Debut

7/10

Love a bit of jazz, just wasn't completely for me.

Some great stuff by the queen. Not as incredible to me as the sugarcubes, but really interesting music and she kept it solid throughout.

this shit weak af gng

Oh how I despised Bjork when this album came out. It was annoying, dinner party muzak to my ears back then, plundering from dance music, adding nothing but "quirky" vocals that sounded forced. You couldn't get away from the big hits, and they really grated badly. Now, I must have somehow refined my tastes, as I actually really enjoyed this. There were moments of annoyance, but these were tempered with moments of appreciation for the ambient music and diversity. I still couldn't bring myself to go with 5 stars, but it's definitely good enough for 4, and I plan to listen to it again, this time a bit sooner than thirty years.

It’s esentric however you spell that. It was fun kinda but ehh for me

Interesting but not to my tastes

Not my type.

Bjork: a pioneer, a pure soul, a dreamweaver. This record threw me around in all kinds of directions. It was so unpredictable yet so cohesive. I felt as if though I was floating above Bjork’s body as she started on her journey through a world so unknown - pouring out every ounce of passion and energy she had to better understand it. It was almost like she looked at me and said “Shhh, just let go and follow me. I will show you a new world.” As soon as I thought the ride was going one way, I was thrown into another realm. I compare it to a video game where I’m in one level and then the next. I bounced around between songs of innocence and beauty to songs that made me want to dance without caring or knowing where I was exactly. Then all of a sudden “Like Someone in Love” comes on and time slows down. It slows down enough to where I can live in the moment. I hear the waves crash and play off of the harp in the background and suddenly everything makes sense. This song serves as a breath of fresh air exhaled into a world of tranquility and freedom. But don’t get too comfortable because then I got thrown into another act of Bjork’s play. It truly felt as if though I was watching her coming of age film. When the album concluded and the opening song “Human Behaviour” restarted - I couldn’t help but picture credits rolling down the screen. What a dream this was. Thank you so much Bjork for such a magical adventure. Favorites: Venus as a Boy, Like Someone in Love, One Day

hard debut

rock n roll(y) but make it eclectic, sad, and happy.

I have listened to Björk when I was younger and at the time I felt like it was more art than listenable music to me. Supposedly this her most accessible album and I loved it. Very much in an electronic music phase and was surprised at how housey some of it is. Deep, dark, fun and bright I really enjoyed the contrast in the songs too

Björk is a singular voice and her music has always reached me on an emotional level. Her live shows are truly something to behold and I believe her music will stand the test of time as one of the boldest and most innovative of her (and my) generation. She's an alien. An Icelandic angel. Debut might be the most accessible record for any Björk newcomers, but that doesn't make it any less distinct or imaginative. It's a daring first effort that will only become more refined and sonically cohesive with each progressive release. Standouts, "Human Behaviour", "Venus as a Boy", "Big Time Sensuality" and "Come to Me" each highlight a different facet of Björk's diverse collection of styles and influences on this album. It's fantastic debut to what would become a legendary career. Fun fact: Björk was the first woman to headline Coachella and the only woman to headline it twice.

Albums like these are what I’m most excited about during this project. Hearing amazing art by artists you love for other amazing works elicits such joy. Like catching glimpses of people you love before you knew them, falling in love with their past selves, recognizing and admiring that they all sprouted from the same person you find so endearing. They were always themselves. Bjork is the empress of contemporary experimental independent music. Her unique phrasing and rhythm, keen musical sense, and broad stylistic palette consistently produces eccentric, ground-breaking music. There are few artist that have an instantly recognizable sound all their own, and Bjork sits high on that council. Her debut to the world on Debut is breathtaking. I was always aware of who Bjork was, aware of her distinct voice, aware of her pretense as a real artist among artists. But I had never really listened to any of her records before 2007’s Volta. Her genius is fresh and raw on every track on Debut. Bjork notably distills the spirit and aesthetic of UK electronic and dance music of that time and fuses it with her traditional musical training and idiosyncratic, navel-gazing persona, creating a novel hybrid pop music that sounds nothing like the inspirations it draws from. She sounds as natural and spontaneous atop a thumping, trance house track (Violently Happy — that echo’d vocal and build mid song!!) as she does within a traditional jazz standard (‘Like Someone In Love’) or on the brass-only finale that is a dead-ringer for the wobbly, off-kilter style of contemporary jazzman Sam Gendel. This is a new favorite of mine, and I’ve been listening to it constantly since it popped up here. Coming in just over 48 minutes across 11 tracks, Bjork traverses an impressive amount of musical territory, and despite her nomadic instincts she effortlessly adorns her stylistic and subjective muses with her trademark, forever-foreign Bjork-ness. Few artist exist who are a genre unto themselves. Bjork may be one of the sharpest examples of this in contemporary music.

Vernieuwend, geweldig gezongen, fris. Niet alle nummers boeien

Human Behaviour Venus As a Boy Big Time Sensuality Violently Happy

Zanimiv ampak ni to zame

not a fan personally

2.5 It was alright I guess. Not desperate to re-listen.

• 3/5 • liked it better than I remembered from the original release • I like the overlay of her sensibilities over the house/dance influences

There's something about her voice, my ears just can't get enough of.

Liked the ending

cool

My favorite song off of this is actually the most listened to one, I love The Anchor Song. the whole album is just vibes and pretty and I enjoy that

Solid 4 for me. Not a play all day on loop kind of album for me, but when I'm feeling Bjorky this Bjorks hard.

Elektro Pop with quirky singing style, strange tempo, frequent langourous drift that fails to deepen mood and instead the longer it goes undermine the themes. Still very different to the 400 something albums on the list so far.

Started out weird and not my thing but actually kinda fuck with most of it.

This album’s great, I get why someone would be inclined to have this. Björk’s vocals are definitely an acquired taste and all the ‘clubby’ tracks like violently happy ,there’s more to life than this and big time sensuality especially could be off putting for some. But I like it, probably my favourite Björk 5/5

++: Human Behaviour, Crying, There's More to Life Than This, Like Someone in Love, Big Time Sensuality, One Day +: Venus as a Boy, Come to Me, The Anchor Song +-: Aeroplane, Violently Happy 8,7/10

Classic Bjork album.

she really does have a distinctive voice doesn’t she. crying is funky i like it. i do seem to like funky and weird choices.

Not my thing but not bad.

I seem to like the idea of, and the artist Björk, better than her music. I really like her eccentricity and she’s got a great voice. The album starts with the banging Human Behaviour, and that’s the absolute highlight, along with Come to Me. Not too much into clubbing.

Not for me

The beginning was a bit slow, but when it reached "Like Someone In Love", it really started to show its best qualities, especially with the more ambient, slow stuff. Pretty cool!

Thought I'd like it more than I would. Some En Vougue vibes at times, I grew up in the 90s so this pop isn't new, it's all my sister listened to. Nothing stands out on this album a whole lot, just got kinda boring.

I'm sorry, I've tried and tried and tried, but... just no.

I'm not mad at it.

Uh, no.

Muy 90'.

The only one of her albums that truly "bumps"!

Quintessential 80s tracks. Enjoyed it. Liked some of their songs that I didn’t even know was theirs!

I really like Bjork, and this album has two of her bigger hits, but it’s a bit too “experimental” to make it amenable to repeat listenings all the way through

3.5

It wasn’t for me. I really liked Crying, but everything else was too slow and all over the place for me. I really wanted to like this, but I think this was my least favorite album so far.

Not as good as I remember, but still great.

So many interesting tidbits here. Not sure it came together for me, though.

Not my favourite Björk. The quiet tracks are nice, but the percussive ones mainly sound dated.

So stylish, so experimental, so....Bjork. From her soaring vocals to the brain-tickling instrumentation Bjork has crafted a statement. and the wild part is, it's not hard to see Björk's influence on vaporwave and current pop through tracks like the dreamy "One Day". I can see how this release may not be for everyone, but if you're willing, Björk will take you somewhere incredible.

Bjorn is ok. She was a cool cooky kid when she started. I respect that. Not my genre tho.

Fantastic. This is better than any of her chart stuff. 5 stars! Never would i thought id enjoy a Bjork album this much.

Nice!

Blind album, know the name and had another album on the list first. I expected so much more since I so many people bring Bjork up, and I was let down. Unbiased rating, honestly a 3. For the hype behind ti's artist and me being let down, I would give it a 1.

One of my favourite projects of her

Glorious. Not quite as cohesive as her later albums, but every song was innovative and interesting

I’m honestly torn on this one. Do I like it? Is it irritating? Is it catchy? Is it excessively quirky? The answer seems to be yes, or no, depending on the track. Björk has a way of creating music that’s impossible to ignore—her voice is undeniably unique, and her fusion of electronic beats with organic sounds feels ahead of its time. There’s no denying the boldness of her approach, but at the same time, it’s easy to find myself wondering if it crosses the line into being excessively “quirky.” Some of the tracks really pull me in with their infectious rhythms, while others have a somewhat grating, experimental edge. It’s a challenging listen, not in the sense of being difficult to appreciate, but in navigating whether I’m fully embracing its oddities or finding them a bit much. At the end of the day, I think I’ll settle on a 3/5. It’s an album I respect, but I’m not sure I’m ready to call myself a full-fledged fan just yet. Score: 3/5

9/10

So weird but so good

The range of influences is so wide there's bits of pop, electronica and jazz. Some of the tracks are avant-garde ballards and some sound like house tracks written by poncey art students. All the different elements are all linked by Björk's really distinctive voice, which provides a nice consistency to the album. I can see some people turned off by her vocals but once I got used to them I found them very enjoyable.

Seems cool. Not all great

What a voice

People pretend to like this for clout

liked parts, but couldn't really get into it

More like a 7/10.

This was a really surprising album. I had absolutely no idea what to expect going into it, but I found myself having a pile of fun while listening to it. It’s funky, it’s tribal at times, and it’s undesputedly catchy. Bjorks vocals range from soft and gentle to almost violent, but it never feels unnatural or too much. It’s also an incredibly interesting journey of a record, which is something I value quite a bit. Looking forward to hearing this one again.

LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO!!!!!!!! i love this album. I LOVE this album. The rhythm of "Human Behavior" is such a bangin' way to open an album. HYPE. "Venus As a Boy" is a classic and one of my favorite love songs. The duality of "There's More to Life Than This" - an infectious, super-danceable electronic record about how there's more to life than dancing and parties - is so brilliant and funny. The way it goes into the slow, gentle, jazzy rendition of the standard "Like Someone in Love" is just... *chef's kiss*. The harp on this track is lovely. "One Day" is just an immaculate, shimmering track, it gives me goosebumps. The run of "One Day", "Aeroplane" and "Come to Me" is just... astounding. There is such an incredible synthesis of dance music, house, acid, pop with a strong infusion of jazz and trip hop and world rhythms on this album. Bjork's lyrics are as distinct and creative as her voice. Nothing like it had been done before and nothing really has been since (except her second, equally excellent, album). God bless Bjork, weirdo genius. A timeless, brilliant work of art. 10/10

This album is devided into two kind of songs for me. I cant resist her unique sound - not only on the hits "Human Behaviour", "Venus As A Boy", "Big Time Sensuality" and "violently happy" but also on "Aeroplane" and "Come To Me". ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ But unfortunately I don´t like all the other tracks! 🤷‍♂️ Therefore weak four stars for her debut. 3,5

I love Bjork. Each of her albums are so unique and this one stands out. Each song on this album could be is own album. Even has some surprises! 5/5

Normally I like weird music, but this doesn't do it for me

Way more fun and dance-y than I anticipated. Really enjoyed.

Love the variety of sound

Interessant musikk. La til to låter på min spilleliste.

This was fun to listen to. Inventive and unique. I especially loved the title, “Violently Happy”

Overall: 7/10 There's really nobody on this planet like Björk. Her music is so interesting and her voice is unique. This isn't my favourite album of hers as I find the songwriting quality to be a little inconsistent but the great tracks hit hard and it's the perfect introduction to the crazy world of Björk. Fav Song: Human Behaviour Least Fav Song: Come to Me

I strongly preferred the songs that relied on the singer-songwriter side of Bjork rather than the techno side, which was to the detriment of this record. She has definite talent, but the further she gets from electronic music the better. Notable Tracks: - Crying - Come to Me - The Anchor Song 4/10

Crying ok, vse drugo niti malo moj stil.

Absolutely not.

Mélodies sympas mais la voix est trop breathy. Aurora did it better

Her voice annoys me

could not finish it, this is awful to me, her singing and the overall style makes me irk. BUT i can see the uniqueness and she's got a bigish cult of followers so yeah not 1 out of respect 1.5 rounding up

The music is good, but Icelandic Yoko Ono strikes again.

I think I can remember many beautiful things by Björk. But somehow I can't think of any at the moment. Well, I didn't particularly like the debut album Debut. Björk's voice is great. But I'm not impressed by the music. The piece Violently Happy got on my nerves at the end. 3/5

Just no

I’ve just never been able to get into Bjork. If it wasn’t for “Venus as a Boy” and “The Anchor Song” this album would be getting 1 star, but those songs are objectively beautiful. Aside from those, though, this album is a mess.

I've always liked Björk and initially planned to give this four stars as I think her later material is a bit more coherent. That said, I gave this two fresh listens right now, and am giving it five stars. There's a real quality to each track, though she's a bit all over the place in this record, moreso than later albums.

Different!

Reviews cannot begin to explain this album. Strangest Bjork album, no. A normal album, also no.

Very different and strange, but not altogether horrible.

Dance music (and Björk's) was never as fun and unique as in this record.

Jazzy, electronic vibes. Not baf

Very interesting album. She's an amazing singer and there's some real variety in style between the songs. They each feel odd in their own way, which is great for a one-off listen but also probably means I won't be coming back to this.

A great album that displays incredible range. "Human Behaviour" defies easy categorization with its driving timpani beat. "Venus as a Boy" is luscious, beautiful, a masterpiece, full stop. A cover of a 40s pop track, why not? And a handful of more danceable tracks. Bjork's unique vocal style (which some might call histrionics) seems to be pretty polarizing, but I generally quite like it. It's an album that isn't afraid to experiment. "Aeroplane" and "The Anchor Song" feature discordant saxophone. It was a bit much for me. "There's More to Life Than This" is also interesting, which its shifting setting, but is a bit too Manic Pixie Dream Girl for me. Maybe it was a less-trodden trope in 1993. Fav tracks: Human Behaviour, Crying, Venus as a Boy, One Day, Come to Me

Nice

The first two songs were so good I was very hopeful for this album. The first half was solid then it turned into more Bjork bullshit in the second half.

A voz de Björk é intrigante, carregada de uma singularidade que chama a atenção desde o primeiro instante. O álbum, de uma forma geral, é desconcertante: suas sonoridades experimentais e arranjos inusitados quebram qualquer noção de convencionalidade. As melodias são únicas e surpreendem a cada nova faixa, deixando-me em um estado de confusão, como se fosse impossível definir se o que estou ouvindo é bom ou ruim. De alguma forma, sua estranheza é o que mais atrai e desafia, fazendo com que a experiência seja fascinante, mas ao mesmo tempo difícil de categorizar... Dito isso, entendo porque faz parte dos 1001 álbuns para escutar antes de morrer.

Unashamedly fun - very pleasantly surprised

Simple and wierd, just how i like Bjork, just can't enjoy it to its full extend, since i felt like i should just relisten to Vespertine

who up bjorkin it right now?

Debut is one of those records that only gets better each time I listen to it. Even as a fan of ‘90s electronica, I used to have a bit of an issue with this record, but that’s dissipated as I’ve grown more comfortable with art pop throughout my life. Side A is pretty much all consistent bangers, while Side B is more obtuse and experimental. Side A does include a strange, ethereal art pop song in “Venus as a Boy,” and “Violently Happy” brings the club to Side B, but that basic framing is why it took me so long to finally accept Debut as a great record. The length of “One Day” and the limp trip-hop of “Come to Me” still stand out as the biggest low points, but a low point from Björk would be another artist’s career high. I – and everyone else here – would’ve probably chosen Post over Debut as the album that belongs on this list; and I will say for the record, Post is one of the greatest albums I’ve ever heard in my life. But that doesn’t mean Debut is worthless. It’s also an incredible album that blends electronic pop with traditional folk in a way that only Björk could accomplish with pose and finesse. Absolutely a great album that gets better the more you sit with it.

Not as wacky as I was expecting.

3 stars for the 3 songs I liked. Hated the rest

So many great songs - it is no wonder she was headlining festivals

It’s good. Holds up well. Has some great songs. But is definitely an acquired taste.

Good soundtrack to a dark, rainy day. Björk’s voice fits this when she’s not screaming. I think I’ve now gotten all of Björk, in reverse order, which makes it seem like she started weird and toned it down, as opposed to the other way around. As it stands, it’s a shame she gave info her worse impulses. Still, definitely not a boring artist, for better or worse.

There are certain albums that you need to be in the right mood for. Today I am in the right mood. Love the voice and the overall quirky feeling

Another surprise. Didn't expect such good production. Very upbeat

Björk's voice is one of the most magical instruments in pop music history. even in the course of a single song, her stylistic range is boundless. something about how her voice raucously floats over these house beats is undeniably infectious. but in between the bangers, there's a dreamy, sensual spirit of romantic ecstasy. it's present on cuts like "Venus as a Boy" and her rendition of "Like Someone in Love", both of which feature some incredible string arrangements, and it's even in some of the icier moments like "One Day", a track that sounds like it would fit right in on SAW 85-92. it's still unbelievable to me that Oliver Lake of World Saxophone Quartet fame has his hands on some of these tracks, especially "Aeroplane", which has a delightfully unconventional arrangement; it's probably the song that most strongly points towards the future of Björk's output. her later albums might be more adventurous musically and conceptually, but her first solo outing sets a tremendous blueprint for her later developments. this is truly a prototypical Björk experience; it's as close as you can get in her discography to a no-frills listen. strong 8/10.

A bit too airy

goodvariedrecord

This was difficult to get through. The sound is lush and interesting, but I just could not get into her vocals at all. It occurred to me that I've known of Bjork for a long time but apparently never knew her music. I guess I am not a fan...

I really like Björk, and I think that this is a very innovative, fun, varried album with a lot going for it. It also feels very much of its time and perhaps a bit dated. This is not my favorite Björk album, and maybe this gets 5 stars from me 20 years ago, but it is still quite strong.

This was an ok album. I was hoping for something a bit deeper but felt is was pretty straightforward euro pop music. I didn’t have time for a second listen so maybe I missed some complexity. 3/5

Very entertaining! Still a bit immature but that's her sound.

I liked it! It's not on the same level as the rest of my 4 stars as far as personal enjoyment goes so I had to give it 3 stars. But it's a good album!

Incredible, Bjork should do house again at this level I forgot how much fun this was

Love!!!

I liked this better than Vespertine. Still not really my thing but it was alright.

I don't love Bjork. She's clearly very talented, and this album is varied and interesting, but I'm not sure that it's actually that great

Great first album from an artist with a huge catalog of great music.

Haven't listened to much of Bjork before, but really enjoyed it. Interesting sound and great voice.

LOVED Can’t believe I haven’t listened to her before

warm, deep, and lustrous - not too many memorable songs, but some lovely vibes and grooves

Not my style. 1/10

Best Bjork effort.

Björk's talent is out of this world. This is an album of the unexpected and the experimental, with a dance beat. I especially love the completely bonkers experience of There's More To Life Than This (live at the Milkbar toilets), but really the whole album is a unique experience and definitely worthy of being in the 1001.

Fav song: Like Someone In Love Trying and failing to resist falling in love with Björk after listening to this album. It’s cutesy and charming but has this super ice cool edge. I LOVE the 90s rave inspired instrumentals to some of these tunes and how they’re thrown in with tracks like ‘Like Someone In Love’. I LOVE how in ‘There’s More To Life Than This’ she dims the instrumental to make it sound like karaoke from outside the booth. I will not become a Björk stan(repeat for infinity)

Just not for me

this is a great mix of fun grooves and experimental, i really enjoyed this album and i think it’s one of her best, a good start to get into björk

Beautiful voice. Very choppy singing style where she seems to sing against the beat of the songs instead of with it. In some ways it's hypnotic. In some ways it's abrasive.

Definitely not boring. Always interesting. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Kind of have to be in the mood to listen to Bjork.

if you’ve ever met this kind of chick before you know they’re insufferable

I first heard Bjork when she was with The Sugarcubes. Life’s Too Good is a phenomenal album and should be included on this list. There is nothing like her voice and it sounds phenomenal on this album. I most enjoy her upbeat songs like Human Behavior. Good stuff!!

ok

This is my third Björk album to review, after Vespertine (4 stars) and Medúlla (2 stars). I really have no idea what to expect from this album, but I think Björk is incredibly talented, so at least I know I'm going to hear something interesting and unique. As an added bonus, I think this will be something nice to listen to on Election Day here in the states, as I resist the urge to eat my weight in cookies and ice cream to ease my anxiety. I thought this album was pretty good. My opinions of Björk as a musician are still very much positive. This album is 100% her creative vision, and for a debut solo album, she took a lot of stylistic risks, which I applaud. Those risks didn't always pay off for me personally though; I enjoyed the songs that were more heavily influenced by dance music than the songs that were more art pop in their sound. Songs like "Crying" and "Big Time Sensuality" were really fun to bop along too; their melodies were really infectious, and Björk's vocal style gave them a unique sound. "There's More to Life Than This" was my favorite song on the album. I loved the crowd noises, and the way the music would fade in and out was absolutely brilliant. It felt like being taken on a journey, and I loved every minute of it. Songs like "Aeroplane," "Violently Happy," and "Venus as a Boy" weren't really my jam; I think I got so used to the other songs that were driven more by traditional hooks that it was tough to enjoy songs that were a less structured. Still, this was a nice album to listen to, and I'm curious as to how I'll feel about the last Björk album that I'll get to review.

I listened to this album soooo many times in the early 90 right after it was published that I then completely stopped and have probably not heard it since 20 years or so ago. After all these years it's once again wonderful to listen to. Lot's of great songs and who knows ... maybe I'll start listening to it more often again.

I do not like Bjork

Venus as a Boy and Human Behavior are awesome. The rest is ethereal björk vibes that I would expect. Never really heard the sexual undertones to her songs until I really listened lol

4.5

I feel like im traveling in different worlds. Maybe there is like a story through this album but idk. Something about love and wishing to have a child? Dont think ive ever listened to Björk and im guessing she has a spesific singing style? Come to me was probs fav Venus as a Boy also good The last song???

BJÖRKK queen. This album is truly a journey worth experiencing!

Not my vibe

Love this album 5

Day 61 - Nov 2, 2024 Call me Bangkok with the ways these songs hit. 5/5

I've never really listened to Bjork before, but based on what I had heard, that it was weird for the sake of being weird and that I really didn't get the appeal. After listening to this album a few times I can say that it's not as weird as I assumed, but I still don't get the appeal.

Commits the cardinal sin of not being quite as good as the albums that came after that are somehow not on the list. There seriously wasn't any room for Homogenic, one of the most influential art pop albums of all time?

Very weird, but in a way I really appreciate.

ótima voz, ótimo albúm.

Excellent debut album. My roomate was a hige Sugarcubes fan, so this got quite a bit of airplay in our house when it first came out.

I liked it well enough and suspect it should’ve gotten more of my attention than I was willing to spare.

Really didn’t get this or it’s popularity, if she had a more striking voice maybe I’d like it

It was ok

Nice voice, delivery similar to Billy Corgan

Some good beats

Good to re-listen to this album

All over the place and very much of its time. But it’s a good start. I prefer Post from this period.

Most accessible record Björk has ever made. A good record that shows her career's trajectory without the navel gazing tendencies her other records have.

I am pretty sure I need to listen to this 5 more times to properly opine. I've tried to get into Bjork over the years, and this was the closest I've been to "getting" it. I can see why people like her, but it still didn't quite blow me away. This rating may change with time, and if nothing else, a closer listen has intrigued me enough to try again soon.

One of those odd albums. Pop but done a lot of different ways. Slow ballads, dance stuff, songs I can’t really describe. Overall I liked it, but probably a little weird to give a raving review.

Odd but good. Didn't really blow me away but enjoyed it all the same.

Enjoyed it.

This sounds like an alien came down to Earth and made an album in the style of Madonna. Said another way, this album is pretty fun, especially for Björk. There are mystical turns, bursts of electronica and dashes of jazz but at it’s core the album is dance pop. Björk’s music can be hit or miss for my taste but this one hit.

Bjork could sing about a garden of roses and it would still sound standoffish and weird in all the best ways. She just has such a colorful aggression in her music that I always tend to forget about and then remember as soon as I press play. There's also this sense of never knowing what is coming next- but not in a cringey "oh this is so random" way more like she is always tinkering and inventing new blends of sounds and doesn't bother with conventions. "Crying" is like Aphex Twin, "There Is More to Life Than This" is a super interesting and at times diagetic new jack swing piece that then transitions into the next song "Like Someone In Love", a beautiful harp jazz ballad.. man this album is incredible. One thing I'd love is for her voice to come up in the mix more. There's times where she is really throwing a lot of energy into her voice for a note or series of notes, but the volume feels just a little bit too much underneath the rest of the band. 3:13 on "Come to Me" comes to mind. We've had a great string of albums in a row here and this continues it. 4.7/5, enough to get the bump up to 5. It's so wonderfully eclectic. I'm really impressed and inspired and wanting to leave my work meetings behind to work on my own music after hearing this again for a second day in a row.

I love This record.

Onverwachtse banger. Dromerige sound, lekkere oldscool poppy trip hop beats. Heel vette stem ook, snap dat dit een iconisch album is.

Too Avant Gard for me.

Love

Okay

How have I never listened to this album before??? Enjoyed this one a lot, wonderfully weird and eclectic.

This is my first exposure to Björk! Omg! I am so pleasantly surprised. Her voice is gorgeous. Add that to the ethereal/electronic dance music throughout the album and I’ll be playing it on repeat.

This fusion of house, ambient, trip-hop, jazz, bollywood and Björk's iconic vocals has been making me happy since 1993.

I LOVED this at the time, but on reflection it isn’t an amazing piece of work

A phenomenal listen

👍

I respect it, I don’t enjoy it.

Not a fan, just noise and annoying singing

More Björk! I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It feels more different than Björk’s other work that I’ve listened to. It’s much more accessible and fun to listen to. As per usual, Björk is great on this album. Her singing really helps sell the album. This album is just fun to listen to, its electronic and dance elements are fun and great. Like from most of what I’ve heard from Björk, it can get a bit out there sometimes. I don’t have a problem with that on this album though. The poetic, emotional and abstract lyricism are still prominent from the last Björk album I listened to, which I appreciate. I’ve come to respect Björk and her work, and this helps me respect her more. Her music is good stuff, and I really enjoyed her international debut here. I really recommend this one! I like the other Björk albums I’ve listened to, but this might be my favorite from her so far. I hope to see more from her. She’s really one of a kind!

Very cool

Bjork is such a talented song-writer. Every song she writes is unique in it's own right. So many interesting beats and timbres. Each song creates a different world encapsulating a myriad of instruments. "Come to Me" invents trip hop before it was a thing. "Like Someone In Love" is straight out of a 1960s movie score. "Big Time Sensuality" is an 80s hit. "Violently Happy" is 90s trance. Pretty sure there was a sea shanty in there somewhere, too. Issue is... I really don't vibe with her voice or vocal melodies. And if that's not right, then I can't fully get into it, as much as I love the instrumental elements of every song. Still couldn't put it lower than a 3 for how revolutionary her sound is and I bet this album alone has inspired countless future producers. 5.5 / 10 TLDR; really impressed, probably won't listen to much of it again.

I like it. Most of it anyway. And it's good music to have in the background while working. Really liked Come to me!

2/5 What a voice, but the backing music just doesn’t do it for me.

Bjork is such a geniusssss this is so good what a great Debut album etc. Such heavenly instrumentals. It truly is a work of art.

im so fucking ill i cant write a review i like this album

I remember when the singles were released from this record, it was like nothing I’d heard before. I remember going to The Muses in Rundle Mall and listening to it start to end because I couldn’t afford to buy it. Nellee Hooper production. Björk being Björk. Really enjoyed everything she did from this thru to Medulla.

I much prefer this album to her more recent music. Im gonna sound a like an old fart when I say that her earlier stuff is more accessible to older ears! Her voice is so beautiful, and her music sounds unique, but it's just not my thing. 3 stars

I was a bit of a ‘theatre kid’ in high school - I have such a fond memory of an interpretive dance we did to ‘Human Behaviour’ which I think was probably the first time I’d heard Björk! This is a great debut album! It’s a little all over the place - but it works!

The moody and tense music is good and Bjork certainly brings plenty of drama to the table. It's quite left field unconventional although there's a club friendly sensibility. There's some interesting song titles, although I'll be damned if I can hear her lyrics. The jury is also still hung over how good her vocals are; I personally find her singing style grates to the point it's tediously annoying.

Passed me by at the time but a great album lots of weird sounds and great ideas. And of course her voice which is fantastic.

Blew me (and everyone else) away, still does. Impressive and unique.

This was a HEAVILY rotated album for me in my teenage years. I particularly like "There's More To Life Than This" with the live recording change with her running into another room and the wonderful pronunciation of "ghettoblaster", which I was never quite sure if it was someone's name. I like the mix of electronic, acoustic, ambient, orchestral, dance... I like the way she sings: Instantly recognisable and varied. I understand why this might bug some people (I get annoyed with Bob Dylan for just doing a Bob Dylan impression all the time. I get it.) but this takes me back to being about 15 in my room with a tape deck, bored, doing homework or playing computer games.

No comment

Excelente

ok

I love the production, the mash up of different styles, the purely 90s electronic London vibes, her vocals and quirkiness. Also the positive energy is just contagious, you can really feel that she enjoyed herself so much while making this record. It's a great album for both - casual playing in the background during work/study and attentive listening on headphones.

If I could only take one artist’s catalog to a desert island, it would be Björk’s. Despite having favorites and least favorites across her 30-plus years as a solo artist, I find everything she’s released to be incredible. Debut embodies a sense of wonder and discovery that transforms everyday life into a fantastical experience. This wonder arises from Björk’s fearless and honest exploration of new musical territory, a hallmark of her work throughout the years. One standout moment for me is the “verse from a bathroom at a club” in “There’s More to Life Than This.” That kind of innovative sound design is a constant in her records. There are no skips on this album for me, making it hard to choose favorites. If I were to introduce a new listener, I’d recommend the singles “Human Behavior,” “Venus as a Boy,” and “Big Time Sensuality.” But these club-centric tracks, along with “Crying,” only scratch the surface of the magic in her repertoire. Songs like “Aeroplane,” “Like Someone in Love,” and “The Anchor Song” showcase her orchestral and jazzy inclinations. “Come to Me” is a trip-hop gem with strings and a vocal performance that perfectly captures the feeling of infatuation, while “Violently Happy” celebrates the manic joy that often accompanies it. Revisiting this album for the millionth time hasn’t revealed anything new—I’ve always known Björk is a creative force like no other. My admiration for her has only grown since 1993 as she continues to explore new worlds. Having attended two of her shows, one at the Fox in Atlanta, and one front row at Roseland Ballroom in NYC, I can say she’s just as captivating and mind blowing live as on her records. Hopefully there’s more of her albums on this list.

Here.We.Go. The Human Behavior music video was my first introduction to Bjork. I was blown away by how cool it was. He voice, too... I had never heard vocals like this, and still haven't. She truly is on a planet by herself. Each album is different and unique. Ever since I heard Bjork for the first time, I had wanted to go to Iceland. I wanted to see what environment could produce this art. I was able to go on my honeymoon. As I drove around ring road, I played her albums and gazed at the scenery. It was constant goosebumps and raised arm hairs. Such beauty, just like Bjork. There's beauty mixed with chaotic jazz in her voice. Every album from her gets a 5 from me. Hard to pick a favorite. I'll give it to Human Behavior, because that is the one that started it, but I also love Like Someone in Love.

I picked this one up when it came out. I never really got into rave culture, but this album seems to transcend much of the electronica at the time with an emphasis not only on beats and dancing but also in adding emotive, free time vocals, and songcraft. To be fair, I haven't heard much of the albums of Roni Size, BT, and the like, but Debut seems to have songs with a beginning, middle, and end, whereas the other electronica I heard from that time seems to be a groove with some variations of it as almost a reference track for DJs to build off of. The songs here are complete, and bring in jazz, electronica, free style, exoctica, and some impressive thumping beats. "Human Behaviour", "Big Time Sensuality," and "Come To Me" were the first songs that jumped out to me, but each track offers worthwhile indulgences in differing directions. Björk's vocal performance is outstanding--somewhat whimsical, bold, fun, confident, squeaking, growling--and the quality in production is worthy of her. The two work perfectly together to create a unique vision of the world. Debut opens the doors to what electronica can be.

This beautiful weirdo. Iceland's own manic pixie dream girl. I was enthralled when this came out; it was so unlike anything else going on at the time. I think my very first Amazon purchase was Gling-Gló, her jazz album with an Icelandic jazz trio; I had worn out Debut and I needed moar! I have a nice memory of going to the Matisse exhibit with my high school art class and listening to this album on my Discman as I walked through the museum, instead of the audio tour headphones they handed out to us. Some of the housey elements do seem of their era, but overall, this album still holds up and remains special to me.

I listened to this and the words that came to mind were unconventional and dissonance. Bjork is a unique person with a unique singing style. Her timing almost seems off sometimes on what she sings, but it's not. Her note selection sometimes seems to fall a bit outside of the chord structure of the backing music, but all of that serves to keep things interesting. I like the tone of her voice also when it sounds a bit raspy. This is definitely a 90s sounding album. This was my second time listening to it. It didn't blow me away but then it wasn't bad either. Human Behavior and Come To Me were standouts.

I really like her voice I just think the instrumentals are a bit sparse for my taste

There's a fine line when you stray from what's come before. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Same with music that is a little "quirky". Bjork pulls it off (whereas, in my opinion, Joni Mitchell does not.) The quirkiness works. The distinctive voice works, along with the growls. Yet, I can also see how this wouldn't click with a lot of people. Yet it clicks with me, and I appreciate the quirks and the novelty.

This was weird af

Masterpiece. This album is Bjork at her weirdest, creative, beautiful best.

The last great thing Bjork did. 4.4

good album! i like bjorks stuff, but sometimes its not what i need. 3.5/5

When I was in seventh grade we had to pick a country to spend the entire year studying: each month we would write a report on an aspect of their culture, history, cuisine, etc etc. I picked Iceland, probably because I liked the flag. I distinctly remember buying Bjork's Debut at Sam Goody, as well as Weird Al's Bad Hair Day, for my own personal research. A highlight of that grade (a cruddy time as middle school can only be) was our final presentation in the gym, where we each set up booths with all our crafts and research. I forget what food I served, but I remember playing Human Behaviour on a loop and infuriating my neighbor, Ireland.

Not my kind of music. Sounds too much like Jazz.

This is absolutely amazing. I now understand why Mitski is one of the only trendy pop artists I Iike. The influence on modern "experimental" pop is so clear. Can't wait to get more Björk on this list.

just keeps getting better

Il y a des albums qui, sans être des chefs-d'oeuvre absolus, ouvrent une brèche vers un univers tellement singulier qu'on leur pardonne volontiers leurs rides et leurs petites faiblesses. "Debut" de Björk, c'est exactement ça, une sorte de baptême du feu, un "Bonjour, je suis là et vous n'avez encore rien vu", lancé à la face d'un monde musical qui, en 1993, ne savait pas trop sur quel pied danser. Remettons-nous dans le contexte, nous sommes en 1993, Kurt Cobain a déjà tout hurlé et s'apprête à tirer sa révérence, laissant le grunge exsangue. De l'autre côté de la Manche, une armée de mecs en anorak commence à nous expliquer que la vie moderne est nulle ("Modern Life is Rubbish" de Blur sort la même année) et que le salut viendra d'une guitare Gretsch et d'une coupe au bol. L'indie rock, mon fond de commerce de l'époque, se regarde un peu le nombril, entre deux riffs lo-fi. Et au milieu de ce foutoir, débarque une Islandaise, pas tout à fait une inconnue pour ceux qui avaient suivi les frasques post-punk des Sugarcubes, mais qui décide de tout plaquer pour s'installer à Londres et s'encanailler avec la scène électronique. Le titre, "Debut", est à la fois une vérité et une petite pirouette. C'est son premier album solo officiel en tant qu'adulte, mais les vrais fétichistes savent qu'elle avait déjà commis un disque à l'âge de 12 ans en 1977, une bizarrerie locale remplie de reprises en islandais. Mais oublions l'anecdote. Ici, c'est une véritable naissance, la mue d'une chanteuse de groupe un peu barrée en une artiste totale, prête à bouffer le monde. Et pour ce faire, elle s'acoquine avec Nellee Hooper, le type qui a façonné le son de Soul II Soul et Massive Attack. Un choix qui n'a rien d'anodin, l'influence du "son de Bristol" est palpable, mais Björk le passe à la moulinette de sa propre excentricité. Le problème, c'est que trente ans plus tard, la production sent parfois la naphtaline. On est en plein dans l'eurodance et la house "bon goût" du début des années 90, avec ses boîtes à rythmes un peu rigides, ses nappes de synthé qui aujourd'hui sonnent comme une vieille compilation Dance Machine. C'est ça, le fameux "coup de vieux" que l'on ressent, c'est un son daté, marqué au fer rouge par son époque. Quand on a connu, comme moi, l'explosion de l'électro plus brute et cérébrale de la fin de la décennie avec des gens comme Aphex Twin ou Underworld, on ne peut s'empêcher de trouver ça un peu propret. Pourtant, malgré ce vernis qui s'est un peu écaillé, l'album tient encore debout. Et il tient debout grâce à une chose : les chansons. Ou plutôt, une poignée de chansons. Car, soyons honnêtes, "Debut" est un disque à deux vitesses. D'un côté, il y a les singles, d'une efficacité redoutable, des missiles pop qui ont squatté les ondes et les clips sur MTV. "Human Behaviour", avec son rythme tribal et son clip génial de Michel Gondry, reste un classique absolu. On y sent toute la folie douce du personnage, cette vision enfantine et animale de l'humanité. "Venus as a Boy", avec ses cordes bollywoodiennes et sa sensualité à fleur de peau, est une merveille de délicatesse. "Big Time Sensuality" et "Violently Happy" sont des bombes pour le dancefloor, des hymnes à la joie un peu hystériques qui, à l'époque, détonnaient franchement. Ces morceaux sont la vitrine, la raison pour laquelle des millions de gens ont découvert cette voix venue d'ailleurs, capable de passer du murmure à l'éruption volcanique en une fraction de seconde. Et puis, il y a le reste, des titres beaucoup plus anecdotiques. "Aeroplane" et ses airs de jazz de salon, la reprise un peu mièvre de "Like Someone in Love"... On sent que l'artiste se cherche, qu'elle explore des pistes qu'elle abandonnera par la suite. C'est le carnet de croquis d'une musicienne en devenir. Elle a elle-même avoué plus tard que cet album était pour elle une sorte de "répétition", une compilation de mélodies écrites pendant son adolescence. C'est touchant de sincérité et ça explique ce côté un peu disparate. Alors, pourquoi ce disque est-il dans cette fameuse liste des "1001 albums" ? Parce qu'il est un document. Le témoignage brut de l'éclosion d'une des artistes les plus importantes et iconoclastes des trente dernières années. C'est l'instant T où une créature musicale unique a décidé de prendre son envol, avec ses maladresses et ses fulgurances. On sent la liberté, l'excitation de la découverte, une forme de naïveté touchante avant qu'elle ne devienne la prêtresse de l'avant-garde sur des albums bien plus maîtrisés comme "Homogenic" ou "Vespertine". Ce n'est pas son meilleur disque, loin de là. C'est un album que j'écoute avec une certaine tendresse, comme on regarde de vieilles photos. On sourit du style vestimentaire, on se souvient de l'époque, mais on ne s'habillerait plus comme ça aujourd'hui. Mon 3 sur 5 est là pour ça : saluer l'importance historique, l'audace, la naissance d'un monstre sacré, tout en admettant que la magie a un peu pâli avec le temps. C'est un disque imparfait, inégal, parfois un peu kitsch, mais il est la première page d'une histoire fascinante. Et rien que pour ça, il reste un album à découvrir, ne serait-ce que pour comprendre d'où vient le volcan.

Some great tracks

...

Beautiful at times.

This is the first Björk album I’ve listened to in full. A friend recommended her to me a while ago, but I never really gave her music a proper listen until now. I’m glad I finally did — it was quite an experience! I absolutely love the electronic elements on this album, and Björk’s voice is something otherworldly. Truly a unique album!

It's Bjork bjork-ing out. Odd, lovely, and interesting. The first three songs are bangers, but then things get a bit spotty. Her voice becomes part of the lush soundscape at times. Highlights: "Human Behaviour" (cool percussive backing track to Bjork's mutters and wails), "Crying" (catchy piano line running through the song), "Venus as a Boy" (almost sounds like gamelan music rhythmically, I like the swooping strings), "Aeroplane" (the swinging horns give it a different flavor) Notable: "There's More to Life Than This" (the part where the music randomly lowers in volumes and her vocals are loud is off-putting)

My favorite Bjork album

This started off really strong, I loved the rhythm and vibe of the percussion in Human Behaviour. We then transitioned into very quintessential European disco vibes and then randomly had this beautiful harp centred tune in Like Someone In Love which felt like the background tune in a film about a couple who met at a rave and then fell in love during an MDMA comedown, and then straight back into the disco scene. The only reason why this wasn't a 5/5 was because the second half of the album felt a bit lackluster. That in mind I adored The Anchor Song, it was perfect as the final song of the album

Never heard this before, interesting to say the least. I can't deny the talent, but I think I haven't yet acquired an affinity for Bjork. Nice to be exposed to something new though.

This has been a favorite album of mine for a LONG time now. So many great tunes on this one!

Liked it, very 2000s/2010s indie teen movie. Probably wouldn’t play it through again but I didn’t mind it while it was on!

What an incredible album from such an incredible artist!

I loved this when it first came out and haven’t listened to it for so so long, which is a shame because it’s still brilliant

Debut by Björk is an exceptional first album that showcases her unique sound and creativity. Songs like "Human Behaviour" and "Venus as a Boy" stand out as timeless pieces. Björk's experimental yet accessible approach makes Debut a must-listen for anyone who appreciates innovative music. I highly recommend it to everyone looking for something fresh and groundbreaking.

Very interesting album, not the best I've heard from bjork

I thoroughly.enjoyed this album start to finish. It's going in the rotation for sure

Not my cup of tea really but enjoyed Violently Happy

i love it so much

This was not my cup of tea. There were a couple songs that I really enjoyed, where the production felt like a clear precursor to what is now EDM, and her voice layered smoothly on top of it while maintaining a certain sharpness. Through the rest of the album, the production seemed disjointed at best, lacking melody and not finding pleasant rhythms. The vocal sharpness that gave necessary punch to the few enjoyable tracks was grating elsewhere. 2 / 10

definitely not an album I'll listen to again all the way through but good for my music & music history knowledge no doubt

There is only one Bjork. Some great ones on e here but not every song killed it.

Somehow very of its time and ahead of its time

Not a fan. :(

2024-09-21...

It's so late 80s/early 90s sounding. It's so jangly. Not a fan. I couldn't say I enjoyed one song.

Only had a few highlights for me, the other songs kinda seemed unremarkable. But on the other hand I don’t really listen to this kind of music so I’m definitely not the authority here. 2.3/5 I guess because, while it is definitely not my style, it is not terrible whatsoever.

Love it

About half of the album is great, the other half is awful. Favorite song: human behaviour.

It was ok. I didn't manage to give it my full attention but definitely less interesting to me than queen and the yeah yeah yeahs

Some good songs - Classic early Bjork

I never would have thought that I would like this album, and it is not in my wheelhouse, but it is really good. I enjoyed it way more than I expected. I will listen to this again…and maybe again.

I like Bjork, didn't really like the album.

Maybe because I’m not familiar with her work and it’s from a long time ago, I fail to appreciate the hype. But she does have a nice style of alternative music

Sometimes I like Bjork and sometimes I don't. This time I did.

❤️❤️/5

Great

I'm going to take this opportunity to educate some people: it's pronounced "Byerk", if I hear one more person say "Byawk" I may just have to end the human race.

It was alright.

More digestible than the last two. Still weird though.

Idk if this is an evolution of me or like a de-evolution of Björk and this album is just less quirky than her later ones but I really like this

6/10 - This bjork album really had the energy of bjork sings and then someone in a different room plays whatever they want on an instrument or two and then someone else finds some nature sound to throw in the background. They then submit the music without listening. Like someone in love is the epitome of this. I liked Big Time Sensuality and Play Dead. Somehow Bjork always makes something I like.

Bjonk

Not a fan

Gran disco!!! Muy innovador para el momento que salió. Un gusto revisitarlo

There are some wonderful songs here. Björk's vocals are really unique and beautiful.

Classy

She has a great voice, though the child voice on certain songs was not necessary. I enjoyed the variety on the album.

She has a distinct voice and I thought the instruments she used was solid and unexpected

Okay look I'm sure this was all cool and innovative and boundary pushing when it came out but that was 31 years ago and I'm not sure it has retained that. The biggest problem I have with this is her voice. I know she's speaking English but I have no idea what she's saying about 90% of the time. The music is cool and funky though which is nice but most of the songs kinda sound the same and again, not a fan of her voice. Also the sweater she's wearing looks really itchy.

so the album started strong-the heavy, drum forward sound on Human Behavior was great, and her vocals worked well with the sound. that was the best track off the album, all the rest were just a mess. the electronic/house music/over sampled & produced sounds plus the baby talk/shouting/out of control vocals were tiring.

What a fantastic album. Feels like an exercise in expression, rather than a commercial product per se; once you allow her to take you on her story, it's a joy to be led through the various spaces she creates. It's spacious, it's often beatless, and it's singular. I love it.

I thought Bjork was more slow, so I was a little surprised of the electric dance beats. I really enjoyed Human Behavior and One day. I was sitting outside on a beautiful day watching the clouds and that was the perfect setting for Venus as a Boy. Overall though, I don't know if I like her voice and vocal style with the techno sound. I love the voice and the sound separately. But I would love the songs with more folk sound to match her voice better. But she really has a beautiful calmness to her music that I appreciate.

This was a cool album. I love the variety of instruments and types of songs too. I gravitate more towards the dancy ones, they are super fun, but the slow songs are unique and interesting too. Overall pretty great!

Always found Bjork a bit hit and miss in the past and thought her albums were a little all over the shop but really liked this one. Might be time to delve into her back catalog a bit more

En mi opinión, el mejor álbum de Björk. Claramente, estoy equivocado, porque la exitosa experimentación que la artista islándica mostró a lo largo de su carrera es diga de aplausos, y su aporte a la cultura de la música alternativa es innegable. Y a pesar de todo esto; a pesar de que puedo reconocer la grandeza de la artista, debo admitir, que no me puede gustar. No logro disfrutarla. Quizá soy demasiado tonto, pero su música no es para mí. De todas formas, la recomiendo; si es lo tuyo, bien por ti.

Truly amazing. Original, Deep. Lags a bit and has some house/technonelements that I could do without

Definitely not the best album I've listened too. Weirdly I prefer the Mongolian throat singing album from Björk.

dacht dat dit een band was maar prima album hoor

Some good tracks, with the standout being Human Behaviour for me. Will always suffer a bit from a slightly abrasive vocal style, so I can only enjoy it in small doses.

This is #day17 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I was kind of rough when I first reviewed this record, so I decided to revisit it. Maybe I want to try to like her, or maybe just understand her better. Either way, you can't deny there's no one quite like Björk. Debut opens up a one-of-a-kind world of eccentricity and atmosphere. The '90s UK dance and trip-hop influences are unmistakable. But there's more going on here than just that. Personal highlights: "Human Behaviour" and "Venus As A Boy," among a few others. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5. Still think that she's overrepresented on this list. Looking forward to #day18.

At first, got kind of whimsical/ chill vibes- like i would listen to it on a rainy day to relax. Towards the end some of them gave a disco/dance vibe that i liked

2nd half saved the first half. Favorite Track: Violently Happy

Out of all the albums I’ve heard from Björk, “Debut” stands out the most to me. What makes this album my favorite is its ability to balance a variety of different elements seamlessly. It’s innovative and forward-thinking, incorporating experimental sounds with lush elements like trip-hop and house music. This balance makes “Debut” the album I return to the most, as it is easier to absorb in everyday moods or environments. Since “Debut,” it seems Björk has focused more on the experimental route, putting all her eggs in one basket. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it does require a specific mood and mindset to fully appreciate. I love experimental music, but sometimes it feels like artists are just throwing random elements together and calling it experimental art. However, when someone like Björk approaches a project like “Debut” with an innovative mindset and uses unconventional tools and methods within a more structured framework, it creates something that’s more easily enjoyable for the listener. This balance of innovation and accessibility can be more challenging to achieve than pure experimentation. I will end on a high note by saying Björk has always pushed the boundaries of music, so you have to give credit where credit is due. For personal enjoyment, though, “Debut” is my favorite album.

Legal, vou ouvir mais

Ahh, Debut. I remember when it came out. Loved it then, love it now. Joyful is the best word for this one. It makes me feel happy about the world and that is no mean feat. No brainer 5*

Not bad, best Icelandic i heard

I remember the first time I saw the video for Human Behavior. I was a teenager shopping in the young men's area of a famous department store at the mall. It might have been Belk or JCPenney. I don't even think the music was on, just the images of super cute Bjork sitting at a table in the red-shaded belly of a giant stuffed bear. I remember thinking that it was weird and interesting. I wouldn't hear the music until later, which was in line with how I discovered a lot of new music in the 90s, when there was still a lot of mystery surrounding enigmatic artists and no easily accessible way to learn about them. Post was a much bigger deal on MTV than Debut was, and my first college roommate was a big Björk fan, so we listened to her first two albums a lot. He even had her live performance on VHS. All of that is to say that I've heard this album many times over the years and have always found it appealing as an attractively raw first effort from an artist who was on an obvious trajectory of maturity from making poppy Icelandic alternative music with the Sugarcubes to creating some of the most unique music of the 90s. Even though I connect less with her output over the last twenty years than I did with her first three bangers from the 90s (Debut, Post, and Homogenic), I had become convinced that the woman is a genius who, in middle age, has come into her full power. I don't know if it was my teenage ears, my crappy stereo systems, or potentially poor 90s loudness war mastering of any album with a danceable beat, but I have a renewed and stronger appreciation for Debut after listening to it on a high-quality track streamed through my much-improved stereo system. A good master through a good stereo reveals this album to be far more nuanced and layered than I ever realized. For example, the environmental and incidental sounds that permeate most of the tracks and link them together were always there, but are now much more apparent and create an atmosphere of presence and immediacy that render some of the more fun, but gimmicky moments, such as the bathroom stall segment of "There's More to Life Than This," as more of a consistent artistic statement. Debut might actually be a low-key concept record detailing a wild, yet intimate party scene in a European city. Even her always deliberate vocal squeaks seem more purposeful now. No matter what her image in the media was in the 90s, I've always known that Björk was more than just a quirky manic pixie, but this listen brought into focus the impression that she wasn't a talented artist who grew into a genius. She was always a genius, expressing herself in a way that was authentic at any given moment. A critical listen to this album put me in the mindset of Kate Bush's The Hounds of Love, which, to me, is the bar for female-centered progressive pop-music-as-artistic achievement and studio wizardry. And while I don't think Debut quite reaches that level of brilliance, it's still a top-tier statement, and one that still has surprises more than three decades on. Five stars.

i'm sorry but I don't get it, as many times as I ried listening to her music

I knew of Bjork and due to this project had listened to two of her other albums (Medulla and Vespertine). I can't say I would listen to either again as I did not care for one of them and the other was so weird that I found it interesting. I am familiar with a few of these songs though and I found this to be a pretty good album. Venus as a Boy and Human Behavior are the two songs I am most acquainted with but the first half of this album has zero skips. To my 2024 ears some of this music sounds "been there done that" in terms of the quirky sound and the different instrumentation on each track. For 1993 though, this was pretty revolutionary as there is house music and just an overall feel she had no preference to stick with more conventional sounds. I enjoyed this album and think of all the Bjork albums I have heard, this is the one to listen to.

A damn classic. Still my favorite Bjork album to date. Perfection start to finish!

This is great. At places It’s like a chill out Balearics album with a random Icelandic girl chatting loudly over the top (track 4 is literally this) 3.5 but rounded up to 4

Has some haunting songs, while others are upbeat and fun. Wide range really keeps you engaged throughout the album. Album is the definition of Avant-garde

Not for me.

Not a fan it just went over my head and it was not poppy enough for me but that is fine for some people just not me.

Part performance art, part dance album. Bjork really did something unique and interesting with this release. I listen to Human Behavior and Venus as a Boy a few times a year when it comes up in my mix.

Different in a good way. The album covered a range of emotions, and the singer matched that powerfully with her voice. I am impressed by how emotive she was.

3/5

I can see some songs as good workout songs. It is an interesting sound. Makes me think of Techno-funk with a strong vocal. Not really my style but not all bad.

I've never really been a big fan of hers. This album is just mediocre, although it's better than some of the other albums I've been given from this site.

Loved this. This hit me hard and swept me up and along until the end. The songs are extremely varied but all have their place. I've listened to some Bjork before but never album by album. That will change now. Standout Track: Big Time Sensuality

I am not sure why, but I like Bjork and this record.

Couple nice rhythms on here, but it's mostly just plaintive and weird.

En vrai jme le suis pris

Call it Human Behavior, but this one left me Crying Like Someone In Love. Just Violently Happy.

I should listen to more Bjork

Thoughts on Bjork, Debut: Am I crazy for getting Peter Gabriel vibes from this? Some of that is the rhythmic qualities. Some of that is the bizarre theatricality. But a lot of it is just the genius on display. There are very few artists who can ever say they were writing at this level. She's tapped into something otherworldly. Love how many brass parts there are throughout the album. The closer "The Anchor Song" in particular. Those jazz influences are on stark display. A lot of the music sounds VERY 90s, but never in a hopelessly dated way, more in a "this is the very best this decade had to offer" kind of way. "Violently Happy" is maybe the best example of this. It's a vaguely techno infused track that could easily have appeared on any number of 90s movie soundtracks. Hackers, anyone? The Matrix? A few songs have the PSOS problem - "poem stapled onto song". You can hear that she's making up the melody as she goes, and not in a good way. But I defy anyone to listen to this album and not come away with the certainty they've witnessed a work of genius. "Human Behavior" and "Venus As a Boy" in particular are haunting, catchy, captivating, and utterly weird.

Fjör stars

Fun, enjoyable and never boring. The album is pretty cohesive in sense of it's overall flowey and light tone. It's pretty adventurous as well!

I really wanted to like this a lot more than I did. Definitely preferred the Sugercubes' album, but I possibly need to try this again, but on first listen it's pretty repetitive and fairly grating with it.

Not as bad as the other one but still not my thang

I usually cant stand Bjork but this wasnt bad. Its just delightfully weird enough to listen to, Bjorks vocals still irk me but the production behind this album was wya more coherent than I'm used to hearing from her. There is More to Life Than This is a perfect example, its fun and weird all at once.

This album was great! I didn’t love the other Bjork album we got and didn’t have high hopes for this one. But then it was just a really fun 90s euro dance album. Madonna take notes!