Reviews (page 6 of 13)
I picked this one up when it came out. I never really got into rave culture, but this album seems to transcend much of the electronica at the time with an emphasis not only on beats and dancing but also in adding emotive, free time vocals, and songcraft. To be fair, I haven't heard much of the albums of Roni Size, BT, and the like, but Debut seems to have songs with a beginning, middle, and end, whereas the other electronica I heard from that time seems to be a groove with some variations of it as almost a reference track for DJs to build off of. The songs here are complete, and bring in jazz, electronica, free style, exoctica, and some impressive thumping beats. "Human Behaviour", "Big Time Sensuality," and "Come To Me" were the first songs that jumped out to me, but each track offers worthwhile indulgences in differing directions. Björk's vocal performance is outstanding--somewhat whimsical, bold, fun, confident, squeaking, growling--and the quality in production is worthy of her. The two work perfectly together to create a unique vision of the world. Debut opens the doors to what electronica can be.
There's a fine line when you stray from what's come before. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Same with music that is a little "quirky". Bjork pulls it off (whereas, in my opinion, Joni Mitchell does not.) The quirkiness works. The distinctive voice works, along with the growls. Yet, I can also see how this wouldn't click with a lot of people. Yet it clicks with me, and I appreciate the quirks and the novelty.
The last great thing Bjork did. 4.4
When I was in seventh grade we had to pick a country to spend the entire year studying: each month we would write a report on an aspect of their culture, history, cuisine, etc etc. I picked Iceland, probably because I liked the flag. I distinctly remember buying Bjork's Debut at Sam Goody, as well as Weird Al's Bad Hair Day, for my own personal research. A highlight of that grade (a cruddy time as middle school can only be) was our final presentation in the gym, where we each set up booths with all our crafts and research. I forget what food I served, but I remember playing Human Behaviour on a loop and infuriating my neighbor, Ireland.
...
This is the first Björk album I’ve listened to in full. A friend recommended her to me a while ago, but I never really gave her music a proper listen until now. I’m glad I finally did — it was quite an experience! I absolutely love the electronic elements on this album, and Björk’s voice is something otherworldly. Truly a unique album!
This started off really strong, I loved the rhythm and vibe of the percussion in Human Behaviour. We then transitioned into very quintessential European disco vibes and then randomly had this beautiful harp centred tune in Like Someone In Love which felt like the background tune in a film about a couple who met at a rave and then fell in love during an MDMA comedown, and then straight back into the disco scene. The only reason why this wasn't a 5/5 was because the second half of the album felt a bit lackluster. That in mind I adored The Anchor Song, it was perfect as the final song of the album
definitely not an album I'll listen to again all the way through but good for my music & music history knowledge no doubt
Some good songs - Classic early Bjork
I never would have thought that I would like this album, and it is not in my wheelhouse, but it is really good. I enjoyed it way more than I expected. I will listen to this again…and maybe again.
Bjonk
There are some wonderful songs here. Björk's vocals are really unique and beautiful.
Classy
What a fantastic album. Feels like an exercise in expression, rather than a commercial product per se; once you allow her to take you on her story, it's a joy to be led through the various spaces she creates. It's spacious, it's often beatless, and it's singular. I love it.
This was a cool album. I love the variety of instruments and types of songs too. I gravitate more towards the dancy ones, they are super fun, but the slow songs are unique and interesting too. Overall pretty great!
Truly amazing. Original, Deep. Lags a bit and has some house/technonelements that I could do without
This is #day17 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I was kind of rough when I first reviewed this record, so I decided to revisit it. Maybe I want to try to like her, or maybe just understand her better. Either way, you can't deny there's no one quite like Björk. Debut opens up a one-of-a-kind world of eccentricity and atmosphere. The '90s UK dance and trip-hop influences are unmistakable. But there's more going on here than just that. Personal highlights: "Human Behaviour" and "Venus As A Boy," among a few others. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5. Still think that she's overrepresented on this list. Looking forward to #day18.
Out of all the albums I’ve heard from Björk, “Debut” stands out the most to me. What makes this album my favorite is its ability to balance a variety of different elements seamlessly. It’s innovative and forward-thinking, incorporating experimental sounds with lush elements like trip-hop and house music. This balance makes “Debut” the album I return to the most, as it is easier to absorb in everyday moods or environments. Since “Debut,” it seems Björk has focused more on the experimental route, putting all her eggs in one basket. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it does require a specific mood and mindset to fully appreciate. I love experimental music, but sometimes it feels like artists are just throwing random elements together and calling it experimental art. However, when someone like Björk approaches a project like “Debut” with an innovative mindset and uses unconventional tools and methods within a more structured framework, it creates something that’s more easily enjoyable for the listener. This balance of innovation and accessibility can be more challenging to achieve than pure experimentation. I will end on a high note by saying Björk has always pushed the boundaries of music, so you have to give credit where credit is due. For personal enjoyment, though, “Debut” is my favorite album.
I knew of Bjork and due to this project had listened to two of her other albums (Medulla and Vespertine). I can't say I would listen to either again as I did not care for one of them and the other was so weird that I found it interesting. I am familiar with a few of these songs though and I found this to be a pretty good album. Venus as a Boy and Human Behavior are the two songs I am most acquainted with but the first half of this album has zero skips. To my 2024 ears some of this music sounds "been there done that" in terms of the quirky sound and the different instrumentation on each track. For 1993 though, this was pretty revolutionary as there is house music and just an overall feel she had no preference to stick with more conventional sounds. I enjoyed this album and think of all the Bjork albums I have heard, this is the one to listen to.
This is great. At places It’s like a chill out Balearics album with a random Icelandic girl chatting loudly over the top (track 4 is literally this) 3.5 but rounded up to 4
Has some haunting songs, while others are upbeat and fun. Wide range really keeps you engaged throughout the album. Album is the definition of Avant-garde
I am not sure why, but I like Bjork and this record.
En vrai jme le suis pris
Call it Human Behavior, but this one left me Crying Like Someone In Love. Just Violently Happy.
I should listen to more Bjork
Thoughts on Bjork, Debut: Am I crazy for getting Peter Gabriel vibes from this? Some of that is the rhythmic qualities. Some of that is the bizarre theatricality. But a lot of it is just the genius on display. There are very few artists who can ever say they were writing at this level. She's tapped into something otherworldly. Love how many brass parts there are throughout the album. The closer "The Anchor Song" in particular. Those jazz influences are on stark display. A lot of the music sounds VERY 90s, but never in a hopelessly dated way, more in a "this is the very best this decade had to offer" kind of way. "Violently Happy" is maybe the best example of this. It's a vaguely techno infused track that could easily have appeared on any number of 90s movie soundtracks. Hackers, anyone? The Matrix? A few songs have the PSOS problem - "poem stapled onto song". You can hear that she's making up the melody as she goes, and not in a good way. But I defy anyone to listen to this album and not come away with the certainty they've witnessed a work of genius. "Human Behavior" and "Venus As a Boy" in particular are haunting, catchy, captivating, and utterly weird.
Fjör stars
Fun, enjoyable and never boring. The album is pretty cohesive in sense of it's overall flowey and light tone. It's pretty adventurous as well!
I usually cant stand Bjork but this wasnt bad. Its just delightfully weird enough to listen to, Bjorks vocals still irk me but the production behind this album was wya more coherent than I'm used to hearing from her. There is More to Life Than This is a perfect example, its fun and weird all at once.
Eclectic mosaic of music that’s beyond genres as a pioneering piece.
Björk is one of those artists that I think I respect as an artist more than I love their music. While I’ve never regretted listing to any of her albums, I don’t find myself coming back to them on my own volition. While I’ve heard most of her catalog I don’t think I had listened to Björk’s Debut before this, and although I feel the same as described above I do think this is my favorite release of hers. It’s one great song after another, never sounding the same but also never feeling out of place. The first threes songs are particularly strong, but there are no weak tracks to be found. It reminds me of a cross between Fiona Apple and Kate Bush, which makes sense as Björk’s equally as legendary and innovative as those two.
Good, quirky album
Weird but i actually quite liked it.
Debut is a very special album. It certainly has a feeling of Bjork finding herself after the Sugarcubes era, exploring a number of styles and genres. The result is a bit messy, but certainly prevews the incredible talents that would make Homogeneous, Vespertine, Biophilia and Vulnicura (albums closer to a 5). For this one, 4/5.
A crazy album from a crazy woman! Actually, I found this album ok. Each track is unique and different, there are of course her very famous tracks, not a bad listen.
it’s very interesting and i like it
Excellent album. It was great to go back and revisit it.
Pretty impressive for a debut album, now that I think about it. (Yes, I do realize I mean debut solo album omg.)
Actually surprised Bjork popped up, given how much classic rock focus the list had. For how unconventional her style of singing gets, Bjork is a very comfortable listen. She enters this album knowing the style she wants to go for, and she nails it pretty damn well. My only hangup would be the instrumentals: none are bad, but it can feel just a bit too campy for me at times (Aeroplane being the best example of this). For the more typical 90s dance that you hear on the album, though, it sounds fantastic, and Bjork knows how to work it. Bjork has another record on this list that I definitely prefer, but her first outing still remains a great one.
Not my absolute favorite Björk but still pretty great. At the free jazzier interludes I kept thinking my music player had started a new album, but no. Human Behavior is so good I can't give it less than 4 but it's a 3.5.
I loved this! This was definitely her best album that we have listened to so far. I especially liked the final track. There was less weird, drawn-out phrasing (although it was present) and it all seemed more purposeful.
i totally spurned björk all this time. how could i?!
venus as a boy makes me really sad for reasons i hate to get into but this album is good regardless.. frst time i heard it years ago i didnt really appreciate it but now i get it.. that being said, i don't think every song carries its weight.
Björk is the perfect example of what alternative pop was in the 1990s. Hauntingly and beautifully melodic. She paints an incredibly fantastic audible dreamscape. This was my first listen through of any of her studio albums from beginning to end and it was just as fantastic as her Greatest Hits I’ve had for 20 years.
I went into this only marginally aware of Bjork's musical style. I was pleasantly surprised by this album and its eclectic sound. I enjoyed it much more than I would have expected.
Bom
Wow...tough one here. Bjork is a challenging artist and certainly not for everyone. Jimi was spot-on when he said that you have to be in the right mood and frame of mind to enjoy her work.
This album contains some of my favourite songs by her and I feel like generally it's very underrated in her discography. I'm a big fan of this particularly that first half is spectacular.
Einu sinni þekkti ég stelpu sem elskaði Björk og ég skildi ekki af hverju því mér fannst hún svo leiðinleg. Líf mitt hefur litast af þeirri skoðun síðan en þetta er samt bara alveg mjög góð plata, segi éf þótt ég sé Íslendingur
Debut marks Björk’s arrival with a bang. She would refine and perfect the formula throughout the decade but this album is undeniable. Fun and singular. Big Time Sensuality rips.
Besides the two songs that sounded more like club music I liked every song; worth returning to
I hate to admit it but this album was actually quite enjoyable. The same can’t be said for her later albums unfortunately though I did enjoy her work in the sugar cubes.
Bought this album on spec as someone I knew kept banging on about the Sugarcubes. What an impression it made. Plugged into a emerging trend and flipped it. Still sound bright today.
Björk is queen. 4/5
Enjoyed it
Out of all the albums I’ve heard from Björk, “Debut” stands out the most to me. What makes this album my favorite is its ability to balance a variety of different elements seamlessly. It’s innovative and forward-thinking, incorporating experimental sounds with lush elements like trip-hop and house music. This balance makes “Debut” the album I return to the most, as it is easier to absorb in everyday moods or environments. Since “Debut,” it seems Björk has focused more on the experimental route, putting all her eggs in one basket. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it does require a specific mood and mindset to fully appreciate. I love experimental music, but sometimes it feels like artists are just throwing random elements together and calling it experimental art. However, when someone like Björk approaches a project like “Debut” with an innovative mindset and uses unconventional tools and methods within a more structured framework, it creates something that’s more easily enjoyable for the listener. This balance of innovation and accessibility can be more challenging to achieve than pure experimentation. I will end on a high note by saying Björk has always pushed the boundaries of music, so you have to give credit where credit is due. For personal enjoyment, though, “Debut” is my favorite album.
Best thing to come out of ireland since the perogi
Cccooooome tttoooo mmmeeeeee
Very interesting solo debut. It doesn't sound like the rest of her discography, but it still manages to be Björk-ish. I like it a lot. What can I say, she's my favorite artist.
Classic Human Behavior
A great album to listen to, excellent headphone album. Unlike anything else out there.
very fun and unique was crazy, not all my taste but swag album
Honestly, I've never heard someone mix so many dissonant musical genres before without it sounding weird. On the contrary, it sounds fantastic. Her voice sounds like magic. Even though it's not really my type of music, I was impressed. I've proven that she really is what people say she is and this is just her first album... I can't wait for the others!
I was surprised to like this. Her unique voice and pop melodies made this a good one to keep around for when you just want to feel violently happy. 4/5
One of the greatest voices of the last 30 years. Interesting and exciting. 4*
👍
A Debut solo album from the unique and influential singer. Highs and lows within but always interesting.
Really glad for the push to deep dive into a whole Bjork album experience and it did not disappoint. It's clearly got some 90's house production influence but has no issue transcending the genre, firmly remaining true to finding her own voice. And what a voice it is! Whether she's singing over stripped back compositions or lush multi-track arrangements, her vocals take precedence. Nobody sounds quite like her while she works the recording booth like a stage, furiously telling the next story needing to be told.
Unbelievable record really, from a true one-off mega-talent. Sounds like it should be too weird to go mainstream but somehow it's crammed with hits. Sheer charisma.
I feel as if a lot of artists want to make a big philosophic or thematic statement on their first major artistic statement, and this is definitely the case with Björk’s Debut, which kicks off with Human Behaviour, which so screams being 22 that it kind of hurts. Debut settles down into a respectable little Euro-Pop-Art album pretty quickly after that, which is probably less resonant nowadays because of the Euro prefix on that description than it would like to be. I am reviewing this album about three weeks after I got it, and after my second listen, and I must say that I am being much, much kinder to it than I was initially intending to be. I know this should be a wake up call, I should listen to all of the albums multiple times to properly get them. I would love to, but I genuinely physically do not have the time, especially with all the catching up I have to do. What I do have to say, especially after having listened to Medúlla in the time between this review and my initial listen is that I feel as if I know more what Björk is about now and that certainly helped my listening experience. Debut may not be the best interpretation of her vision, and is certainly not the best way of get someone into Björk, but once it clicks, it clicks in a good way
A combination of 90s dance beats and Bjork's strange, twisting vocals made this album an intriguing one. I don't think I've ever listened to a Bjork song so I had no idea what I was in for but I found this a pretty fun experience and it had my foot tapping along. I've no doubt it was pretty innovative for 1993. I'll be interested to see what her other albums on the list offer.
she’s just amazing. her voice is so incredible.
The most mainstream of her albums. Very nice, but still Bjork-sounding. Always good.
It’s not often that a truly singular talent comes along who remains so for their career. They are rare finds. Though I’ve never been a huge personal fan, I can respect her musical and artistry. She’s clearly operating in another league. Hints of the avant-garde Pop experiments to come on her debut.
My favorite Icelandic singer. Human Behaviour is an obvious hit. Didn’t Madonna go through a Bjork phase?
I feel like I grew out of my Björk phase (which overlapped with most of my Radiohead phase), but this album is still good. It’s not so artsy as to not be enjoyable. It’s artistic, but it’s also just a good listen.
It's a bit unconventional of course. Some songs are great, but it wasn't always feeling it totally when passively listening.
A classic from my formative years….
Unfortunately only got about halfway through, three times due to stuff going on. Thoroughly enjoyed what I listened to though, and will stick this on again at some point.
Very weird but very good. A stunning debut album.
Loved
A real treat! She shows her artistic prowess with a haunting voice. I know, so much is made about here"quirkiness" but she is a talent musician. Sit back and enjoy the ride!
Icelandic mitski, only giving a bit more than 3 for uniqueness
I've never listened to Björk before, so I didn't know what to expect going into this album. I just got one thing to say: wow. This was a fantastic listen. Consider me a fan! 9/10 Would I listen again? Absolutely
Bjork is really odd. The music is a bit obtuse. But that is what makes it interesting. Not many others like her. I can't say my rating is equivalent to other 4-stars. Most of them, I'd be very happy listening to. I'm rating 4-stars because I'm pretty sure that with enough listens it would be at least a 4-star album, possibly 5-stars.
Björk felt like the future in the ‘90s and they still feel like the future today. Human Behavior is a five star song, but the rest of the album is also strong (although some songs have aged better than others).
Another Bjork so soon! When this popped up I thought, Oh no, this is going to suffer in comparison because of timing. But not really! I still love this one.
Another Björk, another 4
“You shouldn’t let poets lie to you”
Really wanted to give this a 5 but I don’t want to become a 5 slut
Love this album, but I had friends who were fanatical about it when it was released. Bjork is like a vocal unicorn. Doesn't quite hit 5 for me because I have to be in the correct mood.
I really like "Human Behavior", "Venus as a Boy", "There's More to Life than This"(Recorded Live at the Milk Bar toilets) , "Come to Me". Sounds pretty dated but in a good way that I dont normally feel about early 90's electronic. It feels comfortable even though it is strange/"out there" . Not much to say but I enjoyed listening to it, would listen again.
I don't know how that prior review ended up here. That was for an entirely different album by Linkin Park. What I have to say about Björk is... I don't think you need to be gay to like Björk. However, I feel like the part of me that appreciates Björk without being fully immersed by her, the part of me that feels detached and bobs my head along and says "oh, interesting that she did that here." That part of me knows that in some shadow world a .03% gayer version of me has wallpapered his existence with Björk's music.
very good, I liked it, probably the main one I have liked of hers so far.
This was an experience. The use of unconventional sounds and ambient noises makes it otherworldly. I was transported to a dance club, a jazz club, a city, a garden and god knows where else. The style is all over the place and the transition between the songs were cool.
This was awesome. Can't say I've listened to a full Bjork record before but I've been aware that she's been at the forefront of avante-garde type pop for decades. Hoping for more of her discog on here as this was a treat of new and interesting sounds that I've been lacking with this list lately..
I wanted this to be a 5, but there are a few songs that drag and make it less than perfect. Still, I love it for Nostalgia alone.
This isn’t normally my type of music but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed listening. It’s pop music but you can definitely hear influences outside of that genre. I would listen again if I was feeling in the mood.
Weird works wonders.
The better known tracks (Human Behaviour, Venus as a Boy) stand out as quirky but interesting pop, while the rest of the record is a bit dancier, and relies on electronic drums and keyboards to push things forwards for the most part. Björk's unique voice with it's huge melodic jumps and quality of sounding like it's permanently about to crack is the key defining feature of the album. Pretty good overall. Not the first time I've heard this, but I enjoyed it.
Really enjoyed her performance in Robert Eggers’ THE NORTHMAN (2022)
Björk is a bit of an enigma with her bold and unique arrangements. I've long desired to get closer to her music but have struggled to maintain a deeper connection. Debut blends together several genres with memorable lyrics and a passionate voice. Certainly worth revisiting to bring out the true genius of her work.
4.5 This is my first time actually listening to Bjork and what an experience. Complex, but fun to listen to. I finally understand what the kids mean when they say “mother is mothering.”
Honestly just chill and calm. Sweet voice that was enjoyed as background music for internet browsing.
Very interesting. She has a great voice but uses it in strange ways.
sure was a björk album. actually enjoyed this more than i thought i would, v vibey
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background I enjoyed this more than I expected.
Really great debut and one of my favorites from her discography.
Good album - not exactly my music. Anyway: safe 4 stars
Not Björk's best or most focused work but this must have been so refreshing when it hit the industry.
It was really good. I liked it better than the other björk album I’ve heard, homogenics.
I had previously only known Bjork by reputation or as the butt of a joke on SNL, I had never taken the time to listen to her music before. And it is weird, but it is certainly not dull. There were a couple songs mid album that I didn't enjoy as much, but for the most part I quite enjoyed it.
Well, well, well. It finally happened. There have been 16 artists until now who have given me two albums for this generator (15 if you don't count the Neil Young and Crazy Horse album as being from the same artist as the Neil Young I've gotten). However, I have not gotten three albums from the same artist until now. The artist to first bestow three albums upon me... is Björk. I don't know how to feel about that. I don't dislike Björk. Quite the contrary. I thought Vulnicura was really good and Medulla, while not quite as good, was still not a bad album. It's just that Björk isn't really the kind of artist that I expected to ever listen to this many albums from in my life, especially before ever listening to a single full album from artists like Nirvana and Stevie Wonder. But, that's besides the point. Do I like Debut? Well, if I'm going to be honest, I think this is my favorite Björk album yet. Her singing sounds the same, which isn't a bad thing. I know singing experts would probably tell me that her voice has changed a lot since 1993, but I don't really hear it which, again, isn't a bad thing. The writing is pretty solid. She's not afraid to get weird while also remaining mostly comprehensible. One thing that makes listening to three Björk albums a potentially worthwhile experience is that she is an artist who is more than willing to experiment with each album. This is a very different album than the one's I've listened to before. This album has a lot more pop and electronic elements to it, as well as a generally more upbeat mood. That's not to say it's too positive or anything. There's still this aura of mystery surrounding each song. There really isn't a bad song on here. It's crazy to know that Björk's first album (even if technically wasn't her first) is so good. So you know, after listening to this album, I'd say that Björk being my first three-album artist is a good thing. High 4/5.
Ein Klassiker!
Lovely Music!
3.5 One of her best!
The first half was AMAZING. The secound half... i didn't enjoy as much Very cool stuff overall 4/5
What a strong debut! The music is terrific throughout; loved the drums on the first two songs especially and the layered sound in Venus as a Boy. Only weakness to me is her singing style and, at times, her voice (esp in Like Someone in Love)--I love the power of her voice just wish sometimes she worked more with the flow of the music rather than against it, and occasionally she doesn't hit her note.
Really liked this album too! Way more eclectic than I realized. I missed too much good music in the 90s. Still had plenty of good music but wish I had branched out even more.
Really solid, weird, fun, experimental album that still holds up over 30 years later.
virkelig fedt. første björk album jeg har hørt hele vejen igennem (?????)
Hvis den kunne holde niveauet ville det være en 5er, men jeg elsker den stadig
Icelandic queen with a beautiful voice and cool vibe! A great album to listen to when you call out of work to dilly dally with your man :-)
I’m not usually a big fan of electronic music but I like the vibe on this and I like Björks voice a lot. “She sings in cursive” 3.8*
Qui commence bien finit bien
très bien
high energy. off beat
One of the better Debut albums ever. The soaring vocals and beautiful oddity. I love her. She's so weird. And I love her.
Most interesting to me is her singing over the bass line and percussion. It wasn’t bad.
Love!
While Björk would soon expand on a number of these ideas and release 3 absolutely sensational records in a row afterwards, Debut serves as an enjoyable and ambitious sign of what’s to come. Björk is already an amazing vocalist and visionary on this record. What’s more is, lyrically, she’s expressing different confessional aspects of her life and love as vulnerability graces many of these upbeat and dance oriented arrangements. Her production and sequencing would get better but Human Behaviour, Venus As a Boy, and Like Someone in Love stand as some of Björk’s best songs to this day. 8/10
rating my first album in a while just because its bjork <3 human behaviour- yuhhhh. i like the drums. 7 or 8. crying- me too. oh its funky. 7 or 8 venus as a boy- yuhhhhhhhhhhhh 8 theres more to life than this- yooooooo. 8 like someone in love- harp <3 6 sorry big time sensuality- yo. 8 one day- the bass bro. 7 aeroplane- like an aeroplane over the seaaaaa. sorry. sax. im exploring a jungle. 6 or 7 come to me- ummmm 6 or 7 violently happy- the anchor song-
What can I say, Bjork occupies a special place in my heart. I listened to this album since 7-8 years old. Great debut by independent Bjork, not yet her full-fledged style, but already interesting musically
That was actually very nice! It’s the first Björk album I really enjoyed. Pretty cool stuff
I like the weirdness, but a lot of the tracks have pretty standard electronica for the instrumental, and there are too many love songs.
Bjork’s music has such a quirky, cool, likeable aesthetic. Her debut is no exception, though it is a little less interesting and varied than some of her subsequent albums (e.g. Vespertine, one of my previous albums on this list, received an even higher rating). Venus As A Boy vividly demonstrates Bjork’s understanding of musical hooks, and the instrumentation throughout the album is incredibly atmospheric and ethereal. Other highlights include Aeroplane (nifty percussion!), Violently Happy, and Human Behaviour. The tracks are of ideal length (runtime), and differ from one another enough to maintain good listener interest, particularly for a debut. (Debut albums can sometimes fall into the trap of every song sounding the same, under the guise of committing to a particular style – see Bowie’s first, self-titled album.) The only track that was a miss for me was The Anchor Song, whose hook was unsatisfying and a little grating. Still, a generally very good album.
I think Post is a better album, but Debut is a hell of a way to start a solo career.
Unique in every sense of the word. I never really clicked with Björk all the way, but there is no denying the greatness of her debut.
Björk’s debut is so easily one her best. This shit is so sick
I never listened to Bjork before and I'm glad I did. Solid album with some interesting stuff in it. I'll check out more.
listened 2x. 4.1/5
This is a solid pop album. Obsessed with the diegetic break in the middle of There's More To Life Than This
Bjork is a singular talent. She is constantly innovating and taking popular music into new territory. This album, her debut, is a fascinating blend of jazz, electro-pop, and trip hop. Human Behavior and Big Time Sensuality are jams, Crying and Venus as a Boy are excellent, and the slower songs such as Like Someone in Love, ground the album in a timeless sound. It’s not her masterpiece, but it is a great start to her brilliant solo career.
It's a great first solo outing for Bjork, full of classics.
Bjork is hit or miss for me, as is this album. I respect that she puts it all out there and certainly agree Debut deserves a spot on this list. I particularly liked Big Time Sensuality; Human Behavior and Crying are cool. But songs like Like Someone In Love This and The Anchor Song are insufferable. On balance I was surprised by how much of the album I did wind up liking. My favorite of hers on this list.
4 instead of 5 because I thought it had it’s oh so quiet and it didn’t
love this album
HE VENUS AS A BOY
Heard some later Bjork, mostly Homogenic and Vespertine, and the one from around 2016? Surprised by this one, very original sound and unique, ahead of her time for sure. Not a fan of Big time sensuality though, different from the tone of the rest of the album (and her catalogue), and kinda silly
I already know some of the songs on this one. Human Behavior, VaaB, and Like Someone in Love. At first listen, I still like those the best off the album. I’ve also heard Come to Me before, and like that one, too. At least one song I had to fast forward bc it was getting on my nerves (I think it was Aeroplane?).
I enjoyed it, esp. Human Behaviour
Very good!
Loved the album as a whole. The vocals were stunning. Loved the avant-garde feel. The album was in my face the entire time but not in an aggressive manner.
The instrument is her voice I get it nowww. Seriously loved Play Dead. She makes strange noises that remind me of noises my wife makes. Side note, is Bjork cancelled in China? She's impossible to find on QQ music.
ooooo. I like. I have never sat down and listened to Bjork. I do know how legendary she is. Exactly what I thought. Very obscure. So good though. 3 tracks in. The track "There's more to life than this" reminds me of Daft Punk's A lot of this reminds me of Daft Punk. Very cool album.
I owned this album. I love this album! I can’t believe it’s been 30 years. I don’t know if this was the Bjork album that needed to be on the 1001 list. If they have more than 1 Bjork album I think they might be doing this list wrong. Anyhoo - Human Behavior - let’s be honest. This sound is super ahead of its time. It could come out today without a blink of the eye. In fact it does sound like today. Wild. I think the big difference is that at the time it was a huge production and now this would be done in someone’s bedroom. 4/5 Crying - good song. Nice melody. Not much more than that really. 2/5 Venus as a Boy - and here I thought Homogenic was this wildly new sound for her. But lookie here, this could have easily fit on that album. It’s not All Is Full Of Love but it’s definitely lovingly robotic. 3/5 There’s More To Life Than This - wow, I don’t remember this song being so disco, but I do remember being obsessed with it. Not bad, but didn’t age as well as some of the other songs. And then it just kind fades as half (three-quarters?) of a song. 2/5 Like Someone In Love - Funny how the songs I never paid attention to were the seeds for her future sound. Song is still skippable, though. 1/5 Big Time Sensuality - while I definitely hear the 90s here, it’s still a good song. Very poppy. Maybe Dua Lipa will do a cover. 3/5 One Day - pre-Homogenic sound again. A bit mixed with pop sound of this record. 2/5 Aeroplane - I love these ethereal songs on this album. I’m not a fan of the horns, or the chorus really, but then would it still be Bjork? 2/5 Come To Me - I just can’t be objective about this song. I love it. I always have. It’s one of my most favorite songs ever. I can’t tell if it’s a throwback to the 60s, straight genreless, or just way ahead of its time. It just is. 5/5 Violently Happy - another space age club song. I know I listen to this a lot in the 90s. 3/5 The Anchor Song - I guess horns are the weirdo signal for this album. This song is fine. Not as good as Crying but not totally skippable as Like Someone In Love. 2/5 While this is a pretty uneven album (but which Bjork album isn’t?), boy does it have vision. Was anyone making this album in 1993? Did she jump into a Time Machine to 2023, come back, and then fight a losing battle with her record company not to add some disco beats? I think it took her a couple of these releases to become the Queen of the Weirdos, but this was still wildly left field at the time. I definitely had the “what the hell is this?” reaction upon first listen. Overtime, I was won over, but always thought of it as her half-baked intro. Now? Now I finally realize why everyone was calling her a genius. I mean with the songs it’s fluctuating between 3/5 to 4/5. Really, we’ll round up for how far ahead of its time it was. 4/5
I was really expecting to hate this and was very pleasantly surprised by this album. It's much more of an experimental mix of jazz, electronica, and to a certain extent art rock than I was anticipating. After hearing the Sugar Cubes (which was horrible in comparison) I did not have high hopes, but this was quite pleasant. Bjorks almost narrative storytelling really shines here, and this feels truly transcendent. I'll be curious if other albums evoke the same feeling.
Paar coole Sounds
Never listened to Bjork, but have been meaning too. It's definitely not my average type but this was a good listen. Will I listen to again: 70%
just a super cool album, lots of neat things to listen for. Bjork!
a great debut album! Pretty tame compared to her other albums, but I suppose that's to be expected from a debut album. It has all the trademarks of what Bjork became to be associated. The gnarls, the screams. The instrumentals are pretty dated, but groovy. I love Big Time Sensuality, Venus as a Boy is awesome.
The Beats sound like Donkey Kong Soundtrack, and she sings very beautifully. Amazing
Solid introduction to an artist who I've heard about my whole life without ever really listening to. Hope there is more from her on this list.
She's not like anybody else. I never rode the Bjork wave when this emerged. But I did like a lot of this
alright not my cup of tea
4.0
Great album, with hints toward her future perfection in Vespertine. Sounds dated to the 90’s dance sound, so hard to give it full 5 stars, but still one I will revisit.
So much amazingness on here…
Dreamy and wonderful
"Come on giirl, and sneak out of this paGGty" Begon steeds meer te klikken. Niet te zeggen binnen welk genre dit valt. Wel iets waar ik naar terug zou willen komen. Vet.
Weird but I kinda liked it.
Visceral, íntimo y excitante
It’s a very good album.
Your TV is about to explode!
I would be happier if there would be more folk songs. Like "The Anchor Song". Other than that, I think Bjork wants to be odd and she does a great work doing it.
gud
First real listening of Bjork. This is something I would listen to again
#87. Björk as a person is weird in the best possible way. Her music is just weird in the regular way. Honestly it's really not that bad if you can get past all the shrieking, but it's definitely not in my regular rotation. This was definitely better though than that Sugarcubes album. Her weird style definitely seems to get more enjoyable [or at least less disagreeable] the more you hear. You know what, I'm going to round it up to four stars for no particular reason whatsoever. 4/5: fuck the cops
human behaviors, like someone in love i think she’s neat
Building block debut from one of the true unique artists of their generation. Album starts off with the best song on the album, the trip-hop styled "Human Nature", then rolls through a scattershot of off-kilter-but-cluby dance grooves and pixie art pop. Too many of the club style tracks were way too mainstream sounding for my taste, but Bjork's alarm-siren vocals certainly make the album different enough and worth the acclaim. She took major steps in production and style on her subsequent albums, but this one got her moving in her own direction.
This is the type of album that isn’t listened to but rather absorbed. It’s felt. You feel every moment of the journey Icelands finest pop star wants to take us on. From the snappy opener to the glistening closer this is a statement, made to the world of the ‘90s to say “I’m here and I’m staying”. She would do JUST that and more!
Debut by Bjork Wednesday 5/15/2024 2:10, office S Tier————————— Play Dead Human Behavior A Tier————————— Venus As a Boy Big Time Sensuality Like Someone In Love B Tier————————— One Day There Is More To Life Than This Aeroplane Violently Happy Come To Me Crying C Tier————————— The Anchor
A good introduction to Bjork. She's a little strange, but that's all part of the appeal. The music comes across as pretentious at times, but not overly so. She has such a unique voice. I do appreciate the unique sound, but it'll probably take me a few more listens before I "get" it.
After listening to debut, I can say its a really solid album with some pretty high highs and low lows. The songs for the most part had some good beats and Bjork's singing voice was definitely very beautiful to hear. It did get a bit annoying by the end but it was nothing that I disliked too much, All in all this album was definitely quite good Best Song: Big Time Sensuality Worst Song: The Anchor Song
Another album I had as a teen. I don’t really listen to the whole thing much anymore, but there are a few tracks I still love to this day.
Enjoyed the first half more than the second, the perfect edge of pop
A great album from Björk, but not her best to be honest. Still, this was incredibly refreshing when it came out and still hasn't really lost much of that feeling. She definitely built on the sounds and only got better over time.
...and an excellent debut it was!
Quality album, need to delve a bit more into Björk if this is representative of her work
HL: “Human Behaviour”, “One Day”, “Venus as a Boy”, “Aeroplane” Talk about R A N G E. In the red corner, you have “Violently Happy”, “Big Time Sensuality” & “There’s More to Life Than This”, 90’s dance bops that don’t do a whole lot for me other than remind me that this is an album from the 90’s. In the blue corner, there are the sharp woodwinds of “Aeroplane” & “The Anchor Song”, the incredibly catchy “Human Behaviour” and the harp/traffic ballad “Like Someone in Love”. I think this rounds up for a 4* for going in so many neat directions, despite not vibing to a couple tracks. A cursory trip to Wikipedia shows there was a non-album single called “Play Dead”, whose cinematic elements may have overwhelmed this already eclectic record; even so, it’s pretty great & I highly recommend December 14, 2023
I’ve listened to a few Bjork songs because the Radiohead sub always recommends her, but never really could get into it. Let’s see how a whole album holds up. Enjoyed human behavior. Her voice is interesting. I find it captivating yet uneasy. Wow love crying this is groovy. there’s more to life incorporates some house music into it. Like someone in love sounds like that Johanna Newsome album. Love the switch up in genres on this one. Come to me is super atmospheric trip hop love. Overall I enjoyed that more than I thought I would. Really clean production and would’ve never guessed it came out in the early 90s. This is what Kate Bush wishes she could be.
3/4
Björk has always stuck out to me as one of the last true “artists” still working in the industry today. Her voice has always sounded completely otherworldly to me. And her work in the 90’s and early 2000’s is the stuff of legends. But when I first gave Debut a listen a few months ago, I was surprised by how much I didn’t like it. But I’m pleased to say that is no longer the case. I think my issue was that I was looking for something more. I was expecting a much deeper and more complex experience. But this is probably the simplest Björk ever was. It’s more house and dance music than anything else. It still has a layered feeling, and there is some interesting experimental stuff going on with songs like The Anchor Song, Aeroplane, and Like Someone in Love. This album is at its best when it leans into the darker and more electronic sound she would explore later, like on the first three songs, which is easily the best stretch of tracks on the record. But I’ve definitely learned to appreciate the club-oriented feel of this. Just don’t expect the same caliber as that of her later work. Rating: 7/10
I think this is the 3rd Bjork album I've had now and I like this one the most.
please, please, please for the love of god someone give this a lower rating because I just can't.
The sheer love that Bjork has for all music is ever-present here. Didn’t know that she was the force that propelled British underground electronica to its 90s mainstream heights. I’m not surprised. Human Behaviour is one of my favourite songs and the video lives rent-free in my head.
So I first listened to this album while on a road trip with my family. This was a common occurrence for me so I was used to it but this was the first summer I had decided to try to expand my music taste. I had heard of Björk before but never listened to her music so I decided to start with where it all started and nothing could have prepared me for what I heard. Björk has one of those voices that if you have not gotten used to it you probably won't like it the first time you hear it but on repeat listens it grows on you until they become one of your favorites. I love this album for a few reasons: the diversity in the inspiration, sound and genre of the songs, the quality of Björk's singing throughout and how different is sounds from a lot of the music coming out at the time. This is an album that came out in '93 and its production sounds at least a decade ahead of its time. The album starts out with "Human Behaviour" which is a good song and was one of the biggest on the album but to me it is just an appetizer for what comes after it. I do like the beat on it and the more I listen to it the more I like the vocals but I just think it falls a little short of the other tracks. I do think it has probably the most interesting writing on the album. "Crying" to me has one of the best most memorable choruses on the album and it has this really infectious beat behind it with these really watery sounds that make the chorus that much better. Definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album and one I come back to frequently. Next is probably the biggest song on the album, "Venus as a Boy", and for understandable reasons. I think it is one of Björk's best vocal performances of her career. The relatively simple production on the song allow for her to dominate the track which she does. It is one of those songs that I can't really explain why it is so good but it truly is a great song. "There's More to Life Than This" is kind of a weird way to follow up "Venus as a Boy". You go from a more ambient, ballady type of track (at least when it comes to the chorus to a live house/dance track. I do like this song a lot but it was just sort of shocking first hearing it. "Like Someone In Love" is one of my favorite jazz standards of all time and I think Björk starts the track off with two minutes possibly the best version of the song but when her vocals come back in she leans a little too heavily for me on that breathy style she has at times and it isn't great. That being said I still love the song and often come back to it to listen to the first verse and just skip the second half but it does kinda suck that her vocals were not as good in the second half. "Big Time Sensuality" is a much more electronic sounding song and to me is another weird sequencing choice. It is still a good track but is probably one of the songs I see myself coming back to the least. I do think her vocals are pretty good on it but the beat is nothing to write home about. Good song but not one of the strongest on the album imo. "One Day" is one of my favorite tracks on the album and I think it has the strongest, most interesting production on the album when it comes to the more electronic based songs. It is sort of trip-hop sounding but it also feels very experimental which is pretty standard for Björk. It has these incredibly addictive sounding synths throughout the song that really keep it interesting and she has a good vocal performance. "Aeroplane" is a very interesting track on this album. It has the best instrumentation on the album with great saxophone and these really strong cymbal swells. This all is accompanied by nature sounds and a very heartbroken Björk who gives what I would say is a very average vocal performance on this album with above average writing. "Come to Me" is another song with really good instrumentation. It has some really good strings, a backing cymbal that keeps this song grounded (as well as similar cymbal swells to "Aeroplane") and ends with some sort of hand drum that sounds great. It also implements more electronic sounds than the previous track which is a nice change as outside of that they are relatively similar tracks. "Violently Happy" is honestly one of the more meh songs on the album. I like the beat okay but it is just a standard sounding electronic beat with vocals that have an effect on them that to me honestly becomes very annoying quickly. The chorus is better because it provides a little more variation than the verses but the verses honestly can be a little grating to the ear after relistens. I do like the 20-30 seconds where she chops her vocals in the middle of the song but overall this is probably one of my bottom 3 songs on the album. Finally there is "The Anchor Song", which is another weird pace change but honestly at this point I was used to it. It heavily uses a saxophone but it is played in a way that I honestly don't think I have ever heard a sax played like. It feels weird to listen to so much that I did not identify it as a sax at the start. It sounds almost like there is an effect put on it, granted I am almost exclusively used to sax being used in a jazz context. It is actually a good song but the sax throws me off at times. I actually think it is a really well written song and is a much more reserved Björk verse. Overall, even as I come away listening to this album in its entirety for the fourth or fifth time, the first adjective I think of to describe this album is weird which is pretty standard for Björk. It has these incredible ballads, bouncy dance and electronic tracks and some tracks that sort of don't fit a clear genre. It is bends genre just as much as any album I have heard before. A really good album with some highlights on it for sure but very weirdly sequenced. Overall I think I would give it between an 8-9/10 depending on how I feel about it that day.
Awesome early Bjork. Has some nice dance tracks.
Somehow this is my first time listening to Björk's music -- like, ever. This album took me by surprise. It's wild and raw and sensual, rough around the edges in the most wonderful way! I love the rough timbre of her voice and had fun listening to it. Tracks that stood out to me upon 1st listen: 1 - Human Behaviour; 5 - Like Someone in Love; 6 - Big Time Sensuality; 9 - Come to Me Would I revisit this album? I'm not sure. I look forward to listening to her later albums though.
Never listened to Bjork before. first impression is that this is horribly confusing but I'm not averse to it? Would not listen to this casually though. Like it's dance music for people who want to be beamed up by aliens. like someone in love is the only like semi tonal piece, but jazzy and sounds of cars rushing pass - or perhaps extraterrestrial spaceships... this is kind of giving me a headache. violent, jubilant, overlong, pointed with a smooth landing. listening to radiohead after this is almost calming, wow... best: big time sensuality? come to me worst: aeroplane (just too jumpy - the jazz is too dissonant - too many things going on. it just doesn't mix well not even as an experiment) 4/5 but won't listen again LOL
Misschien mijn favoriete plaat van Bjork, theres more to life than this is een banger. Als je het luistert zou je echt niet verwachten dat dit uit 1993 komt
Pretty good overall, little bit too loud on the voice but otherwise nice
Venus as a boy is one of the most beautiful songs ever created Far from her best but still really great.
I actually enjoyed this. I didn't expect to.
Surprisingly Bjork's Debut album, which obviously is her debut, sounds the most "normal" of the ones I've listened to so far. She was clearly ahead of her time as no one in the early 90s sounded like that. Totally innovating what pop music could sound like with the electro/ethereal quality that Bjork has come to be known for. It was close to two decades after this albums release where artists began drawing from this as inspiration and I can see artists such as MIA, Grimes, Robyn, Aurora and with a feeling coming through with Lady Gaga. Generally fitting into the more quirky/kooky type of female artist. Best: Human Behaviour Worst: The Anchor Song
Good stuff - very eclectic and full of dissonance. I liked Venus as a Boy and of course Big Time Sensuality.
I can see the strains of amazing in this album. It feels very early 90s. I think her later stuff is better. Her vocals are just.... Breathtaking.
This is the kind of weirdo experimental music I really enjoy. Feels like a curious artist trying to make something unique and unusual for the sake of exploration rather than someone pretentious trying to see how annoying they can get away with being and still call it music.
Björk is great, but i am rarely in the mood
za razliku od Vulnicula ovaj album je jako dobar i osjecam se slatko
Wat een fijn album! Ik denk het eerste elektronische poppy album dat we te horen krijgen. Het album is gewoon echt best wel vrolijk en dansbaar. Ik weet niet eens of ik het een elektronisch album zou noemen ipv een pop album. Maar het bevalt wel goed, kende Björk eigenlijk nog niet hiervoor. Dit album is echt super dansbaar, maar op tijden ook een beetje vreemd? Ik moet wel zeggen dat het album echt voorbij vliegt, totaal geen vervelende nummers ofzoiets er tussen en ik vermaak me echt een stuk beter dan ik van tevoren had verwacht met dit album. Als ik een minpunt zou moeten noemen dan is dat The Anchor Song, das niet helemaal mijn ding en sluit ook echt niet aan bij de dansbare pop die er verder op het album staat. Helaas! FAVO: Venus as a boy, there's more to life than this, Big Time sensuality, Violently happy
Crying is interesting in a good way Overall, not really my style, but interesting nonetheless
Gööd stuff
Heard before. I just think she's neat. Lush soundscapes. + Human Behaviour + Venus as a Boy + There's More To Life Than This + Like Someone In Love + Aeroplane + The Anchor Song
Bjork is so damn weird and this album is so weird. I'm glad it exists.
Eerie otherworldiness tempered with love and sensuality
It's got the right amount of catchy emotional weirdness, reminds me a bit of Fever Ray (who I love) and I'm now a Björk fan too.
First time listening to Bjork. I'm definitely interested in checking out her discography. Very interesting album. It felt very modern and futuristic. Listening to it for a 3rd time. It definitely gets at least 4 stars. I can see myself revisiting this album from time to time.
4 stars only because I don't think it's her best work (homogenic is her greatest album imo)
Love Björk! Great intro to her work.
I mean I like it as music, it's def not a 5 * album but has something about it that's more than just "interesting" still don't overly like her vocals but by the point of "one day" I'm completely onboard with where the album is taking me. 4
Weird but great. Even better on the second listen
Her voice is the main attraction here. The instruments are secondary.
I really liked this more than I was expecting. It's so 90s it hurts.
Pussy fart
I just want to have the strength to admit I actually liked this album to someone. Weird and artistic, melodically beautiful, playful tones, just cute. Nice album. Few stand outs, should revisit again.
Better than expected voice less grating that heard from singles if still a little 'quirky'
I didn’t expect to enjoy this album, but I loved it. The music is whimsical and dreamy, and it’s *fun*. Sure, I couldn’t always understand what she was saying, but that doesn’t matter. Plus, The Anchor Song struck a chord with me.
Im surprised how much i actually like it. I will def revisit this album anytime soon. Sounded good experimental and not basic. Good Record
Esquisito, mas bom
Good stuff. Weird and experimental but not totally inaccessible with some pop elements. A good starting place for her discography I’d imagine.
Wow, what a nice, quirky album. Iconic voice, different genres and a singer with a vision.
A classic
What a glorious record this is. Björk is an immense talent, an artist that pushes the boundaries of music. To think this was only the start of her solo journey, there is better to come.
Damn is Björk weird. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it though. I remember I once bought a used iPod with lots of music on it and I listened to the music on Shuffle. The very first song of hers I heard is It's oh so quiet and I just thought WTF is this, I need to find more. I have to admit I prefer her punk years with Tappi Tikarrass though.
It has a few wobbles, but otherwise this is a very likeable start for Bjork on her mission to be unique
It was aaight
Such an exciting album to listen to for the first time. It did lose pacing in the middle but I’m definitely going to relisten with my eyes closed and see if I feel the same! Hell if a first song also and there’s more to life than this is an AMAZING song
I really like the way that this record flows and the random live track towards the middle/beginning of the album. That one is my favorite.
V unique sound, really fun and dancy. I enjoyed this a lot.
This is the 4th Bjørk album so far and definitely the best. It's creative, varied and the voice is not annoying. Favourite: play dead.
A completely unique sounding album with a lot of different influences - house, electronica, (art) pop, avantgarde etc. and Björk's voice is very distinctive as well. This album must have sounded very new, fresh and different at that time (I was too young to remember). I find an album great if it can hold my interest throughout, it's diverse and it brings somewhere different from what I've heard before and this album ticks those boxes.
Great debut, just bettered by following album
I like this one.
4.3 + "Human Behaviour" mesmerized me when I first watched the video on 120 Minutes, but at the time Rolling Stone shrugged me off from exploring further by its brutal underrate of this record. Björk clearly triumphed, and "Debut" has aged remarkably well. I love the quirky electronics on "Venus As a Boy" and "Come to Me", creating a spectrum of atmosphere, grounded and ethereal. On "Big Time Sensuality", she shows out as a dancehall starlet with an array of vocal tricks. "Like Someone In Love" showcases her jazzy experimental side with breathtaking results. This is a dazzling grab-bag of ear candy that consistently delights.
Such unique compositions. Plenty of complex harmonics and syncopations on top of electronic dance beats. Love the assortment of instruments.
Coolest house music songs ever. She captures the most jaw dropping song experiences
Had forgotten how heavily linked to the early 90s trip-hop sound this album was. Unique vocals, great beats
Enjoy it, I wasn't expecting to. But I will be listening to again. Thank you. Great start.
I wish I'd heard this one first. It eases you into future Bjork music.
Two Björk records in a week! I don't know what that says about the randomness of the list's selections, but hey, who am I to complain? This record feels like one of those nights in your early 20's where you don't really want to go out, but end up on the backstreets of your city, slightly drunk, maybe a bit stoned, and you end up having one of the more memorable nights of your life. It's not entirely a party album, but the aspects of one are certainly there. It's not entirely an avant-garde record either, but you feel the atmospheric influences. I really don't know how to classify it. But I guess that's Björk for you. If anything, I'd say some of the tracks linger just a bit too long for this to feel as tight as it could. Even so, it's a strong debut, and an insanely brave one at that. This was NOT the pop sound at the time, and the risk paid off. Björk is in her own world, and has been since the beginning. You're welcome to come along with her, but don't expect anything to be normal.
It’s astounding hearing a voice as distinct as Björk’s intermingle with so many varying styles of music, with such aplomb, from the very start of her career.
Bjork kan me wel eens irriteren met haar te vage, dromerige, niet-lekker-lopende pop. Dit eerste album heeft daar een stuk minder van. Tuurlijk, het is onmiskenbaar Bjork met haar typerende manier van expres artsy fartsy uit de maat zingen, maar het mixt jaren 80 synthesizer muziek met 90s electropop tot een soort triphop. Het is duidelijk dat debuutalbums simpelweg de beste albums zijn.
I distinctly remember when the singles from this album came out in the early 90's. Bjork's singing style has always been super captivating in how she holds onto, and sometimes chews on, notes in a way nobody else does. Still love listening to this today.
Love this album. It's not my favorite Bjork album, but she didn't miss in the 90s. Love Venus as a Boy, and The Anchor Song. I kinda don't care for Violently Happy though. 4/5
A lot of Björk’s best ideas will come later, but this is still a promising start and shows off her incredible, timeless range. Good stuff. B
I lovee Björk, very excentriek. Love the little weird beats and sounds. And her vocals are just very bjork. 4,0
A brilliant slice of 90’s pop-electronica
You know there's more to life than listen only charts of this year. 1001 albums can open to you such a nice singer as Björk. Just relax and listen. It is between 4 and 5, maybe I need vinyl...
И если мы с вами славно поладили Дайте мне адрес Бьорк в Исландии... Блин, ну как же она раздаёт стиля, просто кайф. Это тоже в каком-то роде трип-хором можно назвать, но периодически это прям Dance pop с какой-то ностальгией по ушедшему поколению. Прямая бочка, все дела. И безумный вокал самой Бьорк... Смешно, что и как на альбоме Portishead здесь есть забавная интерлюдия под арфу(?) - Like Someone In Love: как будто вышел из клуба покурить, увидел девушку, но потом вспомнил, что сегодня ты планировал наебашиться, а не потрахаться, и пошёл обратно в клуб танчить. И такая же Anchor Song - с невероятно пронзительными саксофонами и голосом Бьорк. Play Dead - как будто откинуло назад в Massive Attack по полной. Блин, я кайфанул, но пару моментов меня смутили, поэтому 4
Love this. Right up my street. Electronic, experimental, unpredictable, with enough pop thrown in to stop it treading on Eno’s toes. I dont even know how you’d explain this to someone whos never heard of Bjork before. I think this is 30 years old this year but sounds so modern. Imagine hearing this when the world was listening to grunge?! I’ve knocked a point off as I’m not a fan of the production on one of the tracks (didnt catch the name, but it was mid way through and it kept going quiet with her vocals sounding more lofi), and I also really dont get why ‘like someone in love’ is on here. Still prefer Post, but this is pretty close.
Pretty fantastic from start to finish Not as good as Post or Homogenic but not far off at all (a little too noodly in places)
This is cool
Weird and groovy and sick and weird
Bjork is always so fascinating to me. Is she Tom Waits, or is she Madonna? The lines are blurred here on her debut, as she hops between danceable numbers and mysterious explorations. I've grown fond of her odd singing style and the emotions she can convey through it. This was a cool listen, which, unlike the Clapton album I listened to before it, actually made me perk my ears up while working today.
What a weird album. I'm into it. I was never bored and every song felt very different from the one before it.
Very surprised with how much i enjoyed this, never listened to Bjork before but its very solid with several bangers
I like the album and listened to it multiple time but I can't position for a rating. The voice is really nice and flows really well into the album... I will go for 3.5/5 as leaning toward a 4
круто, но не очень впечатлило почему-то..
Enjoyable, if a little odd
I'm not a fan of Bjork but this is pretty good.
très étrange, et très agréable !
Still weirdly great
This was very interesting, I was studying alongside so I couldn't really pay full attention but she really has an oddly pleasing voice, very light and airy. It's more of an audio journey than an album, one reviewer described it as being on a city tour with Bjork as your guide and I wholeheartedly agree. I specially enjoyed the house party song (There's more to life than this), the production is great and has spacial awareness (oh yeah I wanted to use this at least once) with the music fading as the door closes and her wanting to get away from the boring party is something anyone can relate to. Definitely worth a re-listen later.
Liked this more than expected and should listen again
What an incredible voice! The songs were jarring and I really enjoyed them.
Jaaaa elsker <3
Such a great debut album! Big Time Sensuality is my favourite track on here.
Stunning. A couple of songs throw the vibe off a little (there’s more to life…) but overall a beautiful record.
Mainly familiar with Bjork through all of the jokes the Simpsons made about her, but I actually do kinda dig this
Slayyyyy
4.5/5. Björk has to be one of the most unique and innovative artists out there. This record is a fun experimental deconstruction of pop music.
Very good, much better than I was expecting. I had never listened to Bjork before, and had always assumed her music was fringe material... loud and unmelodic with a niche appeal. Instead, the music was very accessible and there are some really good tunes on here. I particularly liked the percussion. A very original work.
My first time with Debut, an album that, for me, provided much context for the singular brilliance of Björk’s few later works with which I am familiar; Vespertine, mostly. There is early EDM here. There is trip hop here. There is post punk here. Lots of all of it. And in a dark, seedy, underground, and serious way that I don’t particularly, as they say, f**k with. That said, that singular, unmatched brilliance for which we now know and love Björk for is here everywhere too. In her voice. In the piano riff in “Crying.” The distant chimes in “Big Time Sensuality.” The muffled horns in “One Day.” The percussion in “Come to Me.” These odd choices in otherwise straight-ahead dance-y, post-punk numbers recalls The KLF in how radically she utilizes and transforms existing genres to fit her own unique sound and vision. Then, of course there’s her voice. Songs like “Venus as a Boy,” “Like Someone in Love,” and “The Anchor Song” strip any conceivable context away all together—except for like, maybe, some early Kate Bush or Todd Rundgren stuff—and just leave the artist we unmistakably know now. So yeah, a complete and unique record in its own right, but more than that, the origin story of an essential artist. 4/5. Last thought, wtf is going on in “There’s More To Life Than This - Live Version?” If anyone knows please let me know!
I couldn't remember how much I liked as a whole, it's been years since I listened to it through, but I love the singles from it. On review it is great for a "Debut", but not a patch on her next 3 albums. It's undeniably important though, and has had massive influence on many other artists since. Some of the songs on here are a bit dated, but I really enjoyed hearong some of the deeper cuts again, especially "Anchor Song".
90s classic
This is probably one of the best albums from Björk
One admits never having fully got Bjork, despite one being 100% dead in the sweet spot of the target market for this – pop-minded, globally-oriented, sympathetic to aesthetic ambition in general and art songs in particular. Somehow the record just doesn' quite fully land. Or one just can’t seem to like it quite as much as one feels one should, a feeling that started right from her ... well, this record, the title of which is silly. It seems she’s singing songs different from the ones her band is playing or that the track sounds like she should be singing. The records got better as they got artier – Vespertine is wonderful, having aged very well indeed. And while this is by no means an unpleasant or uninteresting listen (the walking out of the club sound effect on \"There's More to This\" is cool, and her interpretation of \"LIke Someone in Love\" works), the overall effect feels just slightly contrived or over-thought, which makes for some gorgeous moments, but also restricts the organic flow one likes in one's pop music (especially of this era).
Eclectic, original, and fun all the way through. Not sure if I've ever heard an album quite like it.
This album undoubtedly has some amazing tracks, it still sounds ground-breaking thirty years on.
I had only heard Human Behavior before but really enjoyed this album. There's More To Life Than This is very groovy. Bjork is obviously a good singer but I like how her voice is also very raw and mistakes or missed notes are left in. The female equivalent of Thom Yorke.
Very good
I like it. It's different. I ever listened to it before but I was aware of it when it was released. 4/5 beats
Yeah I liked this a lot. It was my first time listening to Bjork, but it was less crazy than I expected. I’ll definitely listen again.
Good debut album by Bjork, but not as strong as her later output. Great songs like "Venus As a Boy" shows what she would acheive later on. 7,0/10
Back when this first came out I was in college, and somehow thought of this album as only meant for the people who were way cooler than me. Now I think it's right up my alley - which either means I was cooler than I thought in college, or that I've become cool, or that I was an idiot in college.
justice for the swan dress
Jättebra. Märkligt, men jättebra. Aldrig riktigt lyssnat på Björk tidigare, vilket med facit i hand är väldigt synd då det verkar som om många artister jag gillar har inspirerats av henne. Fantastiska "The Anchor Song" måste nästan vara ursprunget till soundet på Bon Ivers mästerverk "22, a million". Den märkliga faktorn gör att Björks Debut är väldigt oförutsägbar. Men trots att varje låt är något alldeles eget känns albumet inte spretigt alls, snarare tvärtom. Att hoppet mellan den jättevackra Kate Bush-esquea balladen "Like Someone In Love" till lekfulla och nästan lite fåniga "Big Time Sensuality" är nog det tydligaste exemplet på detta. Bäst: Like Someone In Love
Gloriously weird. I’ve been meaning to visit Bjork’s discography for ages so this was a great introduction. Excited to hear more!
some funky and nice electronic songs. i think i liked crying