it "confusing"." Yep...somewhere on a bizzaro spectrum between unique and confusing is about right. Some interesting ideas, pretty cool that Mike Patton and Raz'hel worked on this, but yeah just not for me.
I want to like this more.
Look, I gave at least two other Björk albums three-star reviews at this point and I'm sorry, but this one is suffering from me losing patience for them. 2.5 rounding down. I did appreciate the throat singing.
Para muchos, una artista. Para mí, la onomatopeya del ladrido de los perros nórdicos. Björk, björk. Nunca escuché esto, en principio está raro, no me resulta malo. Bueno, muy largo para lo que es el primer tema, me molesta. Voy a ver los otros. Nah sí, no es lo mío. Siento que si lo escucho demasiado me va a hacer doler la cabeza.
This is just too weird for me. I was so sick of the church/Gregorian chants by the end. I hated Ancestors.
I like Bjork as a person and public figure but her music is not really for me. Too many sounds going on it's a little overstimulating. I think it would be cool paired with an art exhibit or something but just to listen to in the car is not really my vibe.
Sometimes the vibes are good, sometimes the vibes are too spooky for me. The more conventional songs are quite enjoyable. Unfortunately there aren't that many conventional songs (basically only Who Is It)
Beautiful, ethereal, experimental, fun. There is a lot of good things to say about this album. Even with all that it still doesn't work for me as songs I would want to listen to when I want music. Not bad but just not for me.
Ive liked some Bjork music and I like her voice at times but this wasn’t so good .
Nope. Just not a Bjork fan
I actually listened to all of this album, whilst Ironing on Sunday morning, it was ok, with her haunting voice, but not that I would listen again tbh
I just don't operate on Bjork's wavelength, I guess. I like Debut and Post decently well, but she loses me after that. It's cool that she did all this a cappella, but it just does nothing for me.
Absolutely nutso
3/10
Not my cup of tea.
This has to be for someone, unironically. I dont get it. Maybe I'm too dumb but it's just kind of noisy in a bad way.
No no no no no, Björk is unique, but she's totally not for me. It’s a nightmare that four of her albums are on the list. I’m only ok with her debut album. 2/5 —————————————— No liked songs
DNF :0 Sorry Björk
Not my thing. It's like they tried to make a grunge album but missed the point. Yeah, it's impressive that its basically only vocals replicating instruments and whatever, but it doesn't sound good.
It’s as if she’s mocking me when she sings “where is the line?” (Excuse me, “whur is dee lay-ay-i-i-ine???”) Well, this is it, Bjork, this is the line. I’ve tolerated and even enjoyed much of your Bjorkness through this project. This is it, I’m tapping out. Concentrations of Bjork this strong could kill weaker men. Perhaps it will enlighten stronger men. It is driving this man away. You’ve Bjorked me out, Bjork. Good work.
Weird
No. 333/1001 Pleasure Is All Mine 3/5 Show Me Forgiveness 3/5 Where Is The Line 2/5 Vökuro 3/5 Öll Birtan 2/5 Who Is It 2/5 Submarine 2/5 Desired Constellation 4/5 Oceania 3/5 Sonnets /Unrealities XI 3/5 Ancestors 1/5 Mouth's Cradle 3/5 Midvikudags 2/5 Triumph Of A Heart 1/5 Average: 2,43 Well a Björk album is never boring. For me though some songs were way too experimental. Like Ancestors. Don't know what others get out of songs like this, but it just doesn't work for me.
Still don't care for Bjork's style of singing.
Four Bjork albums later, she's growing on me! I can't say I love her music, much as I respect her as a human being and a musician, but I'm coming to understand her. Medúlla doesn't seem particularly different from the her other albums, but I'm paying close attention now. Like the vocals in "Ancestors" sound like echoing voices, or the beat boxing in "Who Is It", or singing "Vökuró" in her native Icelandic. All poetic choices. Regardless, Bjork's vocals do little for me, and the album ends up sounding like one big lump without a discernable start and end. I consider this growth for me.
I appreciate what Björk does as far as what she brings to music and her commitment to doing it in her own way. That said, she's pretty hit or miss for me, and this album was pretty much a solid miss. The instrumentation is quite minimal here, with the driving force instead being vocals, including chants and breath work. Probably my least favorite Björk entry on this project.
4eme (et dernier) album solo de Bjork proposé par le générateur. Je n'avais pas trop aimé les 3 précédents (notés 2/5 - accompagnement quelconque), par contre j'avais plus apprécié l'album des Sugar Cubes (noté 3/5 - accompagnement rock plus intéressant pour moi). Ce nouvel album n’est pas mieux que les précédents. Certes l’accompagnement est original, mais il ne m’accroche pas plus que celui des précédents albums. Je resterais donc sur les Sugar Cubes … => 2/5
Björing
Classic Bjork. Off key vocals where words seem to be cut short. Over melodies that keep you listening. She’s like that side piece that you want nothing to do with but you go back from time to time to play with fire.
Guided by voices... alot of singing which wasnt that bad but not something im gonna put on repeat.
Recht schwierige Musik.
Too weird for me
My second Bjork album in ten days. It’s fine. I think I’m Bjork-ed out though.
Eerder keek ik wel uit na een album van Björk. Op de radio kwam af en toe best iets interessants voorbij. Na twee eerdere albums van haar, merk ik dat ik er nu juist tegenop kijk. Het is teveel Kunst omdat het moet. Eerder schreef ik al dat één album Björk teveel Björk is. Dus drie albums is al helemaal teveel Björk. Het kunstzinnige komt ook op dit album sterk naar voren. Deels door haar eigenzinnige wijze van zingen (soms nog eens versterkt door het weglaten van de begeleidende muziek), deels door de compositie. Soms past de muziek haar gewoon niet, zoals bij het naar dubstep ontwikkelende nummer Where is the line. Soms is het gewoon belachelijk, zoals de keelklanken bij o.a. Anchestors. Met name die onsmakelijke geluiden brengen het geheel naar een onvoldoende. Maar het moet gezegd. Het is een unieke beleving, die ik wel in deze lijst thuis vind horen.
Toegegeven, het is knap gemaakt en het is op een bepaalde manier intrigerend. Maar het ademt zo zwaar snob, dat ik hier op voorhand wel heel veel moeite mee heb. Dit is echt laten zien hoe verheven je wel niet bent, dat je dit geweldig vindt. De muziek is zweverige a capella, een soort kerkelijke muziek en folkloristisch geneuzel. Het wordt (voor mij) pas interessant als ze beatboxers in gaat zetten, waardoor het meer muziek wordt, zoals in Where is the Line en Who Is It. Des te meer opgebouwd met subtiele laagjes, des te beter het wordt. Anders is het maar saai, krols gekreun. In totaliteit is dit natuurlijk idote aanstellerij en is het totale waanzin dat een album als dit in een lijst komt te staan. Daarvoor zou ik normaal uit woestheid een 1 geven. Maar ik heb het niet voor niets bewaard tot een moment dat ik er enigszins voor open sta. En dan is het best interessant om te horen wat er allemaal voor muziek mogelijk is met alleen stemmen. Het is een bijzondere luisterervaring, 2 sterretjes.
Avant-garde is certainly accurate for this album. I don't dislike it but I have a hard time enjoying the vocals throughout all of it. If this was an instrumental album or even a limited vocal performance album I would enjoy it more. I'm confused as to how to rate this album. At times I get it and love the artistry and at other times I just feel like I'm about to be possessed. 2⭐️
She’s incredible and innovative and ground-breaking. But I just can’t get on with this. It’s no fun!
Björk is unmistakably herself — no one sounds like her. But her music is hit-or-miss for me, and Medúlla is mostly the miss. It honestly stressed me out, so I escaped into yesterday’s generated “The Damned.”
not her best ngl.
A lot of this felt like sounds you'd hear in a jungle
I gave my last bjork album a 3 because I felt like maybe people judge her too harshly. But man, what the h-e-double fuck was this? Just because it’s experimental and weird doesn’t mean it’s good. I swear reviewers on here sniffing their own farts. That said I think bjork is a very talented musician, just really misses when it comes to deciding what to record.
Odd for odd sake.
Count me as one of the ones who don't get it. She has a pleasant voice. She might even make a good rock and roll singer but this stuff is just boring.
Too abstract for me Very experimental. Dubstep/electronic/vocals/beatboxing. Recorded raw. Interesting sampling between LR channels.
I'm not a big fan of Björk, and this album hasn't changed that opinion.
1,7 - Ich verstehe Björk einfach nicht. Manche Lieder sind ganz nett, aber beim größten Teil fühle ich eine Anspannung, die ich dann skippen muss. So macht das wenig Spaß. Highlights: Who Is It (Carry My Joy On The Left, Carry My Pain On The Right), Triumph Of A Heart
respect the experiment, but this did not do much for me
Meh
Experimental, artsy, haunting/eerie vocals. Very unique, haven't heard very many artists/music like her/this.
as a recreational music listener it’s not for me but I get the vision
3/10 Horrible. Like, really horrible. For all the experimentation and innovation, it's just a painful experience. I will never listen to again and I can now, after three Bjork albums, have confidence in my assertion that I Don't Like her music. Couldn't bring myself to give it one star as it is ART.
Impressive, cool as hell, I didn't really enjoy listening
I can see why people would enjoy it but it is not for me. Technically probably a good album but for listenability for me very low.
Pretty weird album #2
Bjork is a taste I have not yet fully acquired.
Way too much going on
repetições vocais que me irritaram demais
I made it through this whole thing. Never once over 1000 albums have I said "oh boy I hope to hear some Bjork today!" Is it weird for weird sake or do I just not get it?
There's a quality to her voice that appeals to me but I can't quite put my finger on it. On the other hand, I find her sing-shouting kind of off-putting and her singing style starts to sound the same from song to song. This isn't anything I could listen to for enjoyment and I will not ever revisit this.
OK, I didn't realize this is the 1001 albums by Bjork that you have to hear before you die. Is every album of hers on this list? I did not enjoy this album. Her early 90's stuff is the best. Leave it there. 1.5 / 5 (because it's better than Krautrock)
"Who Is it" is a 5/5 amazing song that will add to my future rotation, but the album as a whole is mostly a miss for me, and does not seem to hold up as well to her other albums.
Not since Fetch the Bolt Cutters have I been so bored and annoyed by something that is so clearly a work of genius. At least I made it through this one, and there were at least a few enjoyable moments on here for me; Bjork has wonderful pop instincts even at her most willfully abstruse.
björk: einzigartig. immer.
Ah, Icelandic scat music.
Just OK. Really something you need to be in the mood for, but there were a couple of nice songs.
This album is kind of experimental, not that Bjork's other albums aren't experimental. My first thought was where are the beats? Then where is the line started and the beats made me uncomfortable. Bjork's music is very uncomfortable on this and most albums after this one. Appreciate the artistry but not sure I get enjoyment from this mishmash of dark choirs and scary opera.
I like the songs that focus less on the acapella and more on the beats or whatever.
I don't mind weirdo music but I do struggle with her voice. Imagine a duet between Bjork and Yoko Ono ....... Yikes!
Admirable innovation but spread too thinly over a whole album. It's a Björk thing.
Not my cup of tea, but I think if you're a Bjork fan, you'd really like it
I can respect it, but that doesn't mean I can sincerely love it. "Triumph of a Heart" is still a banger, though.
Since it’s a Bjõrk album figured it would be weird and I was not wrong. I liked her music from Sugar Cube days much better than this later avant-garde style
Oof. I see what Bjork was going for, and appreciate the technical skill ot requires to make a complex album a capella. But I just did not like it. Some songs had good moments. But overall it did land for me- a big swing and a big miss. Overall- 1.5/5
Even for Björk, this is weird
The beats are interesting and experimental but I honestly can’t understand how people enjoy Bjork’s singing. It’s painful.
just meh nothing stood out. vocals were solid tho. 3/10
Not my thing but it did make me go back to Army of Me which is ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Really didn’t like it!!
I can't take another Bjork album
I just have never been able to get this chicks music
The deep vocals from 'Where is the Line' haunted my sleep last night
No sabía que esperar del disco. Me parece muy valiente hacer un disco a capela. Un enfoque distinto a lo que estamos acostumbrados normalmente que tiene momentos muy épicos. 4/10
Listening to this album is like walking through a modern art museum. There are lots of interesting pieces that clearly took time and effort to create. There’s a high level of craft on display. But not much hit on an emotional level for me. A lot of these tracks gave me the feeling of walking into a side room exhibit, looking around, and saying, “Wow, that’s really something,” then leaving a few minutes later mostly unmoved. Björk is hit or miss for me like this. When she’s in experimental / avant-garde mode, I feel a wall between me and the music. I don’t have a good entry point into it. I’m not sure how to enjoy it. Her voice is beautiful, and the arrangements are bold and unusual. But I find my mind wandering off, looking for the next piece in the museum. “Ancestors” is a wild track. Gorgeous, overlapping vocals clashing with primal grunting. It’s a good example of the interesting-from-a-distance, art project vibe of the whole thing. The freaky beatboxing on “Triumph of the Heart” was sort of fun though.
I want to love björk, but I need to speak my truth… it felt like I was listening to the treblemakers half the time
Bjork réussit souvent à mélanger des vocaux absolument dingues avec de ambiances et des sons très particuliers. Le problème c'est que avec très peu de vrai instruments et de mélodies, je trouve que ça devient difficile à écouter. 2/5
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: ? Initial Reaction: Wow, okay... a third Björk album in less than a month. Let's give it a whirl. ----- I think I liked this the least out of the three albums I've heard, with the other two being Vespertine and Debut. It's very artsy, and I want to like it (I like Grimes and Florence and Lorde), but it's just not clicking for me. The vocals were weird. This album was apparently sort of opposed or opposite Vespertine, since the previous album was heavily electronica, and so being almost entirely created from sampling and splicing together vocals is an interesting concept, but I am not sure it worked. I understand the appeal of a cappalla, but this misses the mark.
she's weird, but cool - still, not for me.
Björk is really otherworldly and unique. I respect and admire that.
Not my cup of tea at all
Maso
Acapella. Curious if all her stuff is like this. Definitely unique. It's actually kind of frightening. Like the army of heaven and the evil of hell fighting. Like a cult of witches. It's like if Regina Spektor decided to lose her entire shit. Ancestors is awful. While most musicians have a silly interlude that spans 30 seconds, maybe a minute, Bjork thought it a good idea to listen to her breathing exercises and weird mouth sounds for over 4 minutes. Truly God awful.
I definitely could have died without hearing this. A few good sounds interrupt the dissonance and wailing. Björk, blech!
This album is definitely unique and interesting, but it isn't really something I enjoy or listen to much. High 2/5.
This album is everything I dislike about Björk wrapped into one package. Most of it is just her singing a bunch of nonsense, broken up by guttural noises that sound more like a modern-day Yoko Ono performance piece than anything resembling an actual song. I would have given this one star if it weren’t for “Oceania,” which is the only track that shows what she’s capable of when she reins it in. That one was genuinely good. What makes it worse is that Björk actually is talented. She has a unique voice and has proven she can deliver powerful, moving music. Instead, here she chooses to string together random sounds and words like someone dared Lana Del Rey to just start mumbling into a mic for an hour. This is my first Björk album on this list, but sadly not my first encounter with her music. I can only hope this is the last one here, though my gut tells me I won’t be that lucky. Listening to this felt more like a punishment than an experience.
Did not enjoy this
Ehhhhhh
Snelle inhaal review #23: Ben nooit echt into Björk gekomen, nooit echt de tijd gegeven ook, dus mijn eigen fout. Ik weet niet of dit het album is wat mij gaat overtuigen, het is zo'n extreem offputting, experimenteel album af en toe en hoewel ik mijzelf als best een liefhebber hiervan zou noemen, heb ik hiervoor denk ik een wat lager instapmodel nodig.
Amazing what can be done with nothing but voice. Nevertheless, just a curiosity that is an mostly unenjoyable listen, especially in comparison to her first 4 full-lengths. Kudos for the left turn but I still don't like the record.
Too atmospheric for me.
I appreciate the effort and concept, but didn't end up actually enjoying the result. Except "Who Is It", which is the most produced song on the album.
Not for me but if it's for you then you need to get ur ears checked
I wont be as scathing as some of you are here. But aside from the complexity that is making music with voice only, there isnt much inspiration in this album. What makes it good to me is the cohesive ability to take an idea and a concept from brain to physical medium is mostly what makes this enjoyable. Im sure bjork has other examples of defying the norms. Its something to change up your listening. Plus there are infinitely worse albums on this list. Dont throw a fit over this. But I do think the attitude aroune bjork's music has always been pompous and considered to be in superior taste but I dont see much here to be ecstatic about.
Well this was something What was up with all the weird panting/sex noises?? Parts of this were enjoyable but I have to rate low due to the weirdness overall. What an incredible voice though!! Also very impressive how they've made this without instruments. Would have been a 5 on skill alone 2 ⭐️
This is quite original and interesting but I really don't like it much. 2 stars or D.
making an album without using any instruments beyond the human voice is a pretty cool concept. unfortunately, in practice, it's kind of annoying to listen to after a while. i wish there were more sonic variation between these tracks and that they felt less arbitrarily-put-together. i don't hate it, but i've enjoyed bjork's other contributions to this list more. it's a 2.5/5 for me. favorites: where is the line, oceania, triumph of a heart
I enjoyed a couple of tracks but didn't need a whole album
i don't appreciate the weird beatboxing and moaning being subjected to my ears
While Bjork's voice is wonderful, strong, and unique, this album is art solely for the sake of art.
If this had been my first exposure to Björk, I would never have experienced her at her best. This is the album that turned me away from a healthy fanboy view of Björk and made me think of the choices she had made in the balance between innovation and pop sensibility. This was Björk’s first album that sacrificed listenability for artistic expression, for better or for worse (and imho, worse). It was interesting and brilliant and had continuity, yet simultaneously irritating and lacking any sense of repeatability: very few of these were songs I would want to listen to multiple times, or in some cases ever again. It was also the last Björk album I purchased or listened to in full. In contrast with her previous albums, this recording lacked the joy (Debut), playfulness (Post), edginess (Homogenic), and — despite the cover — sensuality (Vespertine) of her previous efforts. Despite all of this, there are some standout moments for me here: Vokuro is haunting and beautiful, and Oceania is a masterpiece in complex vocal orchestration with a refreshing melody. I wish the entire album was as captivating and resilient.
First song is lovely, but didn’t take to this as I’d hoped.
sounded very experimental. not my vibe
Kinda weird. But I found one song which I actually liked so it gets 2 stars
Who Is It
I thought some of this was interesting, can't say I'll be listening again, but it's a 2 star
65% Best: Pleasure Is All Mine Must-Hear? Nah
Okay album.
OK, unique, but not necessarily in a good way 😐 I tried to give it a chance but kinda challenging to sing or even hum along to 😏
Weird. Not unlistenable but close.
Never been a huge Bjork fan. This isn't changing my mind.
Wacky shit
Just bot my Cup of tea