Debut

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

Very angsty vibe, which I cannot vibe to. Nice vocals, melody sounds fresh despite 2 decades of age. Nice album, not what I am looking for.

Enjoyed this one quite a lot, there was enough variety to keep me engaged. Björk's voice is very unique, but it can feel a little bit grating at times, especially when binging the whole album in one go! Saved tracks: Human Behaviour, There Is More to Life Than This, One Day, Come to Me, Play Dead

The production of this album combined with Björk's vocal's blew me away when I first listened, and I had it on repeat for some time. Giving it a listen now in 2023, it still holds up and represents a pretty unique sound even today. Maybe the lyrics are a little childish but Björk can really emote!

She’s a bit of a funny bugger this lass int she. Brilliant album. Very unique and recognisable voice and very wide-ranging, unpredictable instrumentals to go with it. It’s a goddamn keeper

Edgy as fuck. Cool voice. Mix of styles. Probably her best album. Sot Human Behaviour Crying Venus as a Boy Big Time Sensuality 4/5

Excellent flow between the first tracks Love the xylophone-like sounds on Venus as a Boy Really talented range from electronic dance tracks to lullabies to pop rock staples The anchor song- what a way to finish

I like a lot about this. It's quite a bold debut, pulling together lots of different elements. I already knew there were some good songs on here, like Human Behaviour, Big Time Sensuality, and definitely Play Dead, but there's a lot of other good songs on here too. I really like 'There Is More to Life Than This' and 'Come to Me' too.

You know what you’re going to get with Björk and it’s always at least interesting

Hitspäckad platta. Velar fortfarande lite på vilket betyg den kommer få.

Venus as a boy <3 och förstås resten av albumet <3 björk <3

Björk har såsen??!?!?!!

Conflicted on whether to give this 4 stars or 5, if that that should tell you what I think of this album. Also, a much larger portion of the album has aged gracefully than I’ve previously noticed

Väldigt bra skiva, stark 4 bara för att hon har så många skivor som är ännu bättre...

i didn't know bjork made disco music

Bjork's debut album is sweet, ethereal, and a lot of fun.

Björk has such an unique voice and music style. It is amazing.

I really liked this album! I don't think I'd listen to any of the songs by themselves (though I did like Human Behavior), but as an album this felt fresh and also classic Bjork at the same time. Great debut.

Almost a 5

This is a striking album from one of music's most creative performers. It's gorgeously arranged and musically diverse. Sometimes jazzy, frequently housey, delightfully quirky, always Bjork. It's smarter than much of what was going on musically at the time it came out and there's still nothing in the world that sounds like her, even now. Fave Songs: Human Behaviour, Come to Me, Crying, Venus as a Boy, One Day, The Anchor Song

Very trippy and chill

This is my third time listening to this album. The 3 Björk albums on this list are my favorites. I’m surprised that the list skipped over Post and Homogenic. Strangely, I don’t have much to say about it. Favorite song: “Human Behaviour”.

My first serious girlfriend was super into this album, so it's getting both a nostalgia bump and penalty, heh. The more clubby tracks really didn't appeal to me back then, but I dig them more now. The backing music to "Human Behavior" is nothing like I remembered - more like electro-swing than the moodiness of my recollections. I do really like the effect this album gives that you're being lead around by Bjork - particularly "There's More To Life Than This" where it sounds like she's taking you on a shortcut backstage. Fave track - I was expecting it to be "Human Behavior" but actually "Venus As A Boy" has aged really well. Still sounds absolutely lovely!

all my notes were erased :/ good album already listened to vespertine before so i knew she was good

Pretty cool, with likable vibes and some lovely moments that float free of pop music strictures, but a bit on the synthetic and over-determined side. Quite a few good songs but goes on a bit too long. The voice is distinct and she's got talent and ideas to burn, but one can't help thinking that the critical reputation is a touch higher than merited by the actual output. It's interesting, yes, but feels inorganically so, as if that was the only objective (there are worse sins). Bjork's got just maybe a bit more than her due down the years.

venus as a boy; human behaviour. absolute icon.

Fantastic, it took a few listens to really get into but I'm definitely adding this to my regular collection. Listen to the extended versions, Play Dead is too good to miss

good. trippy af though. kinda made my whole day weird.

Appreciate the vibe- very well produced and executed. It's really innovative and unique. Bjork is one of a kind. The only thing missing is actually liking the danged thing. Not sure what score to give it.

Probably my least favourite album of Bjorks golden run. More to Life and violently happy are highlights

Quirky and cool, this album is a joy to listen to. The compositions are unique yet absorbable and catchy. The songs are little parcels of danceability wrapped up in an artsy pop package. Standout songs are Crying and Human Behaviour.

8/10. Only the 2nd Bjork I've ever listened to and I can see why she's the queen of art pop. Even though a lot of the songs lean toward 90s adult contemporary/world music, it sounds incredibly of its time (early 90s) and ahead of its time. The thought of In Utero, Superunknown, Matters of the Heart and this being generally contemporaneous is wild.

Fill of fun, Experimentation and great tunes. Kinda forgot how big this album was.

Bjork

like

Lots of 'artists going dance' albums from the early 90s don't stand up that well, but this is still very listenable to. Lots of thoughts about whether the 12" mixes of Violently Happy and Big Time Sensuality are the best tracks (they are) and not on this, but this is the case with a lot of albums around this time.

Instrumentallly beautiful and fun even if her voice can sometimes be abit annoying. Did enjoy though

Fantastic but weak ending

Wild that it's from 1993...sounded like it was from 2009. Lot more musically interesting that I thought Bjork would be.

Not my favorite Bjork album (that'd be the next one, "Post") but this is still a fantastic record and so damn ahead of its time for 1993

Pretty good listen. Brought back memories of my youth.

p718. 1993. 4 stars. Good things: great production, some great songs. Bad things: Bjork's voice. It's the aural equivalent of a cheese grater on the fingertips.

This was a good debut. I first heard it when I was ten-ish years old and it freaked me out.

Unique, creative, and weird. I loved the mix of styles and the strange beautiful singing. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to Bjork before, so this was a nice surprise.

Great music if you're in the mood for it.

Reminded me of skating on a friday night as a kid

Weird but still listenable. Good musical variety that keeps things interesting. Favorite: Venus as a Boy

I probably haven't listened to this album much in the last 30 years, but I remember loving it when it came out and my opinion hasn't changed. Björk has a style that is smooth, relaxing and wide-ranging. This was treat. 3.5/5.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Human behaviour, Venus as a boy, Come to me

This album is so sweeping in its scope that it's difficult to say for sure what exactly it is. Björk clearly spent her time in the UK well and absorbed the nuances of the electronica scene. She isn't content to stick within a specific genre and reaches to jazz, experimental pop, and world music to form this album. I think it works very well for the most part. Some of the sounds on the first half of the album are cheesy, but the last half of the album becomes more ponderous and expansive. Her experimentations are danceable and that guarantees her a spot in the clubs and gives something for the serious listener to chew on.

I have never listened to Bjork before. She is often labeled avant-garde, but this album felt fairly straightforward pop and electronic dance with some jazz and rock flavors thrown in. I love her voice. It is very visceral and sensual throughout the album. I enjoyed the flow and storytelling of the album. I also enjoyed how she painted the more intimate moments with jazz (love the Jimmy van Heusen cover).

I've only ever heard people meme on Björk, but this was ace.

Fantastic listen. Very dancable. First track sounded very nick cave. Others reminded me of late sets in the big day out boiler room. Bjorks vocals are entertaining and unique but borderline repeative. Army of me is great

It's been called "painfully eclectic" and "a scrapbook" and while those comments resonate, you still have to be impressed by this heady mix of tracks. My favourite track is Venus As a Boy, but Human Behaviour is a great opener. As you listen you can feel yourself soak into the sound and keeping the beat with your head or hand or foot. It's powerful but I still can't work out why

Se me había olvidado lo bueno que es. Además de las canciones que fueron singles: "Human Behaviour", "Venus as a Boy", "Big Time Sensuality" y "Violently Happy". Pero hay más canciones buenas como "Crying", "There's More to Life Than This" o "The Anchor Song". La canción "Play Dead" se añadió más tarde (no sé por qué) y tampoco está mal.

good

Totally holds up! Love you Björk

I like the diverse arrangements throughout the album. The vocals are great in terms of technical ability and range. For an album that was released in 1993, the production techniques are groundbreaking. As far as the lyrics go, I don't really get much from them and if there were messages or takeaways from this album, they went over my head. I hold this album in high regard for being a pioneer and paving the way for future genres and to serve as new influence for other artists. Fave tracks: Human Behaviour, Aeroplane, The Anchor Song

I think Bjork is either an alien, time traveler, or possibly both. Her music has an otherworldly ethereal quality that is just achingly beautiful. And her lyrics have a very outsider quality to them that feels like a non-human entity trying to capture the human experience, and yet is also perfectly spot-on in their observations. I wouldn't consider this to be her best album, but it certainly deserves a spot on this list. The wide variety of styles here is impressive, and yet still manages to feel like a cohesive piece of work. Some of the harder dance tracks like Violently Happy feel a little dated to modern ears, although this was still like 10 years ahead of the curve before those sounds would be overplayed in clubs, thus making them seem dated now, so I can appreciate the innovation there. Big shoutout to the producer on this one, who shares a lot of the writing credits and clearly had a big hand in shaping the sound. This is absolutely a massively influential album, and certainly needs to be heard before you die. I give it a very strong 4, although I think it falls just short of a 5 by missing out on the timeless element that a perfect album should have. Fav Tracks: Human Behaviour, Venus as a Boy, Aeroplane, The Anchor Song

When does a mix of styles and eclecticism result in a lack of a cohesive vision. I enjoyed the Sugarcubes and was surprised by the range on this, her, "debut". The dance music focus may have seen odd at the time, but for me it has aged well.

Coming to this from the second Sugarcubes album (which isn't a patch on the first one) showed what a talent Björk was (and still is). Utterly beguiling and just the right side of the line between House and Rock/Punk.

I really really like the musical compositions of the songs. The electronic instruments are extremely interesting to listen to, especially the bass lines, and the non-electronic instruments are placed into electronic songs in a groovy way that only adds to the composition. The slow songs, in addition, are also poignant and unique. However, her voice feels like it gets in the way of listening to the instruments, and it really only feels like it fits the composition when she’s singing longer notes. Most of the time though, it’s a bit too emo-ish. It doesn’t match the vibes of the underlying music and ultimately detracts heavily from the songs. Favorite track: Big Time Sensuality

Last track bumped it up to 4

Not as good as some of her others but I like

The best from Björk! Continuing the indie sound of Sugarcubes, with fine Dance/Electronica elements

Lots of interesting tracks here kept me entertained from beginning to end. Favorite song; Come To Me. 4 🌟

Varied in style but driven by beats throughout with contemplative lyrics. Björk's distinctive vocal style takes some getting used to, but works and adds to the overall feeling and uniqueness of the piece. An interesting and alluring album. 3.5/5

This was actually really interesting. I'm a bit surprised it's taken me nearly 30 years to listen to it in full for the first time, but so it did, and I really should've got to it sooner.

Top album! Toen hij uitkwam vond ik het al geweldig en was het voor mij een van de eerste 'uitstapjes' buiten de gitaarbandjes. Nog altijd erg goed!

Kende deze plaat nog niet. Chapeau!

So fresh when this was released. Who could've guess that she would go further and further out.

Surprising

Oye, este disco me gustó. Nunca pasé por Björk en los 90. De hecho, a pesar de las buenas reseñas de sus discos nunca pude enganchar. Para mí, Björk era artista de singles. Este disco fue una sorpresa. Ya me imagino lo loco que debió ser escuchar esto en 1993.

Not what I thought it'd be, I got the idea from popular culture that this would be weirder somehow. Some really creative songwriting, interesting ideas, makes for an enjoyable listen

Album #24 (1001 challenge): "Debut" by Björk (1993) The first thing you notice about Björk is her dynamic and unique vocals. One of the best soft-to-low vocals and screams in music. The Sugarcubes were more of a traditional rock band based to some extent. This is pop and dance but in a very unique and futuristic way. Her music is hard to describe exactly: unique keyboard sounds, mostly a dance beat which can come and go and her voice as mostly the focal point; but she can let the music stand out. Some some songs feature horns, harps and other instruments which can make them sound more retro than futuristic. This album also features two of her more popular songs, "Human Behaviour"and "Big Time Sensuality." Knowing where she would go from here with even more futuristic, strange and dynamic albums/songs, this is probably a good album to start her music with. It definitely defines her style which would produce some of the best music of the 90's and beyond.

Stand out Tracks - Human Behaviour - Crying - Violently Happy - Big time Sensuality

I found the lyrics to this touching in quite an unexpected way. And ofc great bjork sounds.

Björk is so cool. Some gorgeous songs and such a distinctive voice, but also some dancey bops too.

No one does it like Björk. This album is just a brief taste of what's to come but it's just so distinctive and gorgeous

Great DEBUT ;) album here. Björk is such a cool singer and musician and along with a well rounded discography has a great style of beautiful, delicate and manic energy. It's not as good as Post (which is my personal favourite of hers) and Vespertine (the other Björk album I've reviewed so far on this site), but the quality is still great. Lots of variety with songs that can feel at home in nightclubs, jazz clubs, and even a function in India. Favourite song was Venus As A Boy and also really liked Human Behaviour, Like Someone In Love, Crying and The Anchor Song.

Love this. At times passionate, always experimental. Unique voice, Bjork does things that no other singer can. Can understand why people wouldn't embrace this - but I'm all for it. Adore the mix of electronica.

Aeroplane If you ever got to call it by the name, you even name it as it must be. Terms in a conditional form, debuting as almost 3 decades ago, there she goes shouting and playing random rhythm trying to be crazy and understandable at the same time. If you're not into alternative music or maybe you can't quit the classics and get out of the mainstream media, there's a bridge between those 2 genres. It's a breakthrough, revolutionary and confusing standard, those elements summed up in a record itself taking credit and debit in somewhat created to begin. B

I didn't realized I had heard "Human Behavior" two other places -- one in a jazz cover album, and two, sampled in a Hieroglyphics song. Also, I haven't listened to Bjork much before, but I like her tone and feel a lot.

I'm more a fan of her second album but still, Bjork's debut is one of the best debut albums I know about.

enjoyed.

Pretty chill, a little emotional second half of album

7.2

Prefs: Human Behaviour, Crying, Venus as a Boy, Big Time Sensuality, One Day, Aeroplane, Come To Me, Violently Happy Moins pref: Like Someone In Love

So nice that someone finds the uniqueness of Bjork and shares with the world.

Nahezu perfektes Debut. Clubbig ist’s geworden und sagenhaft gut gealtert. Massive Attack klingt mal durch, aber auch spätere Blur Genetik („Human Behaviour“) wird vorweggenommen. Einziges Björk Album, das ich mag, dann aber so richtig. 4.4

She belongs in her own genre. There were a lot of interesting things going on without ever straying to far into weirdness for its own sake. Lot of fun and a pretty incredible creative effort. One or two duds that keep this out of 5 star territory for me but it's pretty close.

I remember a lot of singles, she was very vogue at the time. Album is very good, it’s still a test of time even in 2021 it still sounds pretty good and fairly modern.

electronic sound. Human behavior good song, upbeat, dance type beats.

Not her best but a very good album.

I've listened to this album many times already. It's still her third best album though.

Hi: Venus As a Boy, Violently Happy Lo: There's More to Life Than This Charming and sassy, this breakout Sugarcube front lady's signature other-worldly breathy vocals and driving beats or crooning orchestras or whatever else Bjork feels like throwing at you, because she do what she want. It's those curveballs that make Bjork's catelog so diverse and interesting, even almost 30--*THIRTY*-- years later.

Already on my favorites list

I always thought Bjork was for pretentious gilmore girl fans, but this was a really nice album. Now I think I may be the pretentious one here.

Ooh! Was a bit nervous for this one (despite really liking Vespertine) but was digging most of the tracks. I didn't really know she had a bit of a dance/electropop feel. I honestly can't find a particular "fault" with this album, but I also can't quite give it a 5 just based on enjoyment / merit. Regardless, this is a pretty damn good first album.

It's all about Bjork. The first show from the Icelandic artist

Could this be one of the best debut albums of all time? I wouldn't be surprised. Just so strong from the start ('Human Behaviour' is still a masterpiece) and it continues throughout.

I put this record on to do dishes and cook dinner. It played through twice and I didn’t stop dancing. (I skipped Like Someone in Love the second go-round. ) Good stuff that I had completely forgotten about. How could I forget about Björk, a defining artist of my generation? I’m putting this back into my rotation. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Love the jazz and trip hop influences. I find her music incredibly interesting but not always pleasing. Don’t miss Play Dead, a single “from this album,” but not released until the bonus track version. That and Anchor Song are my favorites.

Really enjoyed this one, quite unlike anything I've heard before

For me, the rating for Debut:Post:Homogenic used to be "3:4:5", and I had not listened to Debut for 25 years or so. I still think Homogenic is stronger, but Debut sounded fresh and was much better than I had expected (even without the 5* bonus track Play Dead)

I was extremely fond of Bjork's Vespertine, so I was looking forward to what she'd do here on her first album. I will say that her compositions are beautifully arranged with an eye for fantastic production. She is one-of-a-kind in what she is creating and I think that's fantastic. There is a particularly interesting bit in live track There's More to Life Than This where Bjork seemingly takes the microphone offstage to the back and continues to sing along to the now-muffled instrumental. before going right back out. Incredible! Although I don't love this as much as I loved Vespertine, I think Debut is a great record. Deserving of a place on the list, no doubt.

She was surprisingly dull when I saw her live. Big costume, but just didn't do anything for me on the day. I was hot and hungover in Barcelona though. Much better here. If it was a footballer, it'd be Jack Grealish. Pretty good, but I'd imagine very annoying. Incredible calves.

Дебют даёт понять, что нас ждёт еще большее раскрытие потенциала этой уникальной певицы. Альбом получился экспериментальным, шероховатым, и образ на обложке с приглушённым оттенком это идеально демонстрируют.

House tracks + bjork's patent singing. Great listen, but gets a bit repetitive and old by the end.

A great debut that starts off strong and fades as the album wears on. Bjork was at the forefront of electronic music in the 90's, but the album devolves into softer tones in the later tracks. Overall, a good album but it feels a bit disjointed relative to her later work.

One of the few albums I'll ever increase a rating *because* of the vocals, because Björk is one of the most unique vocalists I've ever heard. This would simply be a completely different - and likely boring - album if any other person in the world was the vocalist. Hard to describe - it's not just her voice, it's in the way she sings the songs in a manner that's at times arrhythmic or disjointed, as if it were layered on top of the music as a separate entity. Which sounds like it wouldn't work, but it completely does. The music itself is mildly interesting and might not be on its own but after many listens (and to be fair I did have this album when it was released, so there have been many listens!) the music seems to become part of Björk. Meaning I can't imagine it not being joined at the hip with her vocals - it all just fits. I'm neither much of a dance nor electronic music aficionado but again - the voice jumps right out and grabs your ears and never lets go which for me makes this album transcend boundaries. It's unique and for that it's a keeper and worthy of classic status. 8/10 4 stars

Great debut album and definitely original.

pretty good ass album. ‘come to me’ was so nice. thanks björk. 4.5

A beautiful voice for a beautiful debut album. Very emotional tone and creative tracks.

This is probably my 4th or 5th favorite Bjork album but it's still great. A nice variety of style but some of it does sound a little dated. The songs get re-worked a bit live and don't sound that way. "Human Behavior" and "Venus as a Boy" are probably my favorites. I always liked the production in "There's more to life than this" when she leaves the club.

Expertly assembled and a great show for a debut album. Very gay which isn’t a bad thing.

Soft 4 stars. Very interesting... almost every track was a different style. Some songs like the anchor song are growers, while a track like human behavior is an obvious hit. The album remains strong unlike some on this list that fade away into repetition on the second half

This was a very interesting album to listen to, and it took about 3-4 times through it to appreciate it. Chaotic but good music, soulful vocals. Way out of my normal listening genres. 3.8/5

This is a hard one to rate, especially with so little time to sit with it. The first half was inconsistent for me, but everything from One Day to the end was fantastic. I think it will just barely earn its fourth star for me, but really this album is done a disservice by trying to take it all in for one sitting/one day. But oh well, time marches on.

The debut album of Björk with eclectic pop songs like she already made with the Sugar Cubes. The material and performance matured and Nellee Hooper also added some dance elements. Very impressive record!

A stunning debut. Venus as a boy is a song for the ages.

Also now checking out The Sugarcubes.

Bjork is weird I'll be honest. There is some really interesting stuff happening. Felt like Bjork took me places, one minute we are in a city street, the other in a bar down town. Then I'm like in her apartment, just Bjork and myself, and she's slamming around a tambourine. Did I fall in love with her? probably so. It's a dope album and is going to get another few listens for sure.

Didn't like at the time but so now

Not really my style. Songs are interesting. Favourites: "There Is More to Life Than This", "Like Someone In Love", "Play Dead"

Classic.

She's great!

Actually liked this. not my taste but a good listen

Creative

verfrissend

A treat of an album. There are dichotomous moments of Bjork's perspective in the lyrics: some that feel so personal and directed, and then others so grand and larger than life. "There's More to Life Than This" exemplifies that dichotomy perfectly. An album that flips between techno-pop and avant-garde poetry shouldn't work as well as this does; it's fun, bolstering and beautiful, much like Bjork herself.

Already heard this before, but a well done album

This is great, a party album. theres even a part where it sounds like she's walks out of a house party. No one sings like Bjork

Upbeat and dancy

Good for dancing! Liked the fast songs more than the slow ones. Just the right amount of weird

false

Kind of liked a few songs. Others were weird, like "There's more to life than this".

I think one or two of the songs drag on a bit towards the end, but the sound still feels pretty fresh, and it's hard to dislike the artist that inspired most of the music I listen to. Also Bjorks voice is interesting af, it's a nice mix of feeling ethereal and then occasionally she comes in with these guttural growls.

Hot damn. There is something so pure about Bjork's music -- a mix of percussion, and melody fueled by vocals. All of it feels like its walking a tightrope between really profound music and a total garbage fest, and I could see either opinion being totally valid. I really liked this album, and although it's probably not a crowd pleaser I think everyone should listen if they have the time.

Very impressive, more danceable than I was expecting, bouncy good fun.

Crying Venus as a Boy Theres More To Life Than This Aeroplane

Viel besser hörbar als gedacht. Man kann nachvollziehen, wieso das Album so gehypt ist!

Ich hatte das anspruchsvoller erwartet. Kommt in Teilen ja schon so ein bisschen provokant diskomäßig daher. Aber auch leicht uns ironisch. Also gutes album

Love it

Lovely wjork

Atypische electro-pop. Ik kende wel een paar liedjes en al bij al een goed album

Couldn’t get into it at first (singles aside) but tried again cooking dinner. Enjoyed it much more. Very good - liked the toilet song, especially.

All the bangers. Didn’t realise they were all off of one album. A bit annoyed it’s taken me this long to listen to a Bjork album in full, especially this one.

Very enjoyable. the singles are fantastic. I didn't have time to enjoy all of it, though. But I have this on vinyl.

I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of Bjork, but I enjoyed this album and respect the creativity/originality and her identity as an artist. This is also a landmark album for the entire electronic music genre in terms of permeating the mainstream. 7.5/10

Great to finally listen to this album from start to finish. Very eclectic.

A generous 7 rounded up

Closest to a 5 so far....4.5!!

Years since I listened to this (on tape probably). Stands up very well all in all and was good to listen to the less known songs again.

Pretty fun! Loved her voice. A 7 or 8 for me

Loved it

Debut is definitely showing its age, but it does contribute more to the Bjork playlist I have than her more recent works. Big Time Sensuality was remixed a bunch and is pretty evocative of house music at the time- simple repeating baseline and then some woman singing some nonsense over it. Human Behaviour is my favorite track, Vesus as a Boy was used in Luc Besson's Leon.

Liked this a lot more than I remembered liking it at the time.

It surprised me it was very experimental in places, straightforward in others. Surprised by the amount of dance music in it.

The more I listen to it, the more I like it. Vocals end up being charming and not too harsh to listen to, while her songwriting and musical vision are strong. I'd say 8 right now but it may bump up even more if I listen to more Bjork.

so unique and diverse fave song - there’s more to life than this

Tasty as tubed squid

such an interesting song writer. a great fusion of jazz, pop, avant-garde, and dance/club sounds

Cool, dark vibes

I was expecting weird Björk, but this album was more conventional. It was even ... danceable.

Björk: 1993 Debut: I was fucked up listening to it. Not bad.

First couple of songs are pretty good, but alot of it blends together and seem pretty same-y

whew🥵

Love, love, love this album. One of my favorites by Bjork and have listened to it for decades.

Fav: Venus as a Boy, Like Someone in Love, Come to Me, The Anchor Song

Can hear so much Robyn, Rosin Murphy, Kimbra etc. Loved Crying and Play Dead is absolute perfect closing track - what a voice

Very fun album, I absolutely loved Björk's vocals in this record.The instrumentals where good, I preferred the first half of the album rather than the second.

Not bad at all. Have heard many things about her but never really get music. There were some great songs on this album

a real London record! it's fun to think of bjork as a hot young thing running around the city, maybe saying "fuck John Major" to anyone who will listen. fav track: like someone in love

A bit strange for me, but great early electro pop!

A classic I loved revisiting.

What a powerhouse of a debut album! Every song is good, and there's such a wide range of sounds and styles. Some songs have a disco feel to them, like Big Time Sensuality. 4/5

The complexity of melodies and harmonies cannot be overstated. A very palatable level of weird.

Incredible start to a great career

still amazed at her voice and creativity after so many years and one of the first and best concerts I did go to in Milano

It took me a minute to decide how I feel about this since it's so avant-garde and weird, but I decided I really like it. I think it's really well-done, and her voice is gorgeous. Venus as a Boy is really good, and I probably wouldn't listen to this toooo often but I'm gonna save it on Spotify. Four stars!!!

Connor: I've never actually heard any Björk so far so I've been really impressed with this album! All I knew of her was her reputation as a little bit of a 'quirky' singer but this album is a lot more dancy and catchy than I thought, and it goes really well with her singing style. Imogen: yeah it’s my favourite Björk album! really like Human Behaviour and Venus as a Boy

Really diverse set of songs, and not off the wall weird just unique

You need to be in a certain state of mind to listen to this album, but when you are..... It's perfect. 7.5/10

I honestly wasn't sure if I liked this album when I listened to it. There are parts that are grating, but other parts that go HARD. She really has a way of communicating pain with her voice. I ended up saving quite a few tracks from this, so it must've been good?

Buen primer álbum de Bjork. Cositas pop con buen gusto. Refinadas. Se nota que tiene talento la guacha. 7/10

This one was kind of time? Not fun-weird like later ones

Interesting. I liked some of it. Voice reminds me of Regina Spektor

OK

I've only caught small bits of Bjork here and there and never spent time listening through an entire album. I like what she's got going on. She does feel like a bit of an acquired taste, not something I feel immediately enamored with, but like a flavor you can't quite place that has you coming back to the same hole in the wall taco shop. I would give this more listens, and explore more of the same and find out what sticks over time.

Bjork is weird by a lot of standards. While she has an extraordinary voice, she does things with it that I don't always find appealing; she reminds me of Kate Bush in this way. But one thing that's apparent throughout the album is the sheer joy she takes in making music. Hearing "There's More to Life Than This" (apparently recorded in the bathroom of a club by singing along with the DJ's tracks outside) back to back with "Like Someone in Love" (a Great American Songbook standard recorded with just voice and harp) makes that abundantly clear. The underlying house music beats are well-done, production is smooth and strong throughout. The vocal quirks may annoy me occasionally, but they can't dim the talent. I'm not saying I want to listen to it recreationally, but I respect the hell out of it.

Sja Bjork.. 2x een 1 gegeven tot nu toe, dus dat beloofd niet veel. Echter het eerste nummer van dit album is wel oke. Lekker basslijn. Alleen die stem.. Zo schel, ik weet niet of ik daaraan kan gaan wennen. Nouja, miss dat dit album het dan toch wordt. Het is een beetje funky met een bass die zeer aanwezig is. Loop eigenlijk wel een beetje mee te swingen. Oprecht, voor een bjork album dikke prima. Was zelfs even aan een 4 aan het denken, maar mijn aandacht vloeide toch wat weg naarmate het album vorderde. Zit weinig verandering in. Maar, album is erg Funky met leuke basslijnen! Ik geef het daarom 3 reten.

Bjork is Bjork

Not my preferred music, but not bad. I think there is an attempt to convey some interesting emotions, but it's not being transmitted on my wavelength.

'twas good, some bits felt a little weird and I don't listen to much trip-hop or house music. Tentative saves. Nevertheless, saved 4, shelved 3 of 12.

Fun album, honestly not as weird as I expected based on reactions to Bjork. I was halfway expecting poppier Residents. Was fun experimental pop though.

First song is one of my favs ever! Rest is a bit average. Some good sounds/ atmos. But boring though!!

I procrastinated on Björk for a long time, and i just don't fully get it. There are some really great moments: "There's More To Life Than This" really clicked on me, loved the toilet part, but i don't get the rest. Most of the songs are about a girl who just loves a man a lot and they've got such a "simp" vibe that i can't help but not get over with, maybe i'm just not fucking gay enough, i don't even know. Anyway this is basically feminine Alex Turner making alt-pop/electronic music in my eyes.

Really fun record

I really enjoyed my first foray into Bjork - I can see needing a couple passes to fully get it but I thought track 2 was exceptional and the vocals overall were A+

Expectation: -> Bjork. Know the name and, I think, the general style. After listening: -> Interesting, different, not unpleasant. Some of this quite lovely. Some of it a bit too repetitive. At times it seemed that her vocals were poorly matched with the instrumental sounds/rhythms. Not going to call myself a fan. Track ranking: Venus Come One Happy Crying Anchor Human Aeroplane Sensuality Love Life

Divertido, mas nada demais.

Not bad not badddd

I love Björk and I recognise the overwhelming success of this material. I was and am into this style of dance music too and I know this album was innovative within that genre. Here’s the BUT that was obviously coming. I never really LOVED the songs on ‘Debut’ like I love songs on her subsequent albums. Also these songs were everywhere (for what seemed like forever) at the time which compounded my doubts. I don’t deny the album it’s place in the 1001 at all, but on personal grounds I can only give it a disappointing rating.

Unique style

I was dreading listening to another Bjork album but this one really was enjoyable to listen to. Gets weird in spots but forgivable.

This is in my music collection. Half of the songs are great.

Certainly avant-garde and a bit weird, but not bad

alright

Talented but not my thing

I’ve always felt I should have naturally loved Björk, but her vocal style makes me feel faintly sick and she is unbearably pretentious! Some of this album began to grow on me after a couple of listens, especially the first tracks.

I only know Bjork's "hits" so going back to her roots was pretty interesting. I know she may be over represented on this list but she's one of the more provoking and experimental artists of the late 20th/21st century. Plus I'm heading to iceland for a couple of weeks in July so it was fun to hear in that regard too. Good times

The "hits" are very familiar to be but were great to revisit. The album tracks were new to me - maybe slightly dated in places but overall a very strong album. Teetering on a 4 but I think it's more like a strong 3

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ This was a great album in 1993 and it’s still remains a great album. The strong songs are super strong, all together now… 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 “It takes courage to enjoy it” 3 very bright stars. Tom.

Very impressive debut album.

First Listen; 3.5; Interesting, discordant album. Somehow blends together a bunch of wierd sounds, including the vocals, into something interesting and catchy. Also a good diversity of musical styles and instrumentation, from club/eurobeat to pianos. Favorite Track: Come to Me

THIS IS MY FIRST GIG …. IN IRELAND……. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Heard it before. Once again formed some telepathic connection with the generator because just the other day I was thinking about what a great song Big Time Sensuality is. Love how electronic inspired this album is, pop but make it house music. So much variety, so many interesting tracks 3/5

Beyond the importance of this album on trip hop, despite the facts beaucse I head it so many times with its hits, I 'll just give it a 3 and miss the Sugar Cubes.

Obviously, it’s the first one, so it still carries some very obvious traces of ‘80s dance music, and it’s not as good as the albums that followed. Still, the occasionally dark themes, that unmistakable voice, and Björk’s unique touch of madness made it a little alternative gem back then. Honestly though, apart from Human Behaviour, The Anchor Song, and Play Dead (from the The Young Americans soundtrack with Harvey Keitel), not much of it really sticks with me. Too much of the album is still tied to the sounds of the previous decade. I assume Homogenic is somewhere on this list, so I’ll hold off on a too high score.

Didn't like or dislike.

Weirdly surprising. Not expecting dance music, but its pretty good. Mixed up with weird instrumentation. The music itself is good. I can't decide if I like Björk's vocals on it, but they are very distinctive. Sometimes it works sometimes not. I prefer when she has more edge and grit to it. The dance tracks are great, the ballads less so. 3 stars

3 - decent

It was alright. I didn't mind it, but I also won't be adding any of the songs to my playlist. I can appreciate the music, but I'm not going back for it. I also appreciate that the songs don't all sound the same. 5/10.

only listened to part, but not really for me

Good music, just wish her voice didn't irritate me

I wasn’t too big on it. The first half was really bad 🤮 and the second half was really good 👍. Overall, I think I’m gonna give it a 2.8/5! 🥀😭✌️🫡🍃.

buckle up its bjork just as weird as what comes after overall more poppy and more enjoyable tho 💥human behaviour 💥crying 💥there's more to life than this 💥violently happy

3.5

Fine listen.

Very restricted compared to her current self. 3/5

A vivid and captivating debut album. I found it perhaps a bit meandering at times in the middle, but hell, it's way better than I could do lol. A fun ride and an iconic voice.

2.5

Solid debut for Björk, but nowhere near as interesting or out there as her later stuff, which I far prefer to this album. I think Björk's vocal chops, songwriting, and eye for strange fusions and off-kilter mixing choices are all here. But this album I find is steeped in the sounds of trip-hop, EDM, and house music that was so popular at this time; I find it sort of ends up aging this thing's sound on songs like 'Big Time Sensuality' and especially 'Crying' with that clunky piano loop. Still, Björk manages to squeeze a lot of personality out of these more generic instrumentals; it's just the way she is, nothing here is awful, and the songs themselves are pretty decent at the end of the day. I just tend to gravitate to the more adventurous songs on this album overall. The opener 'Human Behavior' is iconic and maybe the most outwardly trip-hop song here. It's such an all-over-the-place banger in all the best ways and a perfect tone setter for Björk's career in general, lyrically and instrumentally. I love the eastern influence on the strings of 'Venus as a Boy', it's maybe the song that sounds the most like "otherworldly" Björk on here. It contains the angelic edge of her later records, perfectly capturing the grandeur and elegance of the boy presented in the lyrics. It's an incredible song. The sparse harp-driven 'Like Someone In Love' is also pretty great, for similar reasons, a song that strips away much of the noise and clunk to really let Björk's vocals shine. 'Come to Me' has that cavernous reverb feel to it over this slick drum loop; it's another song that really captures the beyond-life feel that I love so much about Björk's music - her depictions of love over this awe-inspiring instrumental are enough to bring a tear to my eye. Also, I've always found 'There's More To Life Than This' hilarious, just with that super upbeat '80s pop type chorus and the live-recording getting shut behind a door alone with Björk for some reason mid performance. So yeah, far from my favorite Björk. But definitely not awful, and a select few songs here remain absolute '90s classics. It's just that her later stuff is so much more polished and unique, but for any other artist, this could have very well been a peak.

Weird like only Bjork can be

Sounded like generic 90s dance music with Bjork on vocals. Thus worse than generic 90s music

Previously known. The hits hit, the others are ok.

3.5

When I first listened to this album I thought it was for sure going to be a two. But when I gave it another listen I found that it had grown on me, especially certain songs became very enjoyable. Maybe in the future I will like this even more. Fav song: Anchor Least fav: Venus as a boy

A lot too unpack with this album (and Björk herself too ofcourse). The vocals is something that needs to grow on you (it sometimes sounds childlike?). All the different genres from jazz to hiphop beats make it so you can't expect what you hear in the next song. Overall though it isn't the easiest listen, it's something I can appreciate. 1. Like Someone In Love 2. Venus As A Boy 3. The Anchor Song

I love Bjork’s voice. I think the music is great and creative. I do not think the two combined well. This album seems experimental, like someone finding their niche.

Bekend album. Vaak geluisterd. Björk blijft echter lastig voor mij.

I'm aware of this album, and recognize a few tracks by title. But I've never listened to this album start-to-finish. I wouldn't call myself a fan of Bjork, but I do respect what she does. I enjoy the non-dance-y songs more than the dance-y ones.

I appreciate Björks unmatched ecclecticism and creative vision. She transcends music to truly be a multimedia artist. But I am a bit baffled how so many of these songs charted so well at the time.

Not a bad album. Enjoyed it more than the last Bjork album I was assigned here. Kind of jazz, pop, electro mix. Several good tracks actually, most are good.

I always thought of Bjork as kind of a joke to describe some yoko ono avant garde stuff, but I was wrong- she’s a serious artist with a great voice. I use the term varied a lot when describing some of these albums, but this is a truly eclectic mix. Everything from pop you’d hear on the radio to Disney theater type songs to polka to sparse avant garde live performances- truly a weird album.

weird, saved by pop elements

Weird int she bjork but I did enjoy this album

Such an idiosyncratic weirdo - so glad we have them - and this record reflects Bjork's peculiar vibe. I can't say I like it much - but strange, complicated, dramatic dance baroque experiments I respect

Feels like she was not convinced her style was going to work and layered in some eurobeats to hedge her bets

5/10 Pretty enjoyable even if not my favorite type of music