Reviews (page 8 of 14)
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?
I went into Debut knowing almost nothing about Björk beyond the infamous swan dress, and the beginning of this album completely surprised me. “Human Behaviour” grabbed me immediately, and that voice! She can go from delicate to absolutely belting out a note in an instant. I also loved how the early songs jumped between styles while Björk’s voice somehow fit every one of them. The house/dance rhythms especially worked for me, with “Crying” and “Big Time Sensuality” bringing back memories of that early-’90s C+C Music Factory/CeCe Peniston sound. Unfortunately, the second half couldn't maintain that momentum. “One Day,” “Aeroplane,” and “Come to Me” started losing me. By “Aeroplane,” my listening notes basically became: MAYDAY! MAYDAY! SWAN AIR IS LOSING ALTITUDE! 🦢✈️ “Violently Happy” brought the rhythm back and briefly rescued things, but then “The Anchor Song” sounded like elementary school students learning to play their instruments. So this was a strange one: a glorious beginning, a rough second half, and a 3-star album overall. But I came away with something more important than the rating. I discovered that I really like Björk’s voice and definitely want to hear more of her music.
Um, Björk is... unique. I actually enjoy many of the songs individually, but as a continuous album listening experience it is a bit much.
традиционное ревью: не так тяжело как другие её альбомы! но со всем уважением это не мой стиль и вокал
strange, unique, intriguing
bjork! I don't think this was a good album to listen to while panicking about work
61
no banqué tanto, capaz en otro mood es mejor, igual debería escuchar sus otros trabajos
Nice. I’d lisiten again but it didn’t blow me away.
more accessible than I expected, very 90s.
I'm not a huge Bjork fan but this album is not bad. A few hits and the beginning of her very unique style. I remember listening to some of these songs when I was young. Back then I thought she was super innovative and different. Now I suppose I have heard it enough to kind of get over the initial shock of hearing something so unique. It's good but she isn't something I would listen to very often.
Bjork is talented and all but she mostly just makes me nervous. Why you trying to make me nervous, Bjork?
At least three stars for artistic merit, but I never find myself coming back to Bjork.
I am just not a Bjork fan. It's not as bad as my 2s, so I guess it will be a 3.
3.5- liked a couple songs
Really interesting. I don't know a ton about Bjork but the two albums I've listened to for this have both been good. I like the diverse production and instrumentation on this album. I felt that it was too long at points, but a good listening experience.
Torn by this one. It gets better as the album goes on but for me Björk had her day and that was about 30 years ago.
The 5 singles from this mean you're never far from a half-decent track. But it's debatable whether the genre-bending nature of the others really cuts it. Blurring the boundaries between a collection of singles and an album scrapes this a 3*
Not a weird as I feared, slightly cooler than I thought. Didn't expect the songs with a doof doof feel to them (but was pleased it was on the menu)
I mean... yeah.... quite quirky innit?
I passed on this album in 1993. Now I realised I made a mistake. It's good
Definitely have to be in the mood for this one. Sometimes it is beguiling and utterly unique, sometimes it really irritates me.
Never listened to a Bjork album, im sure this is gunna be awesome. She has such a wonderful haunting quality to her style that I love. Like someone in love is my favorite so far! Love the harp? is that a harp idk haha wow Big Time Sensuality feels like such a pivot but i totally dig it. Love the brass in the final song. Was such a fun addition.
it was a bit silly, i could see how it might have made waves at the time. truthfully i just don’t like her voice enough though
Onhan björk tosi taitava! Vähä tällee aamusta vaikeeta musaa paikoin mutta viihdyin kuitenkin albumin parissa! Björk vie sua pienille elektronisen musan bileisiin jonnekki saksaan, nykin katoille ja yhtäkkiä oot kuuntelemassa psyken kuulosta kamaa jossain keski-euroopan puistoissa
Björk’s music always leaves me confused. Her music is so uniquely different that I'm not really sure what to think. My favorite songs from this album were Like Someone in Love and Come to Me. The rest of the songs on the album just left me confused.
어떻게 어둠 속의 댄서 보고 바로 이게 뜨지...
A veritable Icelandic fairy, with all the madness that entails. I respected this album more than I enjoyed it.
ze is echt cute maar ik hou niet echt van dit soort muziek
I wanted to like this more than I actually did I think. I definitely was on board with the experimental styles and I can see how, at the time, what Björk was doing was super unique. But it just isn’t for me and I don’t see myself reaching to listen to this album again
Som vanligt med Björk en massa konstiga låtar. Men på denna finns även ett par poppiga danspärlor. Human Behaviour och Venus As A Boy bäst.
Love the voice but maybe not the music style
Die Platte klingt so dermaßen anders als alles, was Björk danach veröffentlichen wird, was für ein Debütalbum schon eher untypisch ist (ok, sie hat ja davor mit ihrer Band auch schon Platten veröffentlicht). Der clubbige Ansatz sowie die ganzen Trip-Hop-Einflüsse sind für mich doch sehr in ihrer Zeit verhaftet. In alles komme ich nicht rein. Dafür sind die Songs in Summe doch wesentlich zugänglicher als vieles in ihrem sonstigen Werk. Ihre Stimme ist für mich immer ein schwieriges Thema. Manchmal kann ich mich dran gewöhnen oder sogar erfreuen, oft stört sie mich aber auch. Der größte Björk-Fan werde ich also in diesem Leben nicht mehr. Insgesamt haben ihre späteren Alben für mich schon mehr geboten, auch wenn ich von denen ebenfalls keinem die Höchstwertung geben würde.
The opener is Human Behaviour. Stats with a cool, synthy pop best and then quickly devolves and becomes repetitive. Fortunately the rest of the album has good variety. I am finding her voice annoying in the first couple songs. I think I can understand why people like this but I am finding it irritating. The high pitched synth tunes in "Venus as a Boy" just don't work for me. Still it's not all bad. There's a few moments here and there that I didn't dislike, "there's more to life than this" is a better song than the first few. Big time Sensuality has a nice melody as well. Very hook-y. Not much on the album after that. Album has its ups and downs, overall it's pretty decent.
I love one of her songs, Bachelorette, but can't really get into anything else.
I am a big Sugarcubes fan. Bjork, not so much. Not that I don't appreciate her exploitation of the costumery of rock and of outsider music, it often just seems a little ungrounded to me. I listen along, neither here nor there.
Easily my best listening experience with Bjork. The last song was arduous, but there were many moments and songs I enjoyed well enough. Still, there's something that keeps me at arm's length. And that's OK.
A solid debut, and she only got better from here.
These songs are really interesting. Her voice continues to be the standout element, but the way she creates these worlds is really incredible. What she does on There’s More To Life Than This is mind blowing. Some of these songs just don’t really do it for me especially Like Someone In Love. Did not like that song at all. Favorites were Human Behaviour, Venus As A Boy, and Big Time Sensuality.
wer die Musikrichtung magt kommt auf seine Kosten, aber für mich war das dann doch zu sehr ladila
ganz nett, aber Björk ist mir zu exzentrisch. kann ich mir nur begrenzt anhören.
Björk überbewertet. Middle of the pack
Favorite songs: Human Behaviour, There’s More to Life Than This, Like Someone in Love, Come to Me, Violently Happy
*I wish I liked Icelandic music more than I do. This was better than Vespertine.
Good but not great album by bjork
Another bizarre choice, the following two records are so much better. There are some good songs here, but overall it sounds so dated and Bjork’s weirdo voice is recorded so poorly (it sounds terrible at least half the time on all her work but at least they worked out how to make it less ear-piercing on later albums)
Much preferred to Vulcinara, but still a long way from loving Bjork
This isn't something I would normally choose to listen to but I enjoyed it. She has a certain quality to her voice and delivery that's interesting and makes me want to listen. Favorite tracks: Like Someone In Love, Big Time Sensuality and Come To Me.
No es lo mejor que escuché en mi vida pero no estuvo mal.
Really tough one for me. On one hand I can tell how unique and cool this is, especially for the time, and coming from an artist that wasn't really making stuff like this before. On the other hand, I'm not a huge fan of this kind of sound. The abstract, avant garde vibe here is couple with a kind of funky sound that doesn't really hit for me. Human Behavior, for example is one that grew on me, but still doesn't hit me like it does everyone else. The latter half is more enjoyable for me, but has a few songs that strip away a lot of the sounds heard so far, but in some cases end up not sounding all that interesting to me. Still there are some songs I love here, and the overall album is an enjoyable experience, just does not have enough of music that I'm into.
This is almost the definition of 90s music. At the time, I'm sure the use of electronic music and blending genres was considered new and interesting. Even today, you could call it avant-garde. I'd have to listen to more of Bjork's albums to get a better feel for her style. She's a competent, talented singer and has some interesting ideas.
I enjoyed this more than the Sugarcubes. Eclectic.
The instrumentation gives enough space for Bjork’s unique voice to shine through on this album. That’s the overall strength of this album. 3 standout songs in Human Behavior, Play Dead, and the fun exotica of Aeroplane. The rest is alright.
Wasn't super excited about the prospect of another ride on the Bjork train but figured what the hell. Even if I'm not into I'll admit she is doing something different and her weirdness can always be stomached for a single listen. Regardless of the result it's some more exposure to a unique artist and another box to check that can always be filed away and forgotten about if necessary. Debut was quite the surprise as I'm pretty sure I really enjoyed this album. It came out of the gates with a couple of upbeat electronic dance tunes that set the table nicely and got me prepared for something very different from the other experimental Bjork albums on this list. The songs on this album were complete, defined works as opposed to out-of-the-box experimental auteur madness. Credit to Nellee Hooper and her production as I found her electronic beats melded really well with Bjork's vocals and backing tracks. The album is pretty dynamic as it has some influence from a handful of other genres, most of which worked through each step of the album. I'd have preferred The Anchor Song at the end to be axed, but by that point I had already heard 40 minutes of a very solid, and dare I say, breakout entry in Debut. I can see why this album would get some attention on the heels of Bjork successfully going solo with some new influence in the music world. I'm pleased to say that I rather enjoyed Debut. To echo some of my prior commentary on Bjork as I got through her other albums on this list it is clear that she has some talent. She is at her best when there is other personnel and management involved that can reign her in and show some restraint. The Icelandic influence is unique and intriguing and when it works its good. Unfortunately, Bjork has subsequently been let too far off the leash and leaned into the weirdness, often to negative results for me. Had she stuck in this realm I may have grown up to be considered a Bjork fan. As it stands she's still mostly not my flavor, but Debut gets a well-earned tip of the cap from me. 3.07 stars
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
Listens: 4 (including 2 a while back) I freaking love Björk. I love her voice, her singing, her accent—and her taste. Debut is impeccably tasteful, forward-thinking and unafraid to combine myriad influences in brand-new ways throughout the course of an incredibly varied and eclectic album. No two songs sound alike, and yet it's an impressively cohesive work. (And a fun one—like, how cool is the production on "There's More to Life Than This"??) That all said, as much as I enjoy listening to this album, I've never been able to connect that much to it on a personal level. I think I like it more and more with each listen, so we'll see if it keeps growing on me. Thus only three stars for now, but I can't wait for more of her work to pop up on this list!
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.
I have tried so many times over the years to enjoy Bjork and this is the closest I’ve come to doing it, thanks to the great production here. Unfortunately, she still sounds like Bjork.
Really weird, but I don't hate it for some reason
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
Björk should be marmite, but for some reason I float in the middle, torn between musical genius & not a fan of the singing style
Björk is undeniably Björk. The voice is one of those things that exists in a category of its own — not quite like anything else, not quite what you'd call conventionally beautiful, but completely unmistakable. I don't know if I like it exactly. I know I'd recognise it anywhere. Debut is her most accessible album, apparently. Electronic pop, some jazz, some dance music, all filtered through that voice. A few songs landed — the rest passed through pleasantly without leaving a mark. 3/5 — distinctive, occasionally wonderful, not quite mine.
I have to give this album credit for going to some weird places and creating unique atmospheres, especially using Björk's special vocal abilities. But unfortunately, for me it's not all hit, but some miss too. Surely a grower album, as on the first listening, I liked much less of it. "Human Behavior" is really cool. All in all, 3/5 - solid
Am I a Bjork fan? That might be going too far but this was far more approachable and enjoyable than expected.
A modern Yoko Ono. Instrumentals are cool but not a fan of the vocals in some sections.
I really wish this system operated on an out-of-ten spectrum rather than an out-of-five one, because more than any album I’ve listened to so far this one really straddles the line between scores. 3 is too high, 2 is too low. I’ll side with the more generous 3 and assume good intent, but this is really a 5/10, not a 3/5. My knowledge on Björk is very limited, I knew vaguely of the genre and the artist’s reputation outside of their music; they seem to be a lovely person. But artist is not art, and Björk’s stuff isn’t particularly for me. A smattering of songs were enjoyable, and generally if any one song from this album came on the radio I wouldn’t change station, but I also wouldn’t return to this album or any song from it without a reason I’m yet to be given, because this album on its own is inadequate reason. Björk is a fascinating vocalist; she doesn’t really sing, she doesn’t really talk, it’s somewhere in the middle, and I’m not fully convinced it works. That’s not to say to be a good vocalist you need to be a conventionally good singer, looking at Nick Drake or Mark Knopfler neither are conventional vocalists but their music is structured to lean into that and the results are fantastic. Here I feel the two sides are much more disconnected and exist independently, and Björk’s music are stronger than the vocals lagging behind. Also one live album injected at the half-way point of a studio album is a bizarre choice I cannot say I liked. If you’re more into your pop you might get something more out of this, but this album did little for me. Consider this a 2.5.
it's a good album, once again just not really in my style !
Sounds videogamey at parta, but I might just be saying that because I know this inspiried a lot of video game musicians. Pretty fun beginning, but kinda dwindles in the latter half for me
Escuchable!
Although I am not a particular fan of this type of music, Björk is a name that deserves respect in the music industry, by solely being authntic and oneself 😎🙌
I had a hard time wrapping my head around this record. It has some reallllly interesting moments. I really loved the last song on the record. There’s some dancy songs that very 90s that I didn’t connect with. But there’s something interesting. I also adore Bjork’s later single “unravel” soooo much.
Wonderful soundscape. Which means great production. No real standout tunes though. Solid background music, hard to get excited about listening to it again anytime soon.
Ah Bjork. Always a question with Bjork. Let’s see how I feel today… So Bjork reminds me of Bowie. Seriously. Both are undeniably creative and the production value of their respective projects is often second to none, both are admittedly very influential, and I always feel listening to their albums is somehow “required” of any “true” music lover. But IRL - I skip. Both. Almost invariably. Actually Bowie is better. Some Bowie is listenable- but Bjork- I just… don’t… feel her. This album should be a 4. But it was painful to listen to. So 3. Boolean rating: yes, I suppose I should hear Bjork before I die. I know I’m going to have to hear a lot more. Sugar Cubes and is Homogenic on this list? Well…
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Hed mir weniger gfalle als ich nach bar sekunde erwarted han. Aber gid na 3 standard chäbel fürs debut album
Bjork is a genius but the general feeling I get when I listen to her is anxiety, and we're all good on that over here, thx.
Almost atonal house music? Undecided Favourite track: Like Someone in Love
This slaps! You can already see a lot of the framework for what Björk will become. Every song is good, and some are bangers, but it's hard not to compare it to Vespertine, which claps in every way. Standout Tracks: Human Behaviour, Crying, One Day, Aeroplane, Come To Me 3.4
it's 3.5
This definitely meets the bar of " it's an album" rather than just a collection of songs. Reading a bit about the production and listening to the Sugarcubes album yesterday gave me that best chance of appreciating this album giving all the prep I had done. I'm very glad I got the opportunity to learn more about Björk beyond just when I heard about her when I was growing up.
More fun than most of the euro-pop of the time, clearly an distinct artistic voice, weird that songs about sensuality are so unsensual
really not the kind of music i like and very experimental but speaking of theory and harmonies the album is very interesting i enjoyed « like someone in love » which seems like a jazz standard
3 for human behaviour and violent my happy
Trip-Hop, House, Jazz und Pop verschmelzen zu einer eigenwilligen Klangwelt. Die Ideen sind spannend, aber ihre Stimme kippt oft ins Schrille, was den Nervfaktor erhöht. Zudem fehlt ein wirklich herausragender Topsong, der das Album trägt. Kreativ und wichtig, aber nicht durchgehend überzeugend.
It was pretty strange at times, but not entirely unwelcome.
Sensational album that reads like a love poem to someone. Electronica is not my cup of tea but this is the best of what this journey I have experienced has come my way.
I really like her voice. I could pretty much completely do without the synth-pop sound and style and... everything. It's the very definition of "it's not bad". I didn't dislike listening to this, but I'll probably never revisit it.
I kinda hate this at the time but over the years my opinions have softened. Weird eclectic witch women were never my thing but now I’m kind of drawn to them. I like the avant-garde music but her voice is somewhat grating. Oh well she’s cool
I get why she’s popular with the rave/edm crowd—good production and good beats, very danceable. Her voice can be grating, but when she reins it in, it’s powerful and beautiful.
Difficult to rate honestly, I enjoyed it but it will need time to grow on me after one listen
Some songs I loved, some… not so much
I thought this was a cool and interesting album
Powerful notes. I felt as if I were in an Indian dream filled with exotic tones and brushstrokes. It felt somewhat dark in the middle, but intriguing enough to finish.
Kept me enagaged, but its out there. Probably need a few more listens... Rating: 6/10 Favorite Song: The Anchor Song
All the tracks are so relaxing but with a good dance vibes i like this album, it sounds like all 90s, I can think it left a really important print in 90s music the arrangements are a mix of jazz ambient, house, a bit of dance Venus Is A Boy I think is my favourite, also I really loved The Anchor Song and Play Dead, bass line in this last one is amazing
Don’t get the hype
5/10
このデビューアルバムは現在のパブリックイメージである革新的な音楽性を全く感じることができないから、そこまで好きではない。
Like one song not terrible
I was ready to dislike this like I had with all previous Björk albums, but I actually kind of like this? Björks voice and this cliche 90's House beat mix surprisingly well with each other. It sounds a bit goofy, but it's Björk that doesn't sound like it's taking itself so seriously. Still had some wack moments, the last song would've been better off not existing. Outside of that I just liked the beats though. Not all that bad.
Like someone in love in the anchor song are great and spoke most to me. They showed off the fact that Björk can really sing best, and the deep feeling in the mood to me. Venus has a boy with sweltering. Human behavior, and many of the others had fantastic lyrics, but I found the arrangement a bit less interesting.
I had only a passing and cursory understanding of Bjork’s persona through cultural osmosis which means I had no idea that she’s got an amazing voice. Wow!
I really liked some songs on here, for example the opening track (Human Behaviour). Some songs I was much less keen on. Stylistically it is a very eclectic album. I think a bit of variety can be a good thing, sometimes even necessary, but there comes a point where the unity of the work starts to break apart and I think this album was just on the wrong side of that line.
6/10
A classic bjork album that i love!! Definitely not my favourite but way better than some of this other crap. “Albums to listen to before i die” - i’d rather die than listen to jump by Van Halen again. Anyway, Björk’s most unpolished album but very intriguing and NOT boring at any moment
Yeah this is crazy for 1993
Cool and interesting
I kind of get it, its funny how many other types of music from the 90s this sounds like that I can't place quite well. Obviously Bjork has a major influence on a lot of pop, this album both seems so familiar and unique all at once. Its cool, but I don't think I am a fan.
bueno hace bastante que queria escucharla
I'm not entirely sure what I just listened to, but I think it was enjoyable! I enjoyed the techno song.
A couple of songs were good. "Come to Me" is one of my longtime favorites. Most of the other songs were tough especially the off-key saxophone. I have trouble listening to purposeful dissonance. I get this is a very creative on her part and she will have great success.
Very innovative music with lots going on. But I'd have to be in the right mood to want to listen to this album too much. Kudos to Bjork for naming her debut solo album "Debut".
It wasn't as screechy and annoying as previous Björk records I've heard here. Human Behviour is a great song. Altogether a passable effort.
5/10
Ein paar herausstechende Songs, insgesamt zu experimentell für mich
I was surprised with this one. Never really listen to a whole lot of Bjork. I actually like most of this album. Highlights: Venus As A Boy, Human Behavior, Big Time Sensuality and Come To Me. 3.3
Not my taste in music - but okay.
the problem is I actually found the instrumentals kind of interesting. but my god, I cannot stand the tone of her voice and the weird melodies she chooses
Great debut from the Icelandic maestro
I used to own this album. Whilst owning it I used to think there were some excellent tracks on it, but there was a decent amount of filler. My opinion hasn’t changed.
its good. björk
Listening to this I realized that There's More To Life Than This was on a mixtape I had received in high school. So that nostalgia was fun. My favorite song was The Anchor Song. All in all, not super exciting for me. I appreciate Bjork as an artist but not my cup o' tea. Human Behavior is a cool song though.
Obviously talented artistry and range on display here, and I love the production on this album. Her voice is very unique and iconic as well. Perhaps not what I would choose to listen to all the time but I think it belongs on this list for creativity alone.
So I had had little to no experience with Björk before this album, but I quite enjoyed this. This feels like a weird place to start with her though as I’ve read this was kind of like a reset for her. I like the club energy that this album has, and maybe starting with the less weird stuff might have been the move. Her voice is so strange but can be really captivating with its sudden emotional changes, and her almost theatrical tone. Yeah this was pretty good
Quirky. As expected.
3/5 Interesting, but it has some flaws to it.
It was a pretty good album, I thought most of the songs had good instruments.
Iceland’s finest. Quirky and unique.
Some good stuff, also partly annoying. Not the biggest fan of her voice.
Ah yes, weirdo music. Thank you. Creative, fun, kinda' bonkers - I had a compilation CD with a lot of her stuff on it back in the day. Nothing about this is changing my life but I kinda' like it.
Really try to like it, but cannot go higher than 3/5 Like: Human Behaviour (White Rabbit vibe), There's More To Life Than This, Violently Happy, The Anchor Song
*69 Jeg har aldrig været den store Björk-fan og det er jeg fortsat ikke. Det lyder lidt for meget som musik til et museum. Har dog aldrig været i tvivl om hendes talent og evne til nytænkning. Der er også banger sange på.
Jeg synes det er svært at rate. Jeg er ikke Björk-fan, men når jeg hører det får jeg lyst til at være vild med det. Enorm splittelse.
Some of the songs were a little too out there for me, but I totally get the hype behind her. Absolutely has bangers I would listen to again. I have know about Bjork my entire life, but this is the first time I have listened to an entire album by her.
Ok, actually. Bit too much trip hop for me, but "Venus As A Boy" is a joyful 90's throwback.
Kinda liked it. Some of the songs were actually decent
beautiful voice but weird songs...kind of?
Zone out a lil bit. Can see the song violently happy as club music in movies.
Very interesting. Some songs made me want to give it a 4, but then others only a 2, so we'll just go in the middle
Quite enjoyed some of the songs, but had to skip a few others
Bjork is bizarreness personified. Weird, artsy, strange, and at times quirky, but an overall enjoyable listen. Not my favorite, but 90’s ‘music seldomly disappoints.
Definitely more dancey than I expected Bjork to be, but then 'It's Oh So Quiet' sort of sets out a precedent for her. Granted this album came before that but it's surprising that she's not better known for this style when it's very of the 90s?
It was cool when it came out - but I never really liked it. It's innovative and that but I wouldn't choose to listen to this again.
Music was good. Vocals not so much. Was a little shrieky for my taste
Overall Rating - 2.82/5 (5.64/10). Not quite as out there as Vulnicura, but definitely weird, Euro-Pop. Not necessarily *bad,* but definitely weird.
Although good clean music and a unique voice and range. I dont like pop. Bjork is a hybrid that writes pop songs that have a reason to be written.
Will grow on me
3.5
I don’t get Björk, but I don’t think Björk needs me to get her.
She remains very interesting and I realized that my exposure to her was almost exclusively music video-based, which might be my preferred Björk delivery method. Didn't get through the whole thing.
I like Bjork but this is not the album. "Human Behavior" gives you a glimse of what's to come, but the rest of the album doesn't hold up. The tracks re undeveloped and Bjork hasn't quite found her thing. top track: Human Behavior
It was okay
Wildly uneven.
This is exactly what I thought an album by Björk would sound like
I sat through almost the whole album (except the last song bc I needed a break, I'll listen to it this week) and its soooooo 90s coded and emotional in its own way. its pretty good, not the best but good. my fav mightve been human behavior or big time sensuality.
Need to be in the right mood but pretty decent, quite viby
I had much higher expectations for this. I really thought I was going to like this, but it never impressed me.
wth sure! a true experience
Idk, not as good as her later ones (listened to Vespertine for the first time recently and really enjoyed that), but a strangely good 90s dance album at times which isn't what you'd expect. I swear Big Time Sensuality is one of the best dance tracks of the 90s, and Venus as a Boy is really good
Her first music since finishing with the Sugarcanes. I recall this being a very fashionable album at the time of my first year of teaching. Big time sensuality, Venus as a boy and Violently happy were popular on radio. I can't help think it was a bit overrated looking back and lacking big tunes compared to atmosphere and feel. Nevertheless a distinctive voice.
I have never listen to Bjork before, and all I can hear is Kristen Wiig's impersonation. T2- is this the "spooky" programmed beat on a casio from 1992? T3 - this production is so weird. not in a bad way, but not what I would expect from 1993. Alright, I can see this trend continues. This sounds like someone watched a lot of direct to cable movies in the early 90s and thought to themselves, "MAN, this instrumental soundtrack slaps! We gotta sing over this!"
beeeem melhor do que o outro que eu já tinha pegado, sendo assim, triste saber que ela teve um downgrade......
warm, playful, has a feel of childlike adventurousness // i like that the house and jazz influences give it a soft, almost hazy club glow // beautiful voice-work as is expected of björk // feels intimate even at its most danceable // exploratory without being overwhelming // iconic for a reason, even if she would go on to outdo it
Bjork is cool, but it's hard to get into the music
Weird. Hip hop style bass lines, African drum beats yet with Nordic singing
pas trop accroché, c'est pas nul non plus
Orginal ct sympa
Pas mal
It was weird, not as weird as I expected given it's Bjork. I didn't like it much, but it's at least an interesting album.
I can never tell whether I vibe with bjork or whether she annoys me. I really liked One Day and in general the album, but since I literally never choose to listen to her, i gotta give it a 3/5
I didnt much care for it then and I still don't. It's close to a 2 for me but I think there is something just unique enough about this for a 3
Chronically have not enjoyed bjork but something changed this time
Artistiek en experimenteel. Origineel maar soms wat lastig om te luisteren. Niet ontspannend
So…I don’t hate it. Human Behaviour reminded me of that song Alaska by Maggie Rogers.
Some good songs some meh
Jettoblaster music
Very interesting from a conceptual point of view, but I probably won’t listen to it again.
Seems like my memory of this album is a little clouded by some great singles (and music videos). On the whole it left me feeling a little meh....
The way I feel about Bjork humorously reminds me of Hansel's quote in Zoolander: "Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that." I have a very vivid memory of the first time I was exposed to Bjork, though I didn't know it at the time. When I was a freshman in high school, a new girl invited me and a friend to a party thrown by kids from her old school and it was my first time around a large group of what would later be called "alternative kids." I heard a lot of new (to me) music that night but one song that really stuck out was the Sugarcubes' "Birthday." I would later see it on 120 Minutes regularly but I guess it was still somewhat new on that night in the fall of 1988. It sounded mysterious and hearing it for the first time stands out in my memory as a formative moment. "So THIS is what these cool people listen to?" Fast-forward 19 years and my wife and I won tickets through the NBC lottery to see Saturday Night Live and the musical guest turned out to be Bjork doing two songs off the soon-to-be-released Volta album. I would probably not describe myself as a Bjork "fan" and do not listen to her music very often, but I have loved some of it and I was very happy that she was the musical guest that night because I enjoyed seeing her live but probably never would have bought tickets and traveled to see her on an actual tour. The album of hers I have listened to the most is Post, but I also liked a lot of this one. "Human Behavior" and "Bit Time Sensuality" were both on MTV a lot and I really like those tracks. This gets 3.9 stars from me. I really like it but it's just not quite a 4-star-level album for me, when I look back at what I have given 4 stars to. And while at other star levels I would round up (like 2.5 to 3), 4 stars and 5 stars are thresholds it doesn't feel right to round up to. So that is my explanation for giving this 3 stars.
Almost boring/a slog for me to get through. Wonderful vocals and understand the range displayed, but much more favored the singer/songwriter tracks over any house/dance. Especially loved Anchor Song!
Funky and weird, liked it.
3/5
★★★½
Solid. Due to my previous 4flation I am going to rate this one a 3. I will be reserving 4s for better albums but this one wasn't bad
It is different enough to think it might be good. 3 stars or C+.
Never been a fan of this but listening again it actually sounds a bit dull. Maybe is been influential, but if so it's been done better and there's really no need for this
Solid solo debut by one of the most unique voices in music. It’s not what I would want to listen to on a daily basis, but I’m never upset to hear a Björk album.
Very quirky and entertaining. I feel like you have to "get" Bjork, and I think I *almost* get Bjork, just probably need a little more exposure to her work.
Nice music. Good introduction to artist but tracks were similar.
Going in blind thinking ive only heard OF Bjork but never heard her music....and cant decide if im intrigued or not. The pure dance hits are bangers - the avante garde stuff is pretty brutal.
Mich of Björk's sounds are already solidified in this first album -- though I don't quite think the mix of electronic instruments and her voice are done as consistently well as her later albums.
Unexpectedly enjoyed this. 👍Human Behavior
It's interesting, but a bit forgettable? I think it's melodic (even when it's not) and I can see it being very influential. But nothing really stood out to me. It felt like she would not be capable of singing the same song the same way twice.
this was funky, not my usual reach glad i listened, think it would need to grow on me, but i liked the bones def think by the end i was more into it, it was a slow grab for me 3.5
I've always had the feeling that Bjork would be like David Bowie for me - I like the idea of them rather than the reality. Like Bowie, I've loved her movie performances, less so her music. I can get behind the idiosyncrasies and the uniqueness of the music, but I can't say I've loved any of her songs. That said, I've only heard a handful of singles and never a complete album till now. I remember more of this than I was expecting, but it is mostly a collection of interesting sounds. Interesting does not equal good, but this has some good.
Björk has such a unique voice. Favourite Songs: Human Behaviour, Crying, Venus As a Boy, Come to Me. Least Favourite Songs: There's More to Life Than This (Live Version), Aeroplane, Violently Happy.
It’s like the instrumental and the lyrics feel like two different projects that were mashed together.
direi diviso in due, una più party l’altra più “”sad””, ho preferito quella party che a volte sembrava addirittura house canzone prefe: there’s more life than this
A lot of praise for this , from the opener human behaviour it sets a tone of the album blending techno , trip hop dance into the fold , love Venus was a boy with Indian instruments the little hand cymbals , Very happy , dancey an amazing genre bending mix of songs , Bjorks voice is sensational with some great little passing notes and accidentals that make her singing what it is the uniqueness is great A good listen , I’m sure there is more experimentation on future albums but for her breakthrough a winner
If Bjork leaned more towards rock/indie rock I could see her being one of my favourite artists ever. But it’s just to dance for me. Respect the creativity though 6.2/10
Took a min to get into it.
Interesting melodies and bjork's voice is phenomenal. BUT. The lyrics are very "baby's very first writing" and they detracted a lot from the songs. And there are songs I outright didn't like.
idk
B: Bloody hell this is pretty good J: Just kidding this is not for me O: Oh actually I'm loving this R: Right this is driving me insane K: kinda questioning everything
Can't even think of a funny pun this album was just fine
Wasn’t really feeling this until Like Someone In Love. Could be into the rest as background music while doing other stuff, but I didn’t really connect with it.
Unusual vocals that are raw and full of emotion. You definitely have to be in the right headspace to go through the whole release or it will be a tough listen. Björk is the definition of an artist who can "comfort the disturbed and disturb those in comfort". Favourite song: Aeroplane
A mixed bag. I really enjoyed five of the six first songs, especially ‘Human Behaviour’ and ‘Big Time Sensuality’. The exception was the harp-based cover of ‘Like Someone in Love’, which seemed really out of place, and I didn’t think her vocals were that great on it either, which is a shame as on most of the other tracks she sounded great. The second half wasn’t as strong; I don’t think any track was as good as any from the first half, and I actively disliked ‘Aeroplane’ and the album closer. Still, there’s easily enough quality here for 3 stars.
she is different!
Some fun stuff and some not so fun. The tone was really all over the place
RYM 3.0
listened to it while out on a run. it was alright, not my favourite style and voice but didn’t hate it. nothing else to say I think… -favourite tracks: THE ANCHOR SONG and LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE
Bjork has made much better but this still has some really good tracks.
I like Bjork in chunks and this album has quite a few decent chunks on it. Don't get me wrong, it's got some stinkers on it (Atlantic, The Anchor Song), but I like Bjork when she's electronic, dance, pop, not so much the cabaret version. It's a good debut album and I appreciate it. 3.23 / 5 stars
How in the fuck do you manage to forge a solo career from this?
lwk good and is very honey and fun. personally not my type of music but a lot of fun and good party songs
It was fine in small doses. Björk’s vocals are interesting but, I don’t think I can sit down and listen to them for a whole 45 minutes.
Interesting album, but didnt love it. Standout songs: Crying Big time sensuality Violently Happy