Debut

An icë-cöld bjänger

Every fibre of my being tells me to hate this. But… I don’t. Maybe it’s because I’m familiar with some of the songs, which are quite catchy in their own right, and the occasional vocal peculiarities, grunts and shrieks seem more incidental than central (a trait that she reversed in her later albums to the point of becoming extremely irritating). For now, she stays just on the right side of weird and quirky, and as a debut that makes this interesting and intriguing.

Loved it beautiful voice und abwechslungsreich

Eipä ole ollut Björk itsellä sen koommin kuuntelussa. Eikä taida tulla tämänkään jälkeen. ⭐️⭐️

Very interesting album, good songs, I will return here more times.

This is a classic album. Björk redeems herself after the meh of Stick Around for Joy. This is a statement of a way forward. Love this album (5/5)

It's fine but I was expecting something more out there, maybe.

Boring, not my type of jam.

Some songs I really enjoyed, some songs I had to skip. Overall, I don't think I'm a Bjork gal, but was interesting to revisit.

I’m glad to live in a world with Björn in it. Her version of ‘Like Someone in Love’ is breathtaking.

7.75/10 - A really strong debut. Lays the foundation of where she is going to go. She always seems willing to take a risk and I’m sure this was a risk as a debut.

it's fine?

Very good first solo reverse. I love her voice. Noce variety of sobgs.

2/3

Björk's first outing as a solo artist (fittingly called Debut) is s big departure from the pop-rock of her previous band, The Sugarcubes. So much so that I think it's fair to say that the experimental electronica heavy album was mind-blowing when it hit shelves in 2003. There was already a fever pitch for Debut before then thanks to Human Behavior and its amazing video directed by Michel Gondry, but nothing could really prepare you for the absolutely wild ride of the complete record. There's absolutely nothing like it, and the only artist that can outdo Björk is Björk.

Excellent Avant garde Dance pop. Just think how much better she would be if wrote melodies for her songs.

bjork and bareback

это плохо. очень плохо. звучит как очень плохая музыка для лифтов или саундтреки для магазина одежды для крутых подростков. запоминающихся треков здесь просто нет, я слушал альбом пока ехал домой и не запомнил ничего отсюда. вокал просто не в тему, такое ощущение что его делали наугад. из плюсов, есть пара хороших инструменталов, которые в итоге всё равно портят плохим вокалом. мой вердик: 2/5, только потому что местами тут встречаются неплохие инструменталы

good album

Enough classic tracks here to forgive the occasional bit of weirdness. I don't care if the production has aged, it sounded amazing then and still holds up now.

Iconic album cover.

A fantastic listen. Familiar with her popular work; first time through. Hints of XX musically. Great energy. 4/5

Ever since I started this project, I’ve been intentionally refusing to listen to bjork because i wanted an unbiased review when i got one of her albums. Well now i finally got one of them and all i can say is that i get why people like it. I mean, i like it but it definitely has flaws. Ahh, i cant tell if i like it or not. Im going insane.

Great songwriter Amazing singer Legendary blueliner

This was kind of weird, more tolerable than I was thinking starting in. But in the end never grabbed me, really boring, probably not driving music.

I feel like I've heard jokes about Bjork way more than I've heard Bjork's actual music. I thought it would be more out-there, but that's not to say that it's not still very out-there. It's unconventional enough to be not-very-pleasant, but it's not SO unconventional that it loops back around to being interesting. It's just kind of boring.

I did not get this. Some parts were okay but it was all over the map and most was not enjoyable.

2 Bjork albums in a week is too much. Remember when this came out, it was a bit alien and strange. But actually just listening and not watching the videos which is how I would have caught it at the time in the days of music tv channels it isn’t actually that strange or odd. It’s not as avant garde as I pictured it. It’s actually not as bad or clashing rough sounding as I thought I remembered it, not nearly as dissonant as was expecting. Not going to say I am ever going to be a fan of it, and without the strings of the other album didn’t quite enjoy as much. Each to own, not going to understand the absolute adoration but that’s music. Still think her attempts at the torch 1930s styling singing thing is terrible, but at least not her so quiet song here, visually more quirky than the actual music is, 2.5 Star

1993. Debut studio album. First recording following the dissolution of her previous band, the Sugarcubes. Drew from an eclectic variety of styles.

7/10 Coming a year after the breakup of her former band, the Sugarcubes, Björk’s “Debut” is actually her 9th studio album, including the one she released as an 11-year-old and as a member of various bands. This is the true start of her personal artistic expression, however, so it’s something of a fresh start for her. As a committed Björk devotee, this is a record that I know incredibly well, however isn’t one that I listen to often, with much of her later output getting preference for me personally. With that in mind, this was an interesting revisit to a classic recording at the start of a phenomenal and intriguing solo career. Looking back on this with fresh ears, there are clear moments of great quality that suggest the direction of travel that Björk would take with her subsequent albums. Venus As A Boy is stunning, and showcases the harmonic quality of Björk’s writing, but also her ear for a delicious and hooky melody, as well as the whimsical charm that she has come to be known for. Come to Me is of a similar sonic quality, with both of those songs foreshadowing the work that would follow on the next three of her releases. There are even hints of work that would come much later down the line, with tracks like Aeroplane and The Anchor Song, which called Fossora, her most recent album to mind. With that being said, you can definitely hear that Björk is in the nascent stage of her personal musical development. The complexity and deftness of her work isn’t yet fully formed, and there are times when things feel a touch underdeveloped. I actually feel like the co-writes with Nellee Hooper are actually where the bulk of the weakest tracks on the album lie. There’s a very 90s UK dance style to those tracks sonically, but also from a structural and developmental point of view, with a lot of loops and structure dictated by the addition and subtraction of loops, rather than actual musical development. The sonic palette of the record is also very much of its era, which doesn’t help the record to stand up as well as it could do with a more neutral audio signature. Aside from those elements, it’s always a delight to hear Björk’s unique approach to vocals, and her artistic charm and charisma always carries an album. So while this album does feel a little weaker, over 30 years later, it’s still lovely to hear where such a phenomenal journey began, and there is still enough quality present to make this a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging release. Human Behaviour - Sonically, this is very typical of early 90s UK electronic dance music, but it’s given extra life and quality by Björk’s melodic writing and vocal performance. The rolling, bubbling rhythms are pretty solid, and there are definitely some interesting harmonic choices in there that help lift this up above more routine examples of the underlying genre. It feels like it’s aged a bit, but still works. Crying - Similarly to the last track, the beats and monophonic piano line are very of their time. The bounce to the beat is great, and the pre-chorus delivers a fantastic atmospheric build into the chorus. There are some great bits of orchestration and sound design, including the bell tones particularly, and the vocal is wonderful, but musically, this isn’t as rich as Björk’s work would become and is definitely more representative of dance music sample layering of the time. Venus As A Boy - But now we’re cooking. Perhaps, this is in part due to the fact that this is the first solo writing credit on the album for Björk herself, but the orchestration and harmonic structure of the writing feels much more considered and coherent. Melodically this is magical, and the swirling nature of the different tonal elements really paint a beautiful sonic picture. It’s a wide open composition that has well managed movements and every single part pulls together towards a unifying aim. It’s a masterpiece. There's More To Life Than This (Recorded Live At The Milk Bar Toilets) - This is quite an intriguing concept for a song. Musically, it’s fairly limited, but the execution is great, and the vocal performance, ambience and sound design elements of it are really good. She’s clearly finding her footing with musical experimentation, which is to be applauded, and the ideas are pretty cool, but it’s not the most musically fulfilling song. Like Someone In Love - And now it’s Björk’s take on a jazz standard, a trick she would repeat on Post. It’s a stripped back arrangement of vocal, harp and sound effects, with a touch of string work later on. But it’s mainly a showcase of her emotive, nuanced and powerful vocal delivery. The harp work is lovely, and it’s a really nice palate cleanser from the more electronic work across the rest of the album. Very pretty and it holds up well. Big Time Sensuality - Super 90’s synths ahoy! It’s a banger of a track though. Melodically, it’s incredibly hooky, and that chorus is absolutely killer. There’s so much personality too, despite the fairly generic sound palette, and the groove is brilliantly bouncy. There is a bit of sonic range brought in here and there with the addition of bits like the sax and the electric piano work that floats over the top. Björk just sounds like she’s having the best fucking time, and it’s so infectious. One Day - This is a bit more stripped back again, with a more nuanced sound palette. There are some interesting musical choices, like when she drifts off into the overlapping layered “one day” vocals. I’m not completely sold on the brass sample, but outside of that, I think this takes things in an interesting and slightly more ambient direction. Aeroplane - Again, we’re delving into the slightly more obtuse end of Björk’s musical decision making. I’m here for it though. She creates these passages with bubbling tension and unconventional harmonic layering across the woodwind instruments. The melodic work is great, but it’s made to sound almost disturbing due to the way the harmonies are structured. This and Anchor Song really foreshadow where she would go on Fossora nearly 30 years later, but this works brilliantly in the sonic space of this album too. Come To Me - Is it possible to be beautifully menacing? Perhaps. There’s so much beauty to this, and the main soaring vocal line is stunning, but there’s just this little undercurrent that she dips in and out of that feels almost threatening. She’s like a siren drawing a ship onto the rocks. You know something’s wrong, but you’re being drawn in regardless because it’s so pretty. The orchestration is stunning and along with Venus As A Boy, it’s probably one of the main indicators as to the harmonic strength of Björk’s writing ability. Gorgeous. Violently Happy - 90’s dance music, baby! It’s actually a bit more of a subtle interpretation, with the dance music work occupying the background and a very strong and forward focus on the vocal work. There’s some great production work in the background and some solid bits of synth programming work and groove generation, while never overwhelming the melodic focus of the vocal. The atmosphere and vibe is great and it’s another that works very well despite sounding like it’s aged a bit. The Anchor Song - Again, there’s foreshadowing of Fossora here. The writing of the woodwind is lovely and has such an interesting texture. I love that she’s rounded out the album with a track like this, because it’s so musically interesting and such a sonic departure from the rest of the record. There’s great dynamic and an interesting layered approach to harmony that works so well with her roaming, narrative driven approach to melody. Lovely.

Mit Debut legte die Isländerin Björk im Juli 1993 nach dem Ende der Sugarcubes ihr erstes internationales Soloalbum vor, erschienen bei One Little Indian, in den USA bei Elektra. Aufgenommen wurde ab 1991, fertig war es Anfang 1993. Die Sessions verteilten sich auf sieben Londoner Studios (Wild Bunch, Olympic, Townhouse, Livingston, Matrix, Swanyard, Workhouse), dazu kamen das Beats Studio in Bombay und das Summa Studio in Los Angeles. Produzent Nellee Hooper zog die Songs in Richtung House, Trip-Hop und Art-Pop. „Human Behaviour” rollt auf Pauken und einem Jobim-Sample und ist aus der Sicht eines Tiers gesungen. „Venus as a Boy” bekam seine Streicher aus Indien, ebenso „Come to Me”. „Big Time Sensuality” und „Violently Happy” gehören der Tanzfläche, das zweite stottert sich regelrecht in den Rausch hinein. „Like Someone in Love” ist ein Jazzstandard mit Harfe und Streichern. „The Anchor Song” setzt auf Bläser und hat Björk allein produziert. Gleichmäßig stark ist das nicht. „There’s More to Life Than This” lebt zu sehr von der Pointe, in den Toiletten der Milk Bar aufgenommen zu sein, und „Come To Me” bleibt neben den Singles blass. Dass das Album trotzdem zusammenhält, liegt an der Stimme: Sie springt zwischen Jazz, Techno und Bollywood-Streichern, ohne dass man ihr je die Mühe anmerkt. Björk sprach später selbst von einem Probelauf – für ein Debüt klingt er erstaunlich fertig.

Dance club flashback album

Good, but not sure I've quite got it. I feel like later albums are more exciting.

Esta muy bueno. Es algo distinto, medio raro pero suena bien.

I like some of the music, but can we do something about the horrible wailing? I've had people try getting me into Bjork for years. Fetch will happen first.

Some great songs like openerHuman Behaviour really elevate this album to another level

Too many from Bjork.

(3/7) kind of screechy

One of my all-time favorite records.

Wonderfully weird, but maybe too weird to become a part of my active rotation

geiles ding - bisschen verdrogt für meinen taste

1993 kam ein großartiges Album raus, Vs. von Pearl Jam und leider nicht Debut von Björk

maravilla. maravilla completa. maravilla de principio a fin.

She gets a lot better.

Hitting the final album of this project is kind of emotional, but what a way to wrap it up! After all the slogs and weird detours, finishing on this feels like a total win. I know Björk can be pretty "love her or hate her", and her later stuff that is also on this list definitely gets a bit too artsy, but Debut is just pure gold. It’s not some alienating experimental mess; it’s just peak, catchy Björk. You’ve got the infectious, high-energy dance pulse of "Big Time Sensuality", the pure euphoria of "Violently Happy", and that quirky, bouncy vibe on "Human Behaviour", The early '90s house beats feel like a time capsule, but her wild, unique vocals slice through everything with so much joy. Sure, it’s a bit all over the place, jumping from techno to jazz and harp ballads, but that messy, fearless energy is exactly why it’s so good. It captures that special moment where an artist is finally coming into their own, focusing on great songs rather than trying too hard to be deep. You can see why she’s so divisive, but the charm here is just impossible to deny. It’s vibrant, fun, and honestly such a perfect, high-note finish to this whole marathon. Loved it.

OK but dance club beats haven't lasted that well for me. Don't really see the appeal of her but OK.

Better than Coldplay

Julien a la halte ma parler de cette album genre la veille hahahah. Mais ye c’est fucking cool et original, j’adore les track dance/house mais je feel que c’est maybe un peut stock in is time genre comment ca sonne.

Oh YES MA’AM I’ve always heard about Ms. Björk and I’m pleasantly surprised, I don’t LOVE every single song but the album was a great listen, “One Day” “Come to Me” ??? BOPS.

People are straight up lying about how “amazing” this shit is… or it’s some prank. Because WHY is this so revered??

Bjork is good, very distinctive, and there's some really good music in here

Album ok. Pas giga fan de sa voix

Bjork, before she lost it.

Some good songs. The singles off the album are good. The rest are mediocre. Repetitive lyrically. Not sure I would go out of my way to listen to the entire album again.

This is basically the opposite of every other Björk album I’ve heard. My biggest complaint with her has always been the moaning, weird vocal noises, and half the time not being able to understand what she’s even saying. On this album she actually sings, and I can follow the lyrics. It also shows off how good her voice really is. She’s still unmistakably Björk, but here it feels like she’s using that weirdness as an accent instead of making it the entire point. The music is electronic but a lot warmer and more relaxed than I expected. This was legitimately good. I could absolutely see myself putting this on again if I wanted something chill, which is not something I ever thought I’d say about a Björk album. Favorite song: Human Behaviour

I have never really listened to Björk and now that I have I don't really get why she is so popular. The instrumentals are not bad, but its mixed weirdly where the sharp noises feel extra sharp and her voice get drowned out. Her voice also get very grating quickly and sometimes she has the stilted lyricism of an angsty preteen or someone who is just discovering emotions. All in all the experience made the album feel way too long.

My first brush in with Björk and I gotta be honest... I don't know what all the hype is about. Grating vocals, okay lyrics and an overall fine production make for a very subpar experience. I didn't actively hate listening to it, but it was just very mediocre.

Strange but nice

Sounds like a cat walking on hot coals.

Bad person, antisemitic

What a great album! Ok, a touch of nostalgia, perhaps. We played this album a LOT in my uni houseshare when it came out. Björk was SO different to the usual "pop" of the early 90's, many people, only partly tongue-in-cheek, were asking if she was an alien. When you hear it now, you can see the mainstream moved towards her, not the other way around. I played this album in my car today, twice through, quite loud 😂. All the tracks are great, so no need to call out the obvious ones. Let the Philistines vote lower if they wish, it's a 5 for me.

It was interesting to hear the debut from Bjork, I like her features on some recent music and collaborations she has done with Rosalia. She has such an interesting voice, and I enjoyed listening through the album for the most part. Nothing blew me away but it was a cool concept album where it felt like I was going through a club with them that had a few genres in display.

I liked it more than I thought I was going to. She has such a... unique voice, and the constant chopping and changing between samples and instrumentation made it a bit weird and unpredictable. It felt a little all over the place at times. But it was somehow cohesive enough in its weirdness. not sure I’d rush back to it, but I'm glad I listened to something I'd have avoided just based on my prejudged preferences. 3

saxes go brr

I've never quite gotten the Björk thing, but this debut album is better than the other one I listened to a while ago, which went a bit over my head. She's certainly carved out a unique space for herself in the culture and has a sound and style very much of her own and only her own. I can respect that and it's something I think people happily get behind.

Good debut album. Quite a few hits, and a few experimental fillers. Favourites: Human Behaviour, Venus As A Boy, Violently Happy and Play Dead.

This is just my type of music

One of my favorite albums, every single song is creative and experimental. Somehow its all cohesive and every song is enjoyable without being formulaic. No notes, thank you Björk

Great debut album and just a start for a even more amazing career. Lulea would be proud

It combines Avant Garde (which I hate) with whispering (which makes me uncomfortable). This is my second least favorite album I've had on this list.

I don’t know

It doesn't quite grab me, isn't quite experimental enough or pop enough or rock enough, pick one move that direction. She's very talented but it doesn't really push my buttons enough to go to a 5. I did enjoy it though even though it's very nice, very smooth.

It's certainly ambitious, original and creative. It just never reaches the heights of it's potential.

Her voice reminds me of Luanne from king of the hill. And with the super dated and strange backing tracks maybe hank was her producer. I understand how this could have been pushing the envelope back in the day, but if you are someone who would play this album on a road trip, I think I would rather jump out of the car.

5/10

I liked this more than her other stuff I've been introduced to. Still not my bag, though. Lots of respect for her artistry, but I'm not sure I fully "get" it.

absolutely magnificent and dreamy, her melodies are like none other, I just love her so much. Like Someone In Love especially is such a wonderful way to record and make a song

4/5. The first four Bjork albums are pretty untouchable if you ask me (which is why it’s bizarre to me that Post and Homogenic aren’t on the genrator but Medulla and Vulnicura are.) But of those first four debut is definitely the weakest, as the three albums after built upon what this one was doing. And there’s still a lot of great tracks on here like the groovy “Human Behavior” or “Violently Happy.” Bjork is also such a fascinating vocalist and she is already pretty much at full force as a singer here. Debut is in fact a pretty great debut.

Incredible instrumentals

Interesting. Some fun stuff

Me Company graphic design Photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino. styling by Judy Blame. 

So. Much. Bjork. Ugh.

Low 3

Her first of many slam dunks, and actually really accessible by Björk standards

Like I've said before, I don't respect artist that boycott and bans their music in my country. It doesn't change anything in the situation and only the citizens get hurt.

Nah not for me.

someone stole my fone yesterday, so thanks bjork?

(4/1089) I don't like the performance in some of the songs, but the songs themselves are good. Favorite: Human Behaviour, Crying, Big TIme Sensuality, Come To Me, Violently Happy Least favorite: The Anchor Song 7/10

I mean, I'm glad Bjork exists and has fans that enjoy her music. I'm even glad I've been forced to listen to some of that music in my quest to complete a challenge to listen to 1001 specifically chosen albums before I die. But do I really need to listen to FOUR Bjork albums? How many times would I have to listen to each Bjork album for my completely uneducated musical mind to start recognizing differences significant enough to make me appreciate her more. She seems like she was having fun as she made most of these songs. I was NOT having that much fun listening to them. If highly eccentric electronic-pop is to your taste, enjoy. If, like me, you're more into highly eccentric rock, go out and find a Warren Zevon album. For some reason, there are ZERO of those on this particular 1001 list.

Massively not a fan of this one. I realise I'm not the target audience but her voice just went through me. I guess you’ve got to consider the context in which they would be played and I could maybe see how some of these songs would make sense in a dance scene. For me tho it’s a load of cack and was an unpleasant 48 minutes. Highlights: None

Not the greatest thing I’ve ever heard some beats are decent but the singing is a bit jarring and the genre isn’t my style

I’m firmly in my Björk era.

Bjork has never been an artist I have taken too. I find her voice quite frantic and though she does have some great tracks I can't get through a whole album of her material. I tried again with this one but it's just not for me.

Entertaining bit of music from an artist with a haunting and unique voice.

This wasn't a favorite but very unique.

Human nature is still a great one. Björk is a rare talent. I just get a bit tired of her singing voice over a full album.

I went into this album not loving Bjork. I had never listened to one of her albums entirely, but from isolated songs, found her voice strange and inaccessible, the music a little too avante garde for listening. I felt this for the first couple of songs, and even considered turning it off. But I ultimately came out of this album a Bjork fan. Her songs are incredibly creative, and while some are less accessible, others are absolute bangers. I enjoyed the more electronic songs more, that had a heavier club feel. I'm really glad I listened to this album, even if it isn't something I'd put on every day.

Loved this when it came out and the love has not faded. Absolutely stunning album.

Wow didn't know that Björk possessed such a powerhouse of a voice! Extremely diverse album, exactly like the nature of Iceland I imagine.

temu lorde