Reviews (page 7 of 9)
Sehr abstrakte Musik. Man könnte fast schon von Klangwelten sprechen oder Kunst. Für mich ist das nichts.
weird and wonderful, 4 stars.
that was weird af
74/100
It was really nice
Absolutely incredible, especially the first half. Didn't think at all that it would be better than Post but holy shit. Love the celeste and harp and production.
This is quite something. On the strange side and sometimes icy, but also full of moments of beauty. Layered production, varied sounds. If you can learn to love Bjork’s voice and get past the weird lyrics this is really strong. Best song: Unison
very unique and interesting sound
Thought I would hate it. Turns out I didn't mind it. Not perfect but I dug the trip hop passages that are very reminiscent of Massive Attack. Bjork's voice can be grating and that does hurt. But overall, a decent listen.
Whenever I listen to Bjork I always feel like I am just on the cusp of enjoying her music, but unfortunately this record did not put me over the edge.
Not for me. Surprisingly, I know a lot of people who love Bjork, and I've never understood it. It has elements of things that I like, but the finished product is not my thing whatsoever.
This album seemed like a great fit for the days leading up to Christmas. Felt like songs to get me in the mood for Xmas without being Xmas songs. That said, I still am not a fan of Bjork.
Wasn't for me
When she said "Just lean into the crack, And it will tremble ever so nicely" I felt that.
if lucid dreaming had a soundtrack 10/10
Felt like a experiencing an extreme depressive episode over and over....I loved it Björk has been a key musician in my teens so no wonder I enjoyed this. Not my favourite album but definitely would listen again
simply lovely frosti a personal favourite
wow i first discovered björk about a year ago - only listening to her most popular songs (from this album namely "pagan poetry") from the likes of alternative 90s and 00s charts, playlists and compilations. it is only after listening to a full album with this now that i feel the ethereal and magical style has really hit me. one personal connection i have to her music is that only after falling in love with her musical style on my own, i found out that my mother too used to be a big fan of björk's work in the 90s - around the same age that i am now. fascinating to me as i always had only heard of more popular western music that came to influence post soviet countries to be of their tastes, but my mom at one point used to delve into alternative culture herself in the 80s-90s, (first into punk and later into art-pop/avant garde with this album). another way i feel my upbringing leads me to connect with this album is björk's connection to pagan and biophilic ideas throughout her work, where like icelandic paganism and its nordic counterparts, latvian paganism also is built around the idea of naturism with forest and mountain deities alike. other than a few titles and lyrics, her work is not explicitly built around this idea but i like to interpret it as such, a "modern-take" on paganism and its ideas. my family is mostly atheist so old sayings about folklore regarding trees and forest creatures is the only spirituality i feel i have had in my life. björk's has let me feel a deeper connection to that. lastly, björk's other albums are definitely not very accessible but i feel other than the longer song lengths, this one is a great first album and is one of the ones i feel more comfortable listening to (yet - possibly could change as i get acclimatised to the weird world of björk). listening to this the full way through was an experience that I will be repeating.
A soulful and personal album from Björk with her most unique batch of songs yet
This confirms it, Tyler hates women singers. But seriously, I actually like Bjork. Some of her stuff is repetitive, unintelligible, and pretty weird but overall it sounds really nice and almost supernatural. Would listen to her again… maybe. 6/10
Actually not too familiar with Bjork since I usually skip these songs when they show up on any playlists of mine. Super weird and out of this world stuff but doesn't stick to me honestly, mostly just noise that goes in one ear and out another. Also I hate these vocals even though I can tell she's talented. 4/10
A dream-like album in which it’s a nightmare that I cannot wake up from. Bjork graduated from the School of Mispronounced words with Honors. English is Bjork’s fifth language. This album is a fever dream of technobeats and a clinically insane person singing, often times layered with her own voice like five times. Each and every song is waaaaaaaay too long and drags as she mispronounces the same lyrics for up to 6 minutes. Bjork created the genre of breathy women singing, where the vocalist exhales on every word without ever inhaling (many have died trying this technique, Bjork claims their souls for her pagan god). If anyone rates this over 3 out of 10 they are insane and Bjork’s witchcraft has already taken hold. 3/10
Not quite as weird as I thought it might be. Not as bad as I expected. Still not something I would want to hear again. Is she the one who started the breathy and over enunciatiated vocal style? I don’t like it.
The last in a run of four incredible records. Everything she's done since has brilliant highs on it, but nothing consistently reaches the heights of these albums. Each with a very clear, distinctive style. I can't pick between them really. Gorgeous.
I gave it a shot, but it was a struggle to get through this album.
Great vocal range. This is an interesting album. I liked it a lot more than I expected to for sure.
Too weird
Cool voice, a little slow
It's Not up to You is good, dreamy stuff. Pagan Poetry one of the standouts. Love all the sparkly chimes and keys - short instrumental Frosti is beautiful. Sun in My Mouth and Heirloom also. Mix of cinematic soundscapes and tightly produced beats.
i am in love with this woman!
beautiful orchestration. Interesting, intimate songwriting. I can appreciate it but I have no emotional response to it, which I don’t fully understand. Favorite songs: Heirloom, Pagan Poetry, It’s not up to you.
Meh
This album is nothing short of incredible. It is a sweeping and simmering masterpiece that manages to feel deeply human despite its electronic substrate. The experimental electronics remind me of Aphex Twin and Radiohead (Kid A came out one year prior to Vespertine) yet Björk infuses an arresting sense of melody and lyricism that demands a close listening. I hung on every line of this album.
4.5
It was ok. Could have it on in the background and not turn it off
I really liked parts of this but most of it sounded the same to me. I'd be interested to at least check out more
There’s no other artist quite like Björk-whether you consider this a positive or negative depends on you. On Vespertine she delivers a set of supremely bizarre but touching songs about human sexuality and the desire to feel connected.
Björk on outo. Ei avautunut, eikä varmaan koskaan avaudu. Ei se silti tuskaa ollut, mutta en heti ote uudelleen kuunteluun.
Not as good as debut
Maybe I'm not intellectual enough or artsy enough to understand Bjork. She has a good voice, don't get me wrong. But that voice is only good when she tries. Bjork maintains a very wispy type of singing voice throughout the record. Definitely not something I'm into.
I generally think of this album as the beginning of the also ran Bjork releases. That is both harsh and incorrect. Vespertine has wonderful and coherent stylistic choices and some pretty handy songwriting. It's no Debut, Post or Homogenic, but it is sure worth a listen.
Kooky and ooky, as predicted. Still not a fan but I can happily listen.
4.5/5. The swan dress album, I wonder if it ever gets compared to Radiohead’s Kid A. Both records had a certain premonition of a forthcoming digitized world and it’s fully reflected in the sound.
This was really interesting and challenging to listen to, I don't think I know if I like it after the one listen. I appreciated it though.
Euphoric and anxious, this album is a masterpeice of unsettling texture and rhythm. Beats drop in and out, strings swell from nowhere, bells and chanting synthetic vocals echo across vast open spaces, dense synth/drum machine disonance packs in and in and in to create some claustraphobic chaos. Bjork's voice is mostly wispy (breathy, intimate, inviting) but occasionally titanic (powerfully belting out big crescendo as the music swirls around). Quiet tracks like Cocoon crackle and click along with ambient Eno-style synth bedding. Poppier (lol) songs like It's Not Up to You hover in major keys, resolving the album's pulsating tension into blissful choruses. Mesmerizing, absorbing, and stressful - this is an incredible expression/exploration of isolation and romance.
Wasn’t sure if I’d like this but it’s a good album
My absolute favourite Bjork album Her voice never sounded stronger whilst also sounding so delicately fragile. The backing vocals (a chorus of angels?!) are extraordinary throughout. One of the ultimate headphone records that just envelopes you in it’s soundscape.
neke dobre al ostale iskreno iritantne 2.5
Ni lose ni predobro. Previse artsy/bland. Pagan Poetry i Unison favoriti.
she’s so odd i love it
I love this album from start to finish.
The whole album sounds like one song. Which is different from saying the songs all sound the same. It sounds like one hour-long song.
4.5/5
Meh, didn't really listen to it all. A bit much
I used to listen to Selmasongs often and had no idea she was working on another album at the same time. It has similarities to Selmasongs, exploring themes of simplicity but with a quieter more intimate tone.
To quote Ebert, I hated, hated, hated this [album]. I gave up halfway through. Obnoxious instrumentals, obnoxious voice.
I don't really know how I feel about this album. The instrumentals of the songs were all incredible, but I just cannot get over Björk's vocals. The melodies are too drawn out, the lyrics are run-on sentences, and she is almost never right on the beat, which I know is intentional, but bothers me. I think with vocals that I found more enjoyable this would be a 5/5 album. "Frosti", the only instrumental track on the album was such a sonically cool song, and I wish the whole album was more like it.
absolutely not
I don't think today was a good day to listen to this album. I do keep meaning to listen to more Bjork and I think a song or two at a time was nice, I liked the opening track, but. I will have to reserve any real judgment on the album because it was not an "errands day" vibe.
Did not like this at all
Will have to listen again. Lots of texture and interesting arrangements. Didn't really catching lyrical themes on this listen.
Finally a lighter album… and still I didn’t care for it. But now I can say I’ve listened to Bjork.
I'm not a big Bjork fan, it turns out.
Went back and listened to this while I was cooking. I've heard of how amazing Björk is for years but have never taken the dive to listen myself. Loved it.
Тихо и спокойно, but not my tipe
Like a lot of the other reviews for this, the production is really strong but if you can't get into her vocal delivery it's tough
This is slowly becoming my favourite of hers (I say that after listening to every Bjork album)
Hidden Place, Pagan Poetry, Heirloom, and Unison.
bad length. nothing to grab onto except bjööbs in her music video for pagan poetry. better than bob dylan. he doesn't have bjööbs.
It insists upon itself
Nice sound not the mist difficult Bjork to listen too.
Love
Beautiful, dream like music that still seems futuristic even though it's over 20 years old. AI couldn't write it better. Bjork really is one of a kind and this is album has some of her best work.
Lots of satisfying clicks, pops, and interesting sound textures on this. The first track had me thinking there'd be loads more, so a little bit of a let down but still highly enjoyable.
I love this album. I had never heard it before, but it was such a good listen. I will put it in rotation from this point on. I had really only heard Björk's second album previously, and this album isn't similar at all. It seems to be heavy influenced by a more minimal electronic sound, and i really really like it. The album is quite same-y, but in a really great way, if flows from beginning to end, you never feel the weight of it being over 55 mins. It kind of reminds me about what I love about REM's Up, and OK Computer and maybe slightly some Sigor Ros. For me, albums like this are what this list is all about. It's great As for a rating, I feel like I have to go with a 5, you could argue a 4, but i think it's just such an enjoyable experience and it sounds outstanding, the production is amazing, her voice is unreal. I just love it 5/5
weird and ethereal. beautiful voice. when you listen to this , it makes you feel like you’re on drugs, but in a good way.
This is a time/place album, but I appreciate the musicianship.
I like some Björk stuff but I dunno. Shit’s mostly too weird for me. Weird to be weird as they say.
mellow, quite easy to listen to. Aware of bjork but have not listened to a lot of the work but I did quite enjoy this one.
Liked more than I thought I would.
Dreamy and dramatic and mostly wonderful. “Hidden Place” and “Cocoon” and “It’s Not Up to You” and “Pagan Poetry” are all excellent. And the overall feel is one of elevation. Hard to argue with the quality of something so excellent.
not for me
This was at times very beautiful, but also sad and weird. You need to be in a specific mood for this.
This wasn't really my thing. The sound of some songs are good, but the singing ruins it a bit for me. Can't really see myself listening to this again any time soon.
How is it possible that you can hear a smile? That’s the magic of Bjork’s voice. This album sounds like it was made by someone in love. That’s worth a bonus star.
Een soort koortsdroom. Wel gelachen, niet geneukt. Wel mentaal.
Kots
Yet another really strong Björk album
Bjork gives a unique experience in that you cannot deny the incredible talent while also feeling uncomfortable and generally hating all of it.
Never really listened to much Bjork. Overall it’s really nothing too appealing to me. The production is pretty good and some of the instrumentals were well done. It doesn’t save the rest of the album of bjorks repetitive lyrics and pretty boring singing style. Overall there’s nothing here for me to revisit. 5.1/10
Holy mother of god this album is astounding. This could be the best-sounding album on this entire list. Amazing, lush, ethereal textures make this album fabulously enchanting and captivating. This album was definitely outside of my comfort zone but I was quick to warm up to it. I haven’t heard anything else of Byork’s solo stuff, what a good introduction to an artist I keep being disappointed by reviewers on this website, they tend to have awful biases against anything even slightly unorthodox. This album is monumental but has a fairly mediocre rating here. The only criticism people can think up is very lame and unjust: “I don’t like her voice” or “the song structures are unorthodox” or “she’s trying too hard to be weird”. It is so stupid to say an artist is trying too hard when they actually achieve something unique and amazing. Were the Beatles trying too hard to be weird when they recorded Sgt Pepper’s? Were the Beach Boys trying too hard to be artsy on Pet Sounds? I think that the aesthetic this album achieves is basically unparalleled. What an experience this is. I just relish the experience of being IMPRESSED by an album, which is a rare experience
This sounds like a lot of other Björk albums. Incredible, unique voice. Weird arrangements and lots of emotion. Didn't mind it, but it's not really something I'd seek out. 3.5 stars
It took 4 tries, but I liked a Bjork record.
This album is so atmospheric that it genuinely felt like it was a colder season, not summer. Then I went outside and instantly caught on fire. I screamed for help and some people luckily came to my aid with a fire blanket. However, the damage was done. As I laid in the hospital, writhing in pain, a doctor came and gave me some anesthetic before telling me they were going to have to remove the melted cotton from my skin. I blacked out soon after. When I came to, I was in a lot of pain, and they told me it would take three weeks to recover. So I hate you, Vespertine. But it’s a pretty good album that I’d have given a 5 if it hadn’t nearly killed me, so I guess I’ll give it that.
Bells
I'm not a Bjork fan but this is the most cohesive album of hers that I've ever heard. I still can't really get past her voice or the shoehorning of lyrics into spaces where they just don't fit. But as Bjork goes...not bad.
The best track is the one without vocals. Enough said.
Просто не люблю бьорк
Proper art pop. Glad I listened but I won’t again.
I like a good Bjork from time to time
It' good
Nice textures - but for me background music
Yea! Love Björk, and this is probably her best album. Definitely a 5. Love the warm fuzzies of Cocoon, and the string instrumentation, thumping beat and vocals of It’s Not Up To You. Undo has this wonderful build to it. Overall, the cohesion, the textures, the dynamics. This one is a masterpiece!
lovely chill electronic music with beautiful vocals. sleepy beautiful but not in a bad or boring way.
Björk seems to intrigue the mind until one gets halfway through an album. Then a mind craves a small bag of potent green floral notes to help Björk become interesting again. It is her mysterious nature that allures but the altered state of conscientiousness that helps her endure.
It is certainly interesting, and I feel it is well made and a good use of her unique sounding voice, but it is not my style of music. Still, the production is very good.
4.5
4/5. Beautiful and cold, it feels as though she is upset and disappointed. A cold winter alone is the aesthetic. Although some songs run a little long, overall this is a great album. Most likely won't run it often due to the length and sadness surrounding it.
This Bjork album is gentle and chill. 3/5
Beautiful album with high replay value
A bit too minimalistic and ethereal for my taste
è Bjork, ma fa meno paura del solito
Björk is great and this seems like a fine album. Nothing standing out to grab my attention like her earlier stuff but still a pleasant listen.
Seems like Bjork is singing her emotions which so that you feel her music rather than just hear it.
2.5
Art pop. Ni fu ni fa.
Bjork just becomes background noise to me. I don't dislike it though.
I am really not a fan of Bjork music.
Good but still not my thing.
8.5/10 excellent album atmosphérique, pensez a du fever ray mais plus soft.
Eurythmics to Slipknot then to Björk sure is some whiplash What a glorious winter album that I’m discovering in summer. Going back to individual tracks to decide on a rating was… odd, as the album does a good job of introducing the samples, the glitchy fuzzy beats & the glockenspiels. Well actually “Hidden Place” throws you in the middle of it all in the 1st 60 seconds, but does it *gently*. HL: “Hidden Place”, “Unison”, “Pagan Poetry”, “Aurora”, “It’s Not Up To You” June 16, 2023
bjork rules and this is her best album. somber, thoughtful, eerie, transcendent. i have a recurring dream, folks.
Je l'ai trouvé similaire aux autres albums de Bjork que j'ai eu. Je n'ai vraiment pas détesté, mais clairement c'est pas un genre que je suis capable d'apprécier dans les conditions dans lesquelles je les écoute normalement. À réessayer. 6/10
Sounds like shit to me
It was very weird in an interesting way. But the melodies were too abstract. Lyrics are also not singable so I don't find much to enjoy in this album.
I can feel a spark of magic in this album. It reminds me of The Snow Queen. Lol, I've just realised that Bjork is from Iceland. Coincidence? I don't think so. I have a love-hate relationship with Vespertine. There is a lot of beauty in the album, but also there are some tracks which should be skipped.
I came to appreciate Björk as an artist several times already, but I never quite got to embrace her music. Maybe now I'll actually start listening to her. I absolutely love these shimmering, jingling sounds, but sometimes songs get dull anyway. It's not enough for 5, but I really enjoyed the whole album.
I get it. She's got a unique voice and the music is interesting - very ethereal. But I just can't get into it.
Meh, the backing instrumentals were good, but Bjork's voice was not
Not my favorite Björk album.
I don't really like Bjork. It's kind of exhausting to listen to her singles in a mix or on the radio so, I hadn't listened to her albums. I was surprised. I actually enjoyed this album. It's not my normal preference, but this was pretty good, especially while working.
Like listening to a DJ mixing two tracks that have nothing in common while standing next to freeway hearing traffic go by.
Lite som att titta på björken i trädgården. Småtrevligt men inte direkt upphetsande.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Pagan poetry
4. Björk is one of those artists I have to be in the mood for, but when I am I really enjoy the music.
Another 4th studio album? I'm beginning to sense a trend. I hope I'm wrong here. Not a whole lot here that was engaging for me.
I kind of like the ethereal, hypnotic vibe of Bjork's music, though it is really pretty hard to distinguish many of the pieces if it weren't for the occasionally repeated phrase in the lyrics. An interesting listen.
I loved earlier albums but hadn’t heard this one. The music transports me.
airy, breathy, weird as usual
Worse Grimes
It was alright, some of the songs came across as a little grating, though?
frosti...legendaarisen statuksen saanut biisi...olikin vain five nights at freddy type beat...tubular bellsesque... arvostan...200+ kuuntelua... ennen kyseistä kappalletta on... objektiivisessti paskaa... Emme valitse kohtaloamme. Silti meidän täytyy. . . meidän on täytettävä velvollisuutemme, eikö? Suuri tai pieni, meidän on tehtävä velvollisuutemme. objektiivinen kolmonen..vaikka tahtoa löytyy... aurora
I've had mixed feelings about Bjork's other albums but this one I quite enjoyed. It was delicate and interesting
I just can’t stand Björk. Her music has almost no artistic value to me
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it was very melancholic at the start and had a a nice ambience throughout Favourite song: didn’t have one (Bjorks work for me is better as a full project than individual tracks)
Fuck yeah, Bjork. I love the chillout production. That’s my jams and lays a great foundation. And then add in Bjork. Powerful, raw, defiant. Visceral lyrics about family and relationships. They are simple, well-tread subjects; but the odd prism of Bjork’s word choice, emphasis, and singing make it feel raw and new. One thing that jumps out to me in listening is… the lyrics are often describing conventional gender roles: very relational, often hetero, sometimes sexual, submissive, all about the other; or maternal, focused on her son and motherhood, being part of a lineage of mothers. All true to life and rich subjects. But also all very conventional in their way. Nothing very counterculture in there. But the delivery is imbued with such powerful defiance. I associate that style and presentation with rebellion against tradition, and here.. If it’s defiant, I am not sure against whom. Intriguing. Fuck yeah, Bjork. Highlights: Cocoon, Heirloom
Har enkelte ålreite sanger, men generelt blir albumet litt for mye for meg
El disco lo tiene absolutamente todo, es reconicible que es pop y que es art pop. Que es sumamente complicaos que suene bien y tenga exito. No me gustan los proyectos de bjork pero este me volo la cabeza, tal vez es un poco largo y por el 9,50/10 pero es un disco sobresaliente que no tiene puntos debiles.
3/5 Sometimes good, sometimes just weird. It's Bjork
Ethereal, dissonant and melodic.
This would be great as a very dark and dramatic movie soundtrack. The singing is an acquired taste. Favorite song: Heirloom
I really like Björk, but this album wasn't resonating.
C'est bon... parfois. Des fois c'est juste bizarre et on dirait que c'est fait exprès. Je connais l'Artiste et c'Est vraiment son style. Ca a ca place dans cette liste, mais peut-etre pas dans la mienne. 3.5
Complex and aat time ethereal but just didn't really get into it as much as I thought I would
so very Bjork. Weird and quirky. Not my favorite of hers but still fun to listen to after a long time.
Not much of a fan of Bjork and this album reinforced that.
amazingly i didn't hate this. she's still as annoying as fook but at least there's some melodic value in this and not just some incoherent avant-garde warblings.
Probably average
I liked this album more then Debut. A bit easier on the ears, while still being a very avant garde experience
Phenomenal record. One of the biggest and best voices in music.
Enjoyed
Beautiful
Hmm, not as enjoyable as Human Behaviour imo. In general I’m not a huge fan of the affected way that Bjork sings. I get that it’s very experimental and transformative and whatnot but most of the time it’s just not my cup of tea Saved tracks: Hidden Place, Heirloom, Unison
A couple songs were definitely a 4-5, but mostly I was neutral on this. The couple really good songs carried it. Her voice was pretty haunting- it made me wish it was raining
Nice to have on in the background while reading but that's about it
Production was great, sounded so good in my beats. I think it was the vocals that pulled me away from enjoyment. I will give this a 2 with no playlist adds.
bjork is my tom waits? some people can't stand or don't "get" her, and i'm not sure i fully "get" her either, but I can't deny the emotional power of her music for me. she creates musical landscapes that are like impressionist paintings. brava!
fairy in the forest vibes, going around to my daisies and bluebells and checking out which lady bugs are where, the bees are gathering enough pollen but there may be something sinister afoot in the cave nearby
4/5 This was a tricky album to rate. The music and singing is so eclectic and weird it takes some getting used to. However, I feel like with a bit more listening it might be like next favourite album. There were some interesting lyrics that I really enjoyed and some explicit descriptions I really could have done without. The last song made the whole album for me. I have and will revisit this.
I probably need to listen to this a few times to really appreciate it but from one listen and a relatively open mind I liked it. The music being out of the ordinary kept me interested and her singing and lyrical style certainly mark her as unique but this kinda makes it music for certain moods only I think, and so not necessarily a positive... One to marinate much like "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" perhaps, and so given the same (pretty high) score.
Her music is beautiful, wonderfully mixed. I should listen to her more often. This one was very very good
My face looked like the middle letter in her name through the whole album experience.
I love listening to a biblically accurate angel.
Not my fav of hers, but Pagan Poetry and Hejrloom are just amazing.
So unique and powerful
This is the most awful, whiny, waffle music I’ve ever heard. It’s like a seal became a woman and starting “oh-oh”-ing over a badly put together track on garage band.
Lovely album, Bjork's ethereal voice and haunting tones make for an unusual and dreamy feel to this album. Well worth listening to.
All Björk songs are the same song...
I mean this didn't offend me but just didn't get it and as far as I am concerned, not very good.
Not so interesting, but very pleasant and well crafted
Bjork tops my list of artists who I respect and find interesting, but try as I might I just cannot get into their music. Her voice does nothing for me. She's cool in The Northman, though.
O remember I tried to get into Björk when I was young to no avail. I guess I just did not have the mind set at the time. I loved this record today tho! It’s quite amazing! Second chances come even 22 years after.
Bjork isn't my type of music. So this is going to be a "pass" for me.
Bjork is an amazing artist beyond just the music. There was a lot of care and thought put into making this album, and you can really hear it. Lots of subtle sounds, and evocative music. Not my normal jam, but definitely worth a few listens.
I made a mistake when listening to this album, in that before starting it, I played Hyperballad. To hear what Björk is capable of, then playing Vespertine, almost has to be a bit of a disappointment. That's not to say this album is bad. It isn't. But it isn't good, either. I'm not convinced it would be a grower, either. It is "bright" - almost to the point of distraction. I get that Björk is experimental. I also need to accept that often experiments fail.
Art, brilliant, cool, delicate, exposing, fresh, great, heartfelt, icy, juicy, krazy, loopy, magnificent, noteworthy, opinionated, quiet, respected, strange, treasured, umbilical, vesperteeny, wise, xtc, yearning, zestful
very dreamy indie pop
Good
The last album we got of her I was willing to have an open mind but in all honestly I couldn’t get through this one. I know she’s different but sometimes different isn’t good, I just didn’t understand any part of it. Some of it was definitely interesting, but just not my fave.
Put the voice aside for a second... I can't imagine not listening to this album in headphones - there are so many little glitchy/computer/electronic/subtly-tactile sounds and rhythms that go from ear to ear that it envelops you - almost feeling like you're within the music. Now the voice - Bjork is the very very rare singer for me that I actually enjoy and/or pay attention to. Customarily i want the vocals to blend with the music and not detract - just sit down and be part of the song. Bjork is completely different in every way. Obviously. It kinda matches the really challenging music - really becoming entwined with the music: another instrument! Still ... I can't fall in love with this one - it's a difficult album to really sink your teeth into - almost completely devoid of hooks of any sort; a song doesn't need to be pop but any sort of recurring motif to sink into would have helped a bit. I listened a few times...it's a fascinating album and one I'd likely listen to again but it's a pretty select choice. 6/10 3 stars
Not a Bjork fan.
Absolute pure bliss. The instrumentals are immaculate with tons of interesting sounds and textures and influences which make this thing just beautiful. Then Björk’s delicate and intimate singing fills each track with mysticism. It feels so organic and surreal at the same time. I loved the dance pop of Debut but this is another level. 10/10
Björk's Vespertine had me feeling like I was living in some kind of gypsy fever dream. I mean, I've never had a gypsy-themed fever dream before, but if I ever do, I hope that this is the album they're playing on repeat throughout it. Björk's voice is like a beautiful bird that's been set loose in a music studio, and it's just flying all over the place, doing crazy acrobatics and hitting all these insane notes. I mean, I don't even know if birds can sing like that, but if they can, I want one. The beats on this album are also wild. They're like a bunch of maracas and tambourines got together and formed a drum circle, and they're just going nuts. I don't know what they put in Björk's tea before she recorded this, but I want some of it. Overall, Vespertine is a trip. It's like Björk took me by the hand and led me on a journey through a magical forest filled with mystical creatures and rainbow-colored mushrooms. And then I ate all the mushrooms. And you know what? I'm here for it. It might not be something I would consider listening to on a daily basis, but once in a blue moon, I might be down for another Björk fever dream.
It's interesting to listen too musically. Lots of instrumentation, strings on almost every song. Her voice is very distinct through all of it. It's not something I would listen to on a normal basis. It's experimental, and strange, I'm not really sure what to think about it.
Not really me.
She has a beautiful voice. I found the album a bit boring halfway through though, just not enough variety for me. I did think that some remixes of her music could work real well. So I am looking for that now.
Good singer
vespertine was a different kind of album than what's typically part of this list. i found it interesting, but i didn't like it very much. while i'm unfamiliar with björk, i can say that this style in this album isn't very common. i was amazed to learn the driving aspect of this album was to create music that functioned well when downloaded and listened on a computer! the choices to make the album electronic and ethereal--and so quiet!--as a result were pretty cool. that being said, eh. as much as i respect her, i found björk's voice grating at times and it quickly soured me. i did try to focus on the instrumentals, which used a variety of instruments to create an unusual sound, but she sang quite often. it could have very well have been too artsy for me.
Björk is an acquired taste, and one that not everyone acquires...understandably so. Even for me, her music is only a sometimes food. This particular albums leans heavily into what sounds like lo-fi, magical, fairy and celestial music, at least to me. Her warbly voice lends an air of mystery and intrigue to some already mysterious, sleepy music. This album also sounds like standing between the old and the new; it sounds like small orchestra chamber music of the of the 1700s, mixed with a more modern electronica and trip-hop style. While some may view it as pretentious, I do find it interesting how much intentionality Björk puts into her work. This album in particular seems to have a lot of intentionality around the sound that she was trying to achieve. Every single thing seems to serve a purpose and has a reason for furthering that vision, which is intriguing to read about and discover, at least for me. Really, when "art pop" comes to mind, Björk is often one of the first that comes to mind, and in 2001 when Vespertine was released, Björk was reminding people in the new millennium that art pop is her domain.
Liked it. Not my favourite of hers
I didn’t think I’d enjoy this one as much as I did.
Huh. I guess I kind of like Bjork. Weird. I was super busy today so I don’t have a lot to write about this one. I also didn’t listen super closely. However, I did listen through twice, because after the first listen I still couldn’t believe that I liked a Bjork album. I always wanted to like Bjork but I hate Yoko Ono and for some reason, that is all I could hear when I listened to her in the past. A few tracks were really bad songs or really good satire. 3 out of 5 stars.
Can't lie I find Björk so overrated and I've TRIED so many times to like her but I'm very specific when it comes to psychedelia and experimental electronic and Björk doesn't hit it for me. I appreciate she's a really cool woman and that this is a technically remarkable album but I don't think it's something i'd revisit Fav song: it's not up to you. i like interspersing of glitchy synth with a harpy tinkling (sounds like musical static) into an electro-pop chorus. I also think Harm Of Will really showcases her brilliant voice
Great sound palette. A musical journey.
relisten
The first track has me hooked. Hidden place has that 60 james bond vibe so good. Unison the final track is also great. The whole album in otherworldly from beginning to end.
good instrumentals
There is something so inherently beautiful, and haunting about this album that just stays with you. The love, fear, vulnerability, lust and joy that Bjork weaves into these songs makes it a one of a kind experience. This is my pick for the best album of all time.
I don’t know HOW I’ve slept on Björk this long. This was lovely. The soft synth + crackle sound on Cocoon is a sound I’ve heard in other Icelandic electronic like Múm, and it’s just one of the most beautiful sounds—I think it must remind me of something because, fuck, that song made me emotional! Anyway starring a few songs and making a note to absolutely fuck with more Björk
I wish I had started listening to bjork years ago, loved it 4.3/5
Why have I never listened to Bjork before this?! Really beautiful sound. Similar to Portishead in a lot of ways. I’ll have to listen to more of her discography. 4/5
Loved Post and Debut, but never really listened to much else from Bjork. This is different to them but still unmistakably her. A lot more electronic and even subtle at times, but never not interesting. It’s mad how popular this quirky, weird music was during a time where the charts were dominated by ultrapolished pop bands. She’s an absolute force. The production background is interesting on this one - she confined herself to only instruments that will still sound good when downloaded (crazy how far tech has come on since then ey?!). Shows though how talented she is. I think this is a belter, going for 4 but I reckon given a few more listens I’d be rating it up there with Post
Unexpectedly enjoyed a lot of this, I like bjorks voice and it reminded me of bon iver and some minus the bear in parts. Unfortunately there's a lot of pointless madness going on that detracts from many of the songs and there could be a bit more variety.
I found this a bit of a weird one. Totally forgettable noise, except that I didn't mind it on in the background. I can't remember anything about it, despite fully listening, but I'm glad I've heard at least one Björk album. Wouldn't listen again, but +1 for a background bonus.
This album has a really good production and sound but it is just not my kind of music. Theres a bizarre airy fairyness to it that just doesn't click with me. It's alright to listen to in the background I suppose. Highlights: Hidden Place Pagan Poetry
Bjork hey....I didn't mind this on in the background. Probably wouldn't go back to it though. I've listened to her debut album before and I think I preferred it to this, I didn't dislike this though
Bjork be like here’s some noises for an hour
Day 14 I had some of this review done here but then the website reset and I didn't have my stuff saved so excuse me if some of the songs have less of an explanation. Hidden Place - 7 Cocoon - 6 It's Not Up To You - 8 - unsettling Undo - 5 Pagan Poetry - 5 - pretty easy listening, might rate it higher if I felt emotionally attached during the song but I just couldn't get there Frosti - 5 Aurora - 5 - I have nothing to say for most of these except they're fine. Honestly the songs are mostly indistinguishable. An Echo, A Storm - 6 - idk, I guess it's a bit creepier sounding which is cool Sun In My Mouth - 5 Heirloom - 6 - voice sounded good but it's still like every other song on this album Harm of Will - 7 - this one sounded a bit better than the others. Don't know why. Unison - 7 Generous Palmstroked - 5 Overall: it was fine. It's okay for an album to have a sound, I just don't like it when it's this focused to wear I literally can't tell multiple songs apart. 77/140 or 55%
How many other albums end with an orgasm?
som meio transcendental, não muito agradável
Just an exceptional album from start to finish. No skips, is in the running for her best album overall. Seriously, I can't sing the album's praises enough. Yet for some reason, I have no idea how many more times I'll revisit it. I wouldn't be surprised if I never listened to it again. On the other hand, I could listen to it non-stop over the next few months, turn into an Icelandic Fairy Princess, deem this the greatest album of all-time, and I wouldn't be shocked at all. That'd be very in character for yours truly.
Ethereal and brooding. 3.5
queeny
Couldn’t get into it. Might try again sometime, but probably won’t.
Before listening to this album, the only Bjork song I'd ever heard was "Hyperballad," thanks to 60 Songs That Explain the 90's. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to be in for, but I really enjoyed this album. The first half didn't really blow me away that much, but the second half more than made up for it. Even though I didn't enjoy the first half as much, I still thought that the album as a whole was incredibly pleasant to listen to. Bjork's vocals are outstanding, and her ability to arrange beautiful music is on full display here. I can't imagine what it must have been like for people to listen to this album when it came out. Personally, my head would have probably exploded. I imagine that Bjork's work probably influenced some other artists that I really liked: MGMT, Sigur Ros, and Miike Snow. And if she didn't influence them, don't tell me, and just let me believe the lie I invented.
I loved this, great record!
Best enjoyed as the soundtrack to an Iceland travel slideshow. Cool stuff here. Quite compelling at its best, but the rest is eh.
I fucking love this???? More like Kid A+
Björk lives in that low to mid 3 territory for me. Most of this indistinguishable from her other stuff. I did think Unison was excellent.
every song feels like you are a small fairy floating on a leaf in winter and it's magical.
I like Bjork, but never heard this album or any of the songs. After listening to it all day, I didn’t really feel much of any connection. 2.5/5
Hanımefendi mistik olmaya çalışmış, başarmış. Diğer tüm müziklerden farklı, muadilini düşünemedim. Enstrüman seçimleri, sesinin tonu ve müziğin yapısı yüzünden buzdan bir mağaradaymış gibi hissettim. (Açık camın önünde otururken dinlediğim için de olabilir) Sardı, güzel şarkılar. Sözleri de kötü değil. (7/10)
Çok ilginçti, bu yüzden Björk'ün eserlerini seviyorum sanırım. Daha önce dinlediğim Medùlla albümünden daha güzeldi, cohesiveness 'ı daha iyiydi ve denediği yeni sesler, enstrümanlar birbirleriyle gayet uyumluydu. Bu şekilde farklı küçük küçük parçaların bir araya getirilip çok değişik müzikler yaratmasına ve bunu yapan kişinin ses renginin de ilginç olmasını gerçekten seviyorum. Kendine has müziklere bayılıyorum ve arkasında yatan yaratıcı,sanatçı ruha da ayrıca saygı duyuyorum sanırım. It's not up to you - genel olarak beat'i güzeldi, arkadaki microbeatler de gayet başarılıydı. An echo a stain - dreamy olması ve arkadaki o insanı sanki göğe yukseliyormus gibi hissettiren müzik çok hoştu. Unison - bitiş için çok hoş olan ve albümün genelini toparlayıp ozetledigini hissettim diyebilirim. Overall : 8/10 <3
What the hell am I listening to. I will admit, there are some beautiful instrumentals going on, but when the singing starts, i'm out.
Where's that 3.75-star option?
no thank you. 2.
Ah, another Björk album! This one is wonderful too, though I never really got Pagan Poetry. 5/5.
not my jam man
An insult not only to music, but to mankind.
Dreamy, would hear again
Tunnelmallista ja outoa hyvällä tavalla. Kuuntele uudestaan
Cool blend of bjork's avant-garde pop and experimental 90s electronica influences such as Aphex Twin and Portishead
Really weird
An enjoyable, intimate listen.
Vind hier eigenlijk gewoon niet zo veel van. Ergens misschien leip voor die tijd, maar heb ook het gevoel alsof ze graag 'andere' rare muziek wilt maken
Echt niets aan dit album spreekt me aan. Het is al weer album nummer 2 van haar dat we moeten luisteren maar snap écht niet dat het zo gehyped wordt en hoop dat het niet nog een keer komt
Goeie beats, ver voor z’n tijd, alleen zijn Björks vocal lastig om casual naar te luisteren
Great ambience music. Didn’t like it at first but it gre on me.
Imagine if you gave the weird girl in school a recording device and left her alone for an hour. This is what you’d hear.
I can appreciate the lo-fi electronic beats, but it’d take a lot for my to start spinning Bjork frequently.
Seemed too much like asmr to me
Pretty good
the music itself is really cool but I just can’t get over her voice and the pacing of it, it is so far from being on beat (which I know is the point) and It’s just not for me.
Cal estar en un mood molt adequat i prestar-li molt d'atenció i dedicació a l'escolta del disc per poder arribar a disfrutar-lo una mica. El problema és que fins i tot fent tot això, l'obra no passa de ser un treball correcte, fet amb molt de treball i cura, però només amb alguns moments inspirats
Een stem waarvan er geen tweede is (of het moet Emiliana Torrini zijn), en die sommigen wellicht op de zenuwen zal werken. Ik heb daar dan weer geen last van. Gewoon prettig gestoorde dromerige elektro-fluffy-semi-techno, of wat het dan ook maar mag wezen.
Dit is wel heel veel Björk. Heb het maar in tweeën geknipt. Ik was hier wel benieuwd naar. Want op de bekende hits speelt ze leuk met muziek en zang. Dat mis ik wel op dit album. Dan blijft een saaie zeurderige plaat over.
Zuchtend en steunend fluistert Bjork je in slaap. De plaat moet er ook zo van zuchten en steunen dat ie zelfs regelmatig overslaat. Haperende triphop uit een muziekdoosje. Het gaat mij te traag om lang boeiend te blijven.
Unusual, as expected. This isn't an album I'd listen to often, but it was an interesting experience and I respect Bjork as an artist. Might as well give it a 3.
Ethereal chimes & Björk's beautifully weird voice. This album is much softer than her others, and some of these songs remind me of Icelandic lullabies. I hope we see more of her on this list.
I'm always going to appreciate the tranquil madness that is Bjork.
I was a bit reluctant to put on this record, the bits and pieces I've heard from Bjork weren't really that appealing, but I'll still give it a spin. I have to admit, there's a lot of beauty in this album. Bjork has a pretty voice, and surrounds herself with great musicians to realize the sound in her mind. The music turns out to be very fragile and intimate. Frosti is a beautiful little instrumental. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one! Key tracks: Hidden Place, Cocoon, It's Not Up To You, Pagan Poetry, Frosti, Unison. 7.5 out of 10
Some good songs. Occasionally boring. Definitely trying to do something. Average.
Ooof. I can't recommend it. Ok at times. But just plain weird
Not for me. Boring.
I like that Björk tries something completely different when she gets bored with what has worked for her. Despite being very different from other albums, this is absolutely, unmistakably Björk. This was the swan dress as music. It was a bit challenging to listen to at first, but once I just started flowing with it, it took me on quite a lovely journey. It has a consistently dreamy mood throughout. I like her apt description of it as a "winter record." I had questioned having a third Björk album in this project so far, but now I'm hoping for another.
I definitely enjoyed this album more than I thought that I would. It was very interesting, but also accessible for me...not too avant-garde. After another listen or two, it may have bumped to a 5-star, but I'm just not sure
Warm and magical. I wanted it never to stop.
I’m never quite sure how Björk‘s albums are going to go down. This one proved quite enjoyable. I felt like I was traveling through some enchanted land. The harp and chorale parts were great additions. Lovely!
Well I made it back to this one and sure gave it a try. It's weird but not in the way I prefer like how Zappa is weird or jazz can be weird. Maybe I just don't get it and never will
Beautiful stuff
Não faz meu estilo
A beautiful album
I guess that swan was wrapped too tightly around her neck. I'm sure that she was trying for ethereal in these songs, but it ended up just sounding monotonous and like a drunken voicemail from an ex.
I’d rather listen to pigs yodel
No
It was so…… ethereal. I recognized some songs in it. The songs were so detailed? Like layered and the beats sounded like little pops. Bjork voice is so unique but sometimes it feels like it goes against the beats and instruments.
Not my taste, the music isn’t bad but I can’t really stand her voice for long
Too sweet
An old favorite xoxo
Pagan poetry is one of the best songs I've ever heard
Bjork definitely is iconic for her "otherness" but setting that aside, the album just melds into one big background sound. I can see how it might appeal as an "artsy" production but it just wasn't all that interesting to listen to for me
There were portions of songs that had an interesting sound and feel to them but overall I found this album pretty boring and one note. No song stood out more than the others.
I think Björk is the reason we have so many airy breathy female artists today and I’ll never forgive her for it.
Vepsertine might just be Björk's Magnum Opus. Where the albums before fell on occasion more into clubby style electro, this album is organic, warm, subdued, dreamy and mysterious. And every time I hear it I'm amazed at how beautifully everything falls into place. The sudden background chorus in Undo. The incoming bass at Pagan Poetry. The strings that come in to enhance things very tastefully. So there is more than enough to hear. And with every listen I pick something new up. A musical detail or even an atmosphere some song will make me float towards. Details, but also a beautiful tranquility in the songs, even though the electronics simmer happily under the skin. Exciting and restful at the same time. Björk uses her voice in line with the songs as well, so with a lot less reverb. There's no miss on this album. 5*
Appreciate it more than the last time now that I have more music like it in my listening. Still not 5/5.
Okay
I mean, I don't ~fully~ get the hype, but it's still beautiful and magical. She put her entire Bjöobs, Bjüssy and Bjëart into these songs, so you go girl. Don't listen to the haters - keep singing about tiny mushroom elves lighting campfires inside your vagina or whatever. Best song's either "Hidden Place" or "Pagan Poetry".
Zwischen 3 und 4. Ist mir alles zu ähnlich manchmal deswegen eine 3.
I always had a soft spot for Bjork, especially in high school and early college. It's been a while since I've listened to one of her albums straight through. It's a solid album but I definitely have to be in a specific mood now to listen to Bjork. This only has a couple of songs that would make my list of favorites but it's still a good one. Really beautiful vocals. Standout Tracks: Hidden Place, Cocoon, Undo, Sun In My Mouth, Unison
Really lovely soundscape
Weird!
Yeah, nah. I can’t get into bjork and her strange way of signing. Couldn’t finish this album.
Pretty cool, but also not really something I would listen to multiple times.
Not for me. Icelandic frost.
I have the album Medúlla generated for me very recently, so can't tell if it is fatigue from Björk music or if that other album was better.
1/12, 8%
Meh
Vespertine reminds me so much of the artist Soap&Skin. I first heard Soap&Skin (specifically their tracks Sleep and Spiracle) during an immersive art exhibition for Pipilotti Rist, Pixel Forest. Pixel Forest is one of my most favorite art exhibitions I've seen to date, and Bjork's Vespertine evoked a similar intimate, melancholy, dreamlike ambiance to the music that actually played during the experience. It may not be something that I play on repeat, but it captures such a special, gentle, and meditative mood that I can easily see myself saving this album for a special-occasion listen like a bottle of good wine.
ethereal soft and full of bangers. best tracks: hidden place, pagan poetry, cocoon
Just a few days ago I was saying I need to dive deeper into Björk's discography and lo and behold I get another album from her. I understand why people don't like Björk. I totally get it, but for me it just works completely. This is such great music. I'm sad I didn't dive deeper into her work earlier.