Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Like floating on an electric cloud
It’s bjork
This is fucking awesome.
Great for late nights
I've been reading a book about the ways that other species perceive sensory input in unique ways compared to our reliance on the visual and tactile senses. When a zebra finch sings, we get a pretty good idea of what is being sent out into the world, as there is a nice overlap between the hearing ranges of humans and songbirds. Still, there is something present in the sound that Ed Yong refers to in the book as a fine structure; these are very minute changes in pitch that we cannot hear. Their music is beautiful, and yet there are dimensions to it we cannot even comprehend. I think that we can comprehend Björk's sounds and messages quite easily, because she is not a bird, but I like to imagine that the confusing complexity present here might be the closest human equivalent to what those secret bird noises are.
11/10 no notes perfect album. amazing vocals, amazing production, this is her best album ever i love this a lot!
had no idea Björk was in a relationship with Matthew Barney, and this album is about the breakup; funny timing considering I just started the Cremaster series on a whim (the first movie I’ve ever seen by him) anyway, obviously 10/10 for me
емоціонально чесна та відкрита, бйорк робить музику про самі складні почуття, які в тобі є, які навіть описати не вдається, які ти сам в собі не розумієш. вона ніби як твій голос в голові, тому і тексти її такі ж розпливчаті та розмовні, але дуже акуратні та правдиві. дуже унікальна музика, тому що відчувається як частина особистості самій бйорк. ну і плюс я дуже люблю електроніку, особисто для мене мої почуття може дійсно виразити тільки електронна музика... жорсткий репітативний саунд, синтезовані тягучі інструменти...
Áfram Ísland áfram Björk. Mjög gott sound.
Björk er einstakur listamaður. Mjög flott plata.
This must be what it feels like to have been walking through the desert alone and starving and then coming across a pristine river surrounded by trees bursting with fresh fruit. What a beautiful, emotionally resonant, fully realized piece of art this album is. I could cry. Admittedly as big a Bjork fan as I am, I fell off after Vespertine. I guess in my mind I figured that album was perfect and couldn't be surpassed. My exposure to Vulnicura was very limited. Kicking myself now because this is so gorgeous to immerse yourself in. Heaven. These songs are lush and hopeful and full of love, if you will. There's a song 'Atom Dance' feat. ANOHNI that just builds and works it's way into your brain. The strings on this album! Bjork's arrangements have always been faultless. This is her 8th album. Stonemilker is a killer opening track. I'm already playing the album again.
Pretty good
note: it's pronounced vul-nee-CYU-ra anyways, this album is absolutely beautiful. It sucks that artists' best work is always brought out of horrible grief and trauma, but it really does create some of the most unique works I've ever heard, even from artists who already have an incredibly unique sound, like Björk. I love the mix of strings with electronic production, and her really freeform vocal style fits perfectly above it, all with some of her best lyricism of her whole career. Not to mention those vocal harmonies, absolutely otherworldly. Sometimes it's uncomfortable, sometimes it's upsetting, and there are a few points in the album that are nothing but devastating, but at the end of the day that's what a divorce is, or a loss of any kind. Absolutely incredible in every way an album like this could be.
heard this before in the past. this is likely to get a high rating because it's Bjork. the fact that this has received lower than 3 stars average here is criminal tbh, but i suppose some folks just have different "tastes" Stonemilker - 5/5 Lionsong - 5/5 History of Touches - 3/5 Black Lake - 5/5 Family - 5/5 Notget - 4/5 Atom Dance - 5/5 Mouth Mantra - 5/5 Quicksand - 4/5 Average score: 4.6/5 (rounding up) very creative and authentic album about her breakup. this isn't as catchy as her earlier work, nor is it as experimental as some other albums in her discography (in my opinion), but it's still accessible and masterfully crafted nonetheless
From here on out I'm calling today epiphany Tuesday. My wife often tells me I need to pull my head out of my arse. Apparently she's right, I'm really Möbius loop vibing to this album. I think this is the third Björk album I've gotten. This isn't one of my preferred genres of music but her talent and vocal ability are undeniable. One of these days I'm going to make it to Iceland and sit in a hot springs and watch the Northern lights. Bjõrk is going to be my soundtrack.
Nice. A late one though - this isn't from the era of hypermusic etc. Curious to see what she was doing. The first track is EXCELLENT. Such beautiful sounds and arranged so skillfully. Feels a little like a follow up to kid a. Can't think of a more exciting description from me.
Solemn strings, deep electronic percussion and of course beautiful vocals
Even though it's been some time since I listened to this album (after the breakup of a long term relationship no less), it still hits thematically and sonically. Just ugh, what a crushingly heartbreaking album
Another wonderful record from Björk. This one more intimate and personal than the others I’ve heard.
OMG BJORK Im a big Bjork fan, and this is in the upper echelon of her discography. Thank you to the person who introduce Bjork to Arca. They are a match made in heaven and make this one of the most interesting to listen albums ive had on this site. I'm not sure if it's a ten but its close enough to give it that on this site. 9/10
This album really is something. Björk if nothing else is certainly an ephemeral transcriber of difficult, raw, and indescribable emotions on this soul-searing existential breakup album. I think her goal was to essentially turn herself inside out and let the art do the work of working through and healing the real. This album says a lot about identity and grief, and you may not be who you thought you were without that same loving relationship you've had for years. You might not be a person, but a frightening creature now. The sounds on this thing range anywhere from graceful, somewhat gentle and somber, to absolute stress, terror and emotional urgency. Horrifying leads and phrases. Absolutely otherworldly and intense, how could It not be? Beyond raw, beyond real, in the rarely explored territory of hyper-real analysis of emotion and intention.
Intanto shoutout alla copertina di questo album, a mio parere una delle più belle che Bjork abbia mai creato. Anche il nome…stupendo. E l’album in sé è fantasticamente struggente, specie quando lo ascolti con in mente l’amore e l’affetto che traspaiono da Vespertine, album a cui è gemellato. Black Lake, Family e Notget sono eccezionali, l’album sebbene lungo e denso secondo me scorre bene (a parte Lionsong che detesto). Non voglio dilungarmi troppo, si sappia che mi piace molto
This album was a back to form album for sure. Bjork’s heartbreak after ending a marriage became a gift to rabid fans like me. It’s almost uncomfortable at times as Bjork goes into detail her feelings of betrayal and loss. While Vespertine is my favorite Bjork album and a top 5 album of all time, this album, Homogenic and Post all tie for 2nd place. But I’d still give it a 5.
This is a beautiful album with interesting, spacey string arrangements. Somewhat "back to normal" for Bjork after some pretty strange sounding albums before this one. I use strange to mean awesome. This one is a more somber album. Cool production here. All of her albums are a 5 to me. She is truly one of a kind. Three favorites are Lionsong, Family, and Notget.
I think the first Björk album I heard was Fossora, and I really disliked it. I remember thinking to myself that so many people love Björk, and I didn’t understand why. Since then, I’ve listened to more of her albums and found myself enjoying things more and more. This album is one of the more recent ones (2015 was only like two years ago, right?), so I was a little apprehensive, but I really did enjoy this. The orchestration of it all just comes together beautifully, and the vocals amplify how nice it all sounds. I still think Debut is my favourite, but may be a close second.
Siempre me golpeó la música de Bjork e Islandia que viene a ser otro planeta, pero de aquellos enigmáticos vientos. Musicalmente es un reto constante y misterioso.
Very good. Will be giving her entire catalog a listen soon.
Björk/Matthew Barney divorce album. So good.
Ah, my final Björk album, and also my final album from 2015. The three Björk albums I’ve reviewed so far have run a pretty wide gamut. Medúlla was 2 stars, Debut was 3 stars, and Vespertine was 4 stars. I think that Björk makes some incredibly unique music, but it doesn’t always land with me. I have no idea what to expect on this album, but I’m excited to see what it has in store! I thought Vulnicura was really great, and easily the best Björk album that I’ve gotten to review. I loved that the sound was really consistent and cohesive throughout the album. Having the string arrangements as the dominant sound on this album worked really well. Björk knows how to create strange and beautiful arrangements, and in my opinion, the music on this album is her most accessible work that I’ve listened to. I really loved that the album was thematically tied to a breakup that she went through, and there was such a wide variety of emotions that Björk explored over the course of these songs. I didn’t really have a favorite song on this album. Granted, I didn’t really take a lot of notes as I listened to it, but one of the few things I wrote down about an individual song was that I liked the lightness of the strings in contrast to the deep bass and percussion on “Stonemilker.” I’d normally go back through an album to snag some more notes on individual songs, but with this album’s length, and the length of the individual songs, I’ll have to pass on that this time around. Even though I don’t have a ton of notes on this album, I’m giving it five stars because I think it really stuck the landing from its bold vision. While this album isn’t the sort of thing I’d actively listen to again, I thought it was incredibly beautiful, and full of rich, meaningful songwriting. What a way to wrap up Björk’s albums on this list!
Stonemaker, the strings are gorgeous. The drums feel very nostalgic to me, this is the 2010s tbf. The melody is simple but rythem is everything. When it opens all opens up when she says “Show me emotional respect” it really feels like she’s asking as kindly as she can. “Like milking a stone, To get you to say it” I feel this very deeply. It’s such frustration and yearning mixed together. And this soundscape captures that. “A juxtapositioning fate, Find our mutual coordinates” it won’t be easy to get there but if they do it will mean unison. Ends how it began with beautiful strings. This did not feel 6 minutes long at all. Lionsong, woah the harmony work is so crazy, very cool. Somewhat uneasy. Strings again. A stronger drum beat. “This wild lion doesn’t fit in this chair, Maybe he will come out of this loving me” then morphs into “These abstract complex feelings, I just don’t know how to handle them”. There’s no need for a metaphor when you understand what is happening. I’m assuming this is about the same relationship in the first song. She really uses rhythm as her melody?? if that makes sense. She really follows her story. Ends by saying “Somehow i’m not too bothered, I’d just like to know.” Fatigue for the situation has set in. You can feel that with the strings they’re strong but somber. History Of Touches, a synth to begin with and just her voice. “I wake you up, In the middle of the night, To express my love for you”. This is deffo about sex. “Every single fuck” confirmed my hypothesis. This does feel intimate and close. It’s just her and a wall of synths really. It’s very interesting. There’s sadness too, it’s the last time. Black Lake, this feels very sad. The strings. “Our love was my womb but our bond has broken”. Is this about falling out of love with the father of her child?? :( The drums sound like a heart beat. wow all of the lyrics are truly heartbreaking, and the vocal performance is simple and raw. “You fear my limitless emotions, I am bored of your apocalyptic obsessions” two very different people have finally come to the end of their commonalities. “Did I love you too much?Devotion bent me broken”, wondering if you pushed them away with intensity. The music begins to speed up, still sounding like a pounding heart from the drums, the intense strings could be a panic attack. Then it settles as she says “I did it for love, I honoured my feelings” feeling safe again that this was not her fault. Again it begins to speed up, the melody becomes higher and more chest focused when she says “Family was out sacred mutual mission, Which you abandoned”. There’s a lot of space almost hinting the need for a response from him. The production come together again for her to finish by saying “Returning home”. This is a haunting masterpiece. Again somehow did not feel 8 minutes! Family, the drums are demanding. She’s in pain for sure. This is a heavy album. “No triangle of love, So where do i go” Feeling incomplete after the break down of a relationship. There’s so much space in the production, close harmony and call and response. Echos, making it feel like she’s in a void. “To mourn our miraculous triangle, Father, mother, child”. A complete change happens to staccato strings. She’s mad but also trying to “build a safe bridge for the child” out of this trauma :(. It ends with her saying “this location of solutions” she has to carry on through the pain. Notget, this feels more upbeat but still tense. Then she says “Once you fell out of love, Our love couldn’t carry you, And I didn’t even notice, For our love kept me safe from death”. She is shattered by it. “If i regret us, Im denying my soul to grow”. The drums are carrying her along to heal through it. It’s horrible but it has happened. She’s fighting on. There’s a synth that is incredible, gives some light. She is singing very openly in her chest voice, reaching high in her range. It’s haunting and hopeful. “Love will keep us safe from death” is a beautiful sentiment, delivered in a painful way. Atom Dance, this features ANOHNI. “None is a lover alone, I propose an atom dance.” This feels lighter, she has realised that “love is the ocean we crave” and she is not alone. It feels like an alien waltz. “Enter the pain and dance with me” she welcomes all of us with broken hearts to join her to heal :,). What a little fairy nymph she is. “Atoms are laughing at last”. Mouth Mantra, I think this is a song about being silenced. Within her creativity and her voice within her relationship. Again it’s very airy. Strings adding tension. A consistent drum. Echos and lots of synths. “This tunnel has enabled, thousands of sounds”. Her voice mixed with the void she is moving through. Ends very cinematically. The final song, Quicksand. “our mother’s philosophy, fells like quicksand, And if she sinks, I’m going down with her”. I feel this song is to her daughter. It’s fast and fierce. Whatever happens she will be right by her. “When we are broken we are whole” understanding pain can bring people closer together, especially if it’s shared. “And my continuity and my daughters”. I hope I never need this album, but i know it’s likely I will have big feelings to get through that this will aid well. She so interesting as a vocalist, she creates her own rhythms I can’t really explain it, at first it feels a little clunky but then you get drawn in. This album is devastating, but hopeful in some ways and strong in most. She makes it through the pain. I love that she had creativity as an outlet in this time. It has to be a 5, no one else could dare to create/recreate this. The artwork is gorgeous. She stands in all black radiating spikes of yellow and blue and silver. And this album feels as though although she feels dark there is moments of colour through all the separate deep feelings.
Amazing. This algorithm has me as its cat’s toy. Just what I needed to hear as my own relationship imploded.
beautiful + challenging = perfect
one of the few truly unique artist in contemporary music
I love this album. Hypnotic and beautiful.
Both the desolation and the uplifting beauty of the Icelandic landscape. There are points in Mouth Mantra where the enveloping strings (with all the foreboding of Prokofiev) and scattered beats make you feel like your swooping over it. Stonemilker is the most glorious and sorrowful song I have heard in many a year. I like that the album makes use of the viola organista, constructed to Da Vinci's design. That's rather fitting, given the album has all the enigma and chiaroscuro of one of the great man's paintings. All this beautiful music she's made, and she'll still be remembered for slapping that Thai reporter in the gob after a long plane journey. But, albums like this are rare indeed. It's immersive, challenging, painful, beautiful. One of those albums you can constantly relisten to and get something new each time. I think I've pseud's cornered my way into a five.
Masterpiece
"Vulnicura" is the eighth studio album by Icelandic singer-songwriter, composer, producer and actress Björk. The apt Wiki-musical descriptors are electronic, avant-garde and ambient. The album was produced by Björk, Arca and the Haxan Cloak and expresses Björk's feelings before and after her breakup with contemporary artist Matthew Barney with whom she had a 14-year relationship and a daughter. It was released to wide-spread critical acclaim for being one of her most honest and personal albums as well as her best output in a decade. Commercially, it reached #11 in the UK and #20 on the US Billboard 200. A cello and violin intro begins "Stonemilker." Björk's voice enters, emotionally exhausted. Sparse, echoing percussion. The strings and vocals build. She is descrbing trying to get the emotions out of her boyfriend. The song ends with a melancholic string fade (not the last time). Layered Björk a capella vocals start "Lionsong." Strings and a faster beat. The vocals become wavering and the beats more electronic. She's in an uncertain place in the relationship and wants clarity. Another string fade outro. "History of Touches" marks the point of the breakup. Bouncey electronic synth keys and vocals. No strings. The 10-minute "Black Lake" takes us on a journey after the breakup. A melancholic string intro. Björk's voice. Electronic drones. Heartbeats. Silence. The electronic beats become harder. Now repeat the musical cycle. It's three months after the breakup and she attempts to forgive him and return home. The songs become more complex mixing strings, beats and electronic elements, perhaps, mimicking her own feelings. "Notget" starts out with a happy tone with piano and synth keys. It then turns dark with the beats and lower-noted strings. Anohni joins in on the vocals in "Atom Dance." Another electronic and vocal expedition. Everything appears in the balance as we reach the closer "Quicksand." Hard beats. Strings come in. "And if she sinks, she sinks with her." It's a struggle between the dark beats and strings. The strings become louder. Now the beats are louder. The song closes with strings alone. Hopefully, she made it too. This is such a compelling listen due to the fact that the songs are in chronological order and we know that it's about a breakup. Both Björk's vocals and kyrics are extremely emotional and personal. The strings, beats and electronics match the emotions. The music is also very creative and well thought out. I was pretty much blown away by this album and totally engulfed in its journey. Björk has a lot of great music: include this one in that conversation.
Njen zasad zadnji fantastičan album
Not her most popular, but actually one of my favourite Bjork albums.
прикольно, вайбово, необычно, альбом добавил. напомнило аврору. подойдет для вечернего чилла))
Siempre tuve miedo a escuchar a Björk, sentía que no me iba a gustar o que no iba a ser de mi estilo. A pesar de que es un álbum que no creo qu vaya a escuchar mucho, me pareció impresionante. La habilidad que tiene de transmitir tantas emociones tan complejas en muy pocas palabras es de admirar, nunca antes me había topado con una artista que tenga ese don tan marcado. La producción también considero que es increíble, porque no busca hacerte cantar o bailar, busca transmitir, contar una historia. Fui capaz de escuchar a muchísimos artistas que me gustan que tomaron inspiración en ella para hacer música y eso es tan hermoso. Tengo ganas de escuchar más de ella.
Multi-textured strings orchestration and a devastated Björk, battling with the precursors and the aftermath of a breakup. Arca's production fits Björk's one-of-kind voice perfectly. Standout Tracks: Lionsong, Black Lake, Family, Atom Dance
underbar feelz
The first 6 songs on the album are presented in order of when she wrote them and subtitled on the album’s liner notes with the actual timeline they were written before and after her divorce. This is such a raw and personal inclusion and really adds heartbreaking context to the songs. Stonemilker (9 months before) – “And if one feels closed, how does one stay open?” The opening track is admission that the relationship is fraying and a plea for her partner to be open with her and match her effort in their partnership. There is a reference to the Biophilia track “Mutual Core” which is about tectonic plates and volcanoes but also certainly about friction and fighting in a relationship. The strings on this song give me goosebumps every time. Lionsong (5 months before) – “Maybe he will come out of this loving me, maybe he won’t… somehow I’m not too bothered. I’d just like to know.” This song is almost word for word a conversation that I’ve had with a friend who was a few months away from her own divorce. That feeling of will he let me leave/admit that he wants to end it or is something going to change to keep this thing together. The frustration and exhaustion gives way to just wanting a little bit of closure. History of Touches (3 months before) – “I wake you up in the night feeling this is our last time together” – She still has love for her partner, but knows that the relationship is ending. She reminisces about their passionate past. Black Lake (2 months after) – This 10 minute track is just grief and fury, starting and stopping, it’s like she was talking it out in the shower “You fear my limitless emotions, I am bored of your apocalyptic obsessions” sob, thought, “Family was always our sacred mutual mission which you abandoned” shampoo, rumination, “I am a glowing shiny rocket, returning home, as I enter the atmosphere, I burn off layer by layer” This is a pure musical exercise in getting it out, it’s basically a diss track at her ex and moment of self assurance. The stuttering freezes and shifting movements and musical punctuation add to the sense of long suffering giving way to that “AND ANOTHER THING!” sort of emotional release. Family (6 months after) – “Is there a place where I can pay respects for the death of my family?” A reflection on the end of their family unit and how the need to protect and love their child even though the love between mother and father has ended. Notget (11 months after) – “If I regret us, I'm denying my soul to grow. Don't remove my pain, it is my chance to heal” – this song sounds like a future version of a song from Homogenic in its aggressive composition - marching beats and stabbing strings and distorted declarations of the endurance of her capacity to love and survive after heartbreak. That ends the “Divorce Suite” of Vulnicura, the final three songs do not have the timeline laid out but are thematically linked both in the musical composition (strings and beats!) and personal connection. “Atom Dance” was a song that was initially conceptualized for Biophilia, sung here with longtime friend and collaborator Anohni, it becomes a swirling tribute to connectedness. The tempo and strings on this song are so peculiar, and I love Anohni and Bjork’s voices together. “Mouth Mantra” is about recovering from vocal chord surgery after Biophilia, and the introspection that came with not having access to her voice during that time. “Quicksand” was conceived before any of the other songs on this album, in 2011 after Bjork’s mother suffered a heart attack. Here it becomes a reflection on complicated family relationships and how they permeate generations. As a closing track I think it so interesting – lyrically it ends with long reaching thoughts of the future, while musically it ends abruptly in the middle of the string coda. To me it gives this cinematic feeling of “this is the end of my story, but also this is a story that has happened and will happen and is happening to people everywhere right now too” Love starts and ends, families grow and change, daughters become mothers. If you struggle against the reality, you will only get more bogged down by it. I love this album. I’ve been a Bjork fan for a long time and have experienced all of her eras over the past 2 decades. My first thought when I heard this was excitement that she had returned to some of the musical motifs from the “Post” and “Homogenic” eras, namely using string arrangements with her signature experimental electronic beats (shoutout to Arca taking the place of previous Bjork collaborators like Mark Bell etc.). My second thought, and it is one that she has said herself in interviews, was that it was interesting to hear her take on a break-up album. It is such a convention of pop music but something that she had never really done before. In true Bjork fashion, it is not a typical break-up album, and in the way of her more recent albums I’m tempted to refer to it as a piece of music rather than a pop album, especially the first suite of songs. I really enjoy her more avant garde style compositions (like Black Lake) they eschew the norms of verse chorus verse bridge pop structure to develop a rich emotional language and tell the story in a new way, the slow burn and development of movements across that song are very rewarding for me and I’m glad she leaned into that more free structured music on the following albums, Utopia and Fossora.
5/5 and it’s not even her best album
Certamente a lista foi acerta para eu superar o preconceito com Björk. Outro disco com clima envolvente com o uso impressionante das camadas eletrônicas.
Absolutely amazing. This quavering, intense voice combined with the experimental song compositions has me stopping me what I'm doing to listen. I have heard some of her songs 20 years ago, but it's clear with how prolific she's been I have a lot of catching up to do.
With some artists, I devour their discography as soon as I discover them. With others, I wait until the timing just feels right and select an album at random, like a treat. It seems the timing was right for Vulnicura, truly. I'm in a stage of life where I can really relate to and absorb the story. It may not be my favorite Bjork album (so far), but her expression of heartbreak is just so visceral I can feel it in my own chest. It's beautiful and difficult and unlike anything else I've ever heard.
Love bjork but haven’t listens to this one looking forward. Great album emotional and just majestic always a treat to listen to Bjork. 9/10.
This grew on me so much! I love how concise and vulnerable the lyrics are. I love how the album goes from luscious string arrangements to haunting electronica over the course of the runtime. It's up there with Blood on the Tracks as an all-time great breakup album. Best Track: Lionsong Worst Track: Notget
An element of weirdness but great
I felt in love with Homogenic a long time ago, but I'm not very regular to follow Björk's work & career. But I'm generally happy to hear something from her: her universe is very distinctive and personal, and I like the way she intertwins her peculiar vocals with the music. Vunicura is a solid album, perhaps calmer than Homogenic but all the ingredients I like in her music are there. And it was refreshing to listen to her after a serie of pretty "meh" records... I even listen to it twice.
Can understand why many don't like this but few artists can fuse this level of experimentalism with accessibility and emotional power. This still sounds like the future close to a decade on.
I love Bjork. She's almost certainly an alien. And I just love her work. This is such a heartbroken masterpiece. I hate to see others in pain, but I'm listening to the art recovered from the aftermath.
Gut-wrenching, took me back to my past breakup. Cool IDM elements, I wish there were more! 5 stars to boost the average rating.
For a first Bjork album, I'm not sure how this compares to her other work, though from what I've heard so far, It's absolutely gorgeous. I can't really quantify it but oh my GOODNESS it is beautiful.
Already looking forward to giving this one another spin. It does seem to hark back to some of her earlier albums but with a modern spin I guess. Faves for now: History Of Touches, Atom Dance
Björk's my favorite artist, so I was obviously very excited to get this album today. Her music touches me like no other and this especially has got me through some shit. One of my all time favorites.
Muy bonico.
This is one of those album you need multiple listens to fully appreciate. However on first listen I can tell this is very good, not perfect, but it has some very good arrangements and I really like the sound of the drums. Currently a 4.5 but I could see it becoming a 5 on future listens.
Really enjoyed listening to this! This LP combines some absolutely stunningly gorgeous orchestral and ambient synth moments with energetic, creative, dark techno sounds (courtesy of Arca, who is perhaps best known for producing on the off-the-wall production showcase Yeezus). The hectic back-and-forth between beautiful/mournful and manic/abrasive moods, along with Bjork's powerful vocals, makes this a compelling breakup album. 5 stars!
One of her best. This one was a return to form, especially after putting out a series of albums that weren't bad by any stretch, but had seemed kind of formless. She sounds reinvigorated here, more emotional and ambitious than she had been in years.
This album is Björk at her most vulnerable. Written and recorded in the wake of a breakup, this album ruminates in the heartbreak and healing process showing the whole process. I found this album to perfectly show the cycle of grief which is not a cycle at all. It waxes and wanes, gets caught in though cycles, and has breakthroughs before falling back into sadness. The music is stark, jagged, and lush at times and perfectly complements the lyrics. Björk’s delivery commands attention and is halting, drawn-out, and forceful.
prrr prrr ptts, uuuhooo pptt ptttss rrttss
Muy bonico.
Enjoyable experience. Wonderful album. Beautiful.
joork
Calming and weird. First album of hers I have liked.
Once again, I'm gonna need some more dimensions in my scale. I can't compare this in any way to, say, Snoop Dogg or The Electric Prunes. This is abstract art, which I see after listening is appropriate since it was created for an exhibit at MOMA. Listening definitely feels like work. But it’s musically complex and emotionally deep and maxes out the uniqueness dimension.
Heel Emotioneel. Mooie teksten. Experimentele muziek. Top!
She did it again. Møthër.
Voce straordinaria, melodie straordinarie, 1 ora volata 5/5
love so much
I listened twice, i think it might be her best. Not everyone’s cup of tea of course.
Great album, love the instrumentals and the vocals.
Raw and gorgeous
I have no idea what to call this or even what it is, but it is extraordinarily beautiful. Would I listen to it on high rotation? No. But am I happier for having heard it? Absolutely yes.
So excited for my first Bjork album. Moments of clarity are so rare. I must document this. i just love how she rides the words with her vocals. show me arespawwaaact a respaaaaect. ugh. so good. her lyricism is godly. history of touches = peak. it is peak experience. i can log off now. A lot of true sound got repetitive because of the fact that it stuck too closely to the intended theme. I still appreciate that tho. The music did take unexpected turns electronically too which was amazing and raw. It’s crazy to think this came out in 2015 when most music was notoriously horrible (see: Madonna - Rebel Heart). I really did enjoy this. especially the violins and the electronics. —— Poem —— Reach with your unwashed hands into the crevis of my chest play around with the tendons of my heart sooth yourself to the sound of their vibrato give me the anesthetic tell me this is what makes you happy. let this be all.
des fois je suis pas 100% sûr que j'aime Björk. Cette semaine était une semaine comme ça. Beau mélange de strings et de voix, elle a un beau registre, ses thèmes sur la parentalité sont bien exploités mais ça ne me touche pas plus qu'il faut malgré tout ça...
Bjork never disappoints, and I always feel like breakup albums frequently display an artist's best work.
Maybe the saddest Björk album? It's similarly cold and electronic in sound to some of her other material but with lyrics dealing with divorce and grief. And it's beautiful, as usual with her. I'm super impressed by the string sections of this album, they have this almost classical feel to them and really add a lot of layers to the overall sound which feels cold as steel. Even with many of the songs sounding quite minimal there is always something to latch on to. It's a spiritual successor to Vespertine, one of my favorite albums of all time, but at the different side of the emotional spectrum. Replacing sensuality with loneliness. It's all stunningly beautiful, her vocals match the vibe of the music so perfectly.
Can't deny this has a significant emotional depth. It's like listening to someone's inner thoughts or a diary expressed in some form of art. It even has that emotional and human response of having thoughts hang in your head that need processing. I personally don't like that part of the "art" as its repetitive but it does kind of add to the emotional torture she is trying to convey. She has that immediacy of effect in that it's emotional at that point in time which probably isn't easy to deliver or curate. While there is drama, the backing is actually pretty pleasant and while much of it is electronic, there is also an orchestra as part of this, so it's actually quite absorbing and mostly chilled. Unusually for me I was super focused on the narrative and on first listen it may have hit me a little too off center so found it more crazy than compelling at the time. The second time around I think I cemented my view a little more positively. It's clever, engaging, and unique. I just can't shake elements of the vocals being a little weak at times, but when Bjork is on form, it's impressive and conveys that vulnerability of a women expressing herself directly with no filter. Fuck it I can't make up my mind on what I think of this so benefit of the doubt coming your way! Fucking mental with dumb love fest lyrics and self-indulgence but there you have it!
there really is no one quite like björk. really well produced. stunning music.
Ešte som ho doteraz nepočul. Páči sa mi debut a tento má príjemne prekvapil.
A typical Bjork album but also full of textures. Great headphone music.
Er nok lidt farvet af at være Björk fan, og det bliver liiidt kedeligt i længden, hvis ikke man virkelig fordyber sig og går all in på hendes præmisser. Men gør man det, så synes jeg også man får et virkeligt smukt og rørende album, der samtidig tør eksperimentere og være udfordrende.
Very pretty music, perfect for today's pouring rain. Some songs were a bit more meandering than I was in the mood for. Loved the last track.
Excelente
Damn. Damn. Damn. Devastating. Damn.
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Didn’t really give this one its full due when it came out. The exact kind of depressing electronic album I love. I do wonder whether we wouldn’t better have another 2015 album here over what is Bjork’s maybe 3rd or 4th best album?
Odd to me that this is the only other Bjork album next to debut as it really bookends her journey as an artist in terms of output. Some really cool albeit spacier/more experimental electronics and songs on here.
Really weird, but I can dig it, definitely appreciate the pop influence, but very a hot guard, four stars
she's kinda crazy with it???? will hit right with the right mood
Palheta sônica de outro mundo, fascinante e encantadora. Instrumentos orquestrais cruzando com percussão eletrônica quebradiça, com vocais lamentosos e harmonias paranormais. Lindo de doer. O único problema é a duração. Uma hora é coisa demais, o emprego vocal de Bjork acaba ficando cansativo depois de um tempo. Mas não quero tirar o mérito da exploração musical que esse disco apresenta. Muito bom, preciso ouvir mais coisas dela. 4/5
Buenardo. Qué viva Bjork
This was a vibe to listen to. I would give it 3.5. I'm gonna give it 4 because it felt more unique.
First track is really really nice stuff. Overall liked it more than I thought I would. Some beautiful strings and the emotions on display felt real and well-expressed
solid breakup album for walking alone on the dark, but tbh feels bigger than that? like i feel like this should be watched on a stage. really moving and interesting to listen to. also who hurt bork like that god dam fav: notget
Pleasant surprise, great vibes.
It's a fairly challenging listen, but all the better for it. I love it when artists veer away from the 4/4, verse-verse-chorus-verse, approach - I had to concentrate and follow the lyrics for it to really sink in. There are hooks, but you have to put a bit of effort in to find them and make sense of it all. In that way, it reminded me a lot of Joanna Newsom's album, 'Ys' - an absolute masterpiece that makes little to no sense on the first few listens, but when it sinks in, it sinks in very deeply, and stays for a long time. For me, this is solitary, headphones & laptop music - that's how I listened, in a darkened room, by myself, with a whisky or two nearby, and I didn't want it to stop. It was a moving, challenging and utterly absorbing listen - it's the first time I've heard this record but it definitely won't be the last.
Björk is a brilliant artist. She makes just what she wants to make so well… it’s got so much charm to it. It’s a bit of everything, whilst being a nice tie to her older albums. Not as good as her first few albums but this was a great listen.
Can’t lie this fucks
After a few lesser album, Bjork returns with a powerhouse album.
Primera vez escuchando Bjork. Innovador, de alguna forma atemporal, de su tiempo y adelantado a su tiempo. Mucha variedad de sonidos sin perder coherencia. Lo sentí muy cercano a mi, a pesar de lo extraño y alien que suena de a ratos. Influenció a Radiohead o es algo de la epoca?
wasnt very crazy about this on first listen, but the more i do the more i appreciate the power behind the strings in this album. i love how she turns a very classical instrument into something experimental.
why she have a vaigna on her chest
Kocham Bjork nawet jeśli brzmi jak kaseta magnetofonowa puszczana od tyłu. Druga połowa płyty trochę gorsza, ale nadal kawał dobrej muzyki, która ratuje mnie przed skreśleniem elektroniki na zawsze. 8/10
Sounds very much like Björk
Em Vulcinura, temos Björk em seu melhor! Eu infelizmente estou longe de escutá-la muitas vezes, mas sempre que eu escuto, acabo gostando de algumas coisas - foi a terceira vez que eu escutei um álbum completo dela e eu realmente gostei muito desse. 4/5.
The closest I've come to really getting Björk. Started really strong but fades towards the end. But I'm going to keep trying.
Simultaneously maybe too baroque but also very emotionally touching lyrics.
This guy really loves Björk. I do too. While the constant meandering vocals are a bit fatiguing, her arrangements and production are always impeccable and unparalleled. Originally rated a 3, but Atom Dance is what bumped it up for me. Gorgeous vocals, hypnotic yet scattered beats, and a simple but enchanting string melody driving the entire thing forward. I honestly think of Björk as a jazz artist that uses an electronic/pop motif more than an electronic/pop artist herself. It pushes the boundaries so far to where I don’t know whether to cry or dance or dissociate completely. Maybe that’s the point. It’s Björkin time.
Vulnus (wound) + cura (care)= Vulincura Atmospheric, melancholic (an interesting repeating theme on my daily album journey) and contemplative, Vulincura left me pensive, reflective, and grateful to be able to feel what Bjork is trying to convey. The inclusion of the strings is very Kronos Quartet/Steve Reich-esque which I personally always enjoy. From start to finish, this album is a journey ultimately landing this listener in a state of zen like acceptance. When we’re broken we are whole And when we’re whole we are broken
Never really listened to Bjork so I'm curious about this one. I love the instrumentation and production. This is a beautiful sounding album. I think it perhaps gets a little same-y at times but I really enjoyed it, and I'm excited to explore Bjork's back catalogue more.
Unmistakenly Björk. A beautiful haunting album, but for me, not one of her best.
I won't have as much to say on this one as Vespertine, as Vespertine is just the superior album, but this one is still very good. A little too on the calm side for a lot of the album, but it does have some really great bangers like Notget. But I'll say it again. After years of trying to stockholm myself into liking Björk and not getting anywhere, it's kinda funny that relistening to her for this project is what has gotten me to enjoy her music. I don't know if Medulla is on the list, but if there's a Björk album I think I still won't be into, it'll be that one. But we shall see.
So I've know of Bjork for a while, but never really dived into her stuff. I know she's brought up in conversation with artists like Kate Bush, Fiona Apple, and Tori Amos, all of whom have albums I love, but I just never ended up getting around to Bjork. There wasn't anything in particular that made me feel like I needed to check her out immediately. I knew eventually I would have to tho, and I guess that starts today. Not sure if this is the best place to start with her stuff? I'll have to watch the Mic the Snare "Deep Discog Dive" video later, but here we go... 1. Stonemilker - I like the production, her voice might take a minute to get used to. Meh overall, I'm sorry. 2. Lionsong - Oh this is interesting. How it plays on dissonance. Okay, I'm vibing with this one. I like it, it's cool. 3. History of Touches - I don't think I'm really vibing with the production on this one? It slightly reminds me of Dullscythe by Porter Robinson, and that sound with the lyrics is throwing me a bit at the moment. It also, at least to me, doesn't have the resolution that dullscythe has. Where all the tension just explodes into melody and release. 4. Black Lake - Okay, I'm a little mixed on this one. I loved the instrumental/electronic section in the middle. I think in order for me to fully enjoy this it'll have to grow on me tho. It's okay, but i'm not head over heels for it at the moment 5. Family - Ooh, this sounds like a horror movie! Honestly, given the context, that makes sense lol. THEN THE STRINGS COME IN, OMG! okay yeah, this one is pretty cool, I like it! It is a little too long tho, imo. sorry 6. Notget - Oh, we're at a carnival? I actually like the vocals on this one a lot. the production that starts a little before the 2 min mark is really interesting. This one was pretty cool actually. 7. Atom Dance - Meh, this one is okay. "most hearts fear their own home" is a sick line tho, liked that one. 8. Mouth Mantra - I somehow read mouth as moth for a minute. Anywho, "I have no mouth and I must scream" in song. Wow for the context. Meh for the overall sound. 9. Quicksand - This one is really cool, i like it! Okay, so overall...This was okay. There were parts I enjoyed, parts I think I'd like better on repeat listens, and some parts i'm just like "meh" about. I'm not really wowed by this album tho. I'm interested in hearing other Bjork albums, but I'm not sure I'll ever consider her a favorite. 3.5/5
Björk is an acquired taste and I was intrigued, but not really a fan of her work in the nineties. I didn’t know this record at all, but absolutely loved it. No commercial aspirations, just hauntingly beautiful music by an artist who dares to explore musically. Loved it
Never heard any Bjork before. Came into this album with a fair amount of negative bias, and within 2:00 of Stonemilker that was completely overturned. It's all absolutely incredible, artistic, impressive music, but that sort of emotional weight starts to wear on you over the course of the whole album. It's not fun, poppy, dancy time, and it doesn't want to be. Definitely can't just leave it on repeat in the background, but that's more because of how much it rewards close attention.
I like Bjork as a person, I like Bjork as an artist, I don't think I really get it. The music is beautiful, her singing is beautiful, her lyrics are crazy, and if you told me this was an album about an alien navigating human relationships, I'd believe you. I liked this quite a bit. I don't think I'll ever listen to it again.
Un peu dense, un peu long. Peut-être qu'avec plusieurs écoutes je finirais par mieux décortiquer mais j'ai tout le temps l'impression qu'elle fini par répéter les mêmes patterns vocaux. Plus proche de 4 étoiles que de 3.
Another Bjork album! I have a sort of love/hate with Bjork's voice, but the overall ambience of this album wins me over. Plus I quite like Arca and Haxan Cloak. That said, it's a bit too long and I lose interest.
first björk album I've heard, really good
Alien legend. Still amazed she had commercial success. One of one.
Pleasantly surprised by this. It's like... Adult Bjork. Sounds great with the string arrangements and some fairly wacko synth programming. At some points it sounds like Cevin Key did the synths lolz.
16/20 Une belle découverte. Les sonorités étaient plutôt belles et riches. Je reste pour autant pas un grand fan de la voix
This is the first Björk's album I'm listening to. I really appreciated the mix of lyrical, mystical, emotional and electronical vibes that emanates from this album. 4.5/5
This was a hard one to rate. I let it flow over me and it didn't annoy, but it didn't really hit me with anything really. I had a strange feeling that this was a softer version of Celtic's Frost masterpiece, Monotheist, similar depressive vibe, but obviously very different music. I quite enjoyed the ambient techno sounds, but the lyrics passed over my head I'm afraid. It deserves a relisten I feel, so I'm going with four stars.
A breakup record from Björk. It’s a fantastic album but very heavy and devoid of joy. My favorite Bjork is joyous Bjork so this one doesn’t get as many spins as some of her others but it’s still a solid album and the production from Arca is some of the most interesting we will get on this list so I’m going to give this one a 8/10 Favorite tracks- “Stonemilker” “Family” “Atom Dance”
It’s wild stylistically. Quite ambient and relaxed but also super jarring. I loved it, wife hated it. Feel like bjork is a bit like high fashion, not super practical but influences a lot of others
Bjork's "Debut" album is one of my favourite albums of all time, which makes it odd that, at this point, I haven't endeavored to listen to more of her work. This will be exciting. "Stonemilker" was simply gorgeous, with Bjork's near operatic performance backed by beautiful strings and otherworldly drums. This is what I have come to expect of her songs and performances, an instant favourite. "Lionsong" is similarly beautiful for the same reasons. I've looked across the net for the second singer on this track, but it only points back to her; if she is duetting with herself, that is remarkable. "History of Touches" has such a deep 'Alien' feel to it that it made my imagination run wild, and I think that is the crux of why I love Bjork's music, it asks you to meet it halfway, rather than rolling out something pre-chewed for your enjoyment. That sounds incredibly pretentious to most but - and I increasingly believe in this as the journey creeps on and I read the reviews of others - people seem to forget that variety really is the spice of life - more on this at the end. "Black Lake" was another beautiful track, with it's juxtaposed strings and heavy drum sections to punctuate the lyrics; I love these tracks that tell a full story with multiple emotions involved. "Family" was, however, something I struggled to follow. What Black Lake managed to do, Family didn't quite. The aggressive string section around the 3 minute mark I found far too jarring. The track didn't become enjoyable for me again until around 4:10, with the ethereal synth sounds backing the strings. "Notget" is kind of aptly named, in that I did 'not get it'. Her vocals are beautiful as always, but the musical arrangement was just so non-sensical and ever changing, making it hard to latch on to any point of it. This felt a a level of experimental beyond my palette, for sure. A good point of comparison is that this felt like the opposite of a song like 'Birdland' on Patti Smith's Horses album, where her vocals were the pain point rather than the music. It was slow to get going, only hitting the sweet spot for my ears around the 2:30 make with the strings and sea breeze-like effect being very complimentary of each other, but "Atom Dance" was enjoyable to some extent. Ahnohi's vocals are interesting, though difficult to assess the quality with the reverbed effect layered on top of it. Sometimes, I find that music is not so much enjoyable to sit and listen to, but it definitely has it's place, such as to accompany a scene in a movie to help capture the emotions and vibes the director is trying to convey. This is exactly the way I felt about "Mouth Mantra", with it's synthetic beats and scratching making me think of a battle of wits and flirtation between enemy spies at a ball, among billionaires and politicians discussing events that could affect the fate of a country. There is a lot going on within the composition that is interesting, but it was too erratic for my liking. And so finally, "Quicksand", which was torturous. Incredible tension built with the scratchy drums and tribal vocals, but never released in any satisfying way. In fact, the whole thing, for a final track, ended quite abruptly, which left me quick disappointed in the end. Despite Notget and Quicksand's ending, I did enjoy this album for what it was, but it still can't hold a candle to her Debut. ******************************************************************************* Let me join the others and start by saying "Bjork's music isn't for everyone", but then address my true feelings on the other side of that coin. I will never understand this standpoint that many seem to have of "I like what I like and that's it"; this rigid and monotonous adherence to one or two ideas of something 'good' at most and never exploring beyond it. The worst among us seem to wish, if they themselves don't like it, that it never existed at all. Unless a piece of media is actively (or even unknowingly) promoting hate, we should embrace all creation, and simply pass by that which doesn't click with us and leave it for someone else to find. It's funny, how many of those that do like the music leave reviews that are thoughtful and explain why, with many who don't like the music not having a single constructive or informative word to say. I really wish that would change.
Absolutely baffling how underrated this album is (at least on this site). Are people listening to albums on this list in a complete vacuum? That being said, pretty cool hearing the vocal parts that would ultimately be sampled on Death Grips - The Powers That B. I don’t think Vulnicura had even been released yet, meaning they technically sampled an album from the future. Something in that. 4/5
7/10
8/10
This is a fragile fairytale. Dark and mysterious. It is also bright and comforting at points. All these deeper emotions are woven together, providing a provocative journey from the first step until the last.
Another banger Bjork album. I listened to this twice through. Glad this project finally forced me to listen to her!
Bjork isn't one of my go to artists, so I was a bit skeptical about this, but the production here is gorgeous, with beautiful string arrangements regularly pierced by nasty club beats. Bjork's pain in the lyrics is highly palpable, resulting in a great break up record.
Good
A very sad and heartfelt album. A lot better than the other Björk album on this list. The vulnerability elevates the album and works with the type of music she makes
4.5
Good but now I need to sit in a dark room
Another Bjork I haven't heard. Was surprised, this sounded just like classic Bjork. Not sure why I'm surprised. Maybe nothing as immediately stand out as Homogenic but an intriguing and impressive album. 4 Heard before? No Owned: No 47/183 (25%) Will I get: Probably
Such a beautiful, interesting album. No one does it like Bjork in how she retells emotions and mixes sonic textures. An incredible album and speaks to her body of work that it’s still not her best.
It's no "Play Dead" that's for sure, but I really like this album. It's very ART and not easy listening, but that's the point - Vulnicure means "Cure for wounds". The first track, "Stonemilker" is my favourite - I enjoy the synth and strings throughout - very anthemic! It's a vulnerable album and if you like this - Imogen Heap has a similar aesthetic to her music. I'd give 3.5 as not the best of her work, I'm rounding up because the artist is so unique.
A beautiful and fascinating album, but kinda crazy we have this album and Medúlla in this list but not Post or Homogenic.
180626 14:52 4
not as good as her debut but much more listenable than vespertine. there are a lot of cool ideas on this and i think they did a great job with production. the songs had a sort of weight to them that made me uncomfortable, almost like i was drowning in the sound. while i do think that was at least somewhat intentional i cant say i really enjoyed it. i was between a 3 and 4 for my overall enjoyment but given how well done it is im rounding up.
my girl is so interesting!! sound over voice but she works with it!!
This is an album that's largely about Bjork's breakup with her partner Matthew Barney, and as I said in the review for Marvin Gaye's "Here, My Dear," I'm not really one for the airing of the personal laundry of people that aren't the artist, but there are differences here. Bjork doesn't really get into the details of her former lover, beyond some vague metaphors, and doesn't wallow in accusations and self-pity the way Marvin did. While Marvin sailed through his album with meandering R&B and groovy detachment, Vulnicura's music is way more interesting, sometimes reinforcing and sometimes contrasting with Bjork's various stages of grief and recovery. The album blooms in intensity in the latter half, and this is where my favorite songs are. "Notget" is an anxiety attack in musical form. "Atom Dance" is about the companionship of friends helping her recover, but it sounds as grief-stricken and unsettling as anything else. "Mouth Mantra" (about a period where she had vocal surgery and wasn't able to talk for weeks) and "Quicksand" (about her mother falling into a coma) are also devoid of calm, indicating that while the subject matter changed, the overall emotional state has not. I can't say I enjoyed every second of this, but I did like the music in general and the album is interesting. Bjork isn't content to let this be background music, engaging the listener and challenging them throughout. For people who think she's just a weirdo singer that verges on parody, this probably won't make you a convert, but I'm happy I listened to it.
Bjork is one of those artists that has always been around and you never have much interaction with outside of people's impressions of her and her style. So this is my first experience with her work. It's really cool! Obviously very personal for her. The album is slow paced and has an overlaying feel of gloom and hurt (I read the background around it, makes sense, and it definitely comes across) and is basically mourning her family structure's death. I love the use of electronics here; the ambient noise is great and potent and underlines the point. Standouts were "Stonemilker" "Family" and "Atom Dance" My one knock against the album is the pace of the vocals - like, yeah, it's Bjorks thing, but most songs vocally sound very similar. Some variance would be cool. This is a tough rate because I really really like the sound and lyrics, but I think I can overlook the vocals, so it's a 4 for me.
Bjork famously married Len Houmous in an inflatable church at Glastonbury in 1997. Len still says it was an official wedding. Bjork immediately applied to the inflatable court for an annulment. Of course in Iceland, Vulnicura means annulment. It’s easy to realise who History of Touches was written about 4.0 3/9 History of Touches
Fun album. What I like most about Björk is that she just does what she likes, gives no shits about genres and somehow makes it easy to listen to.
I continue to discover that I enjoy Björk. 4/5
I'm generally a big fan of the artist, and this album has lovely instrumentation. I liked it and will listen to it again.
p4942. 2015. 4 stars Almost perfect weird Icelandic breakup album. Point deducted for being difficult to find, songs outstaying their welcome, and just plain oddness.
this was kind of a challenging album to get through, but i'll put in the WORK for BJORK. i just think she's neat. if she wants to warble in my ear for an hour, by all means - u go girl.
C'est quand même bon, assez plannant. Je me serais cru dans un film 😅.
167/1001 Björk - Vulnicura Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ I like Björk and what I've listened of, of hers, but it's definitely one where I have to be in a certain mood. Fortunately I didn't mind her experimental approach this morning. I don't know enough to determine whether this is her at her peak, but I can tell you I enjoyed it a lot.
Bjork is always a fascinating listen. She can be infuriating with her pronunciations but that’s her just being her. It’s what makes her utterly unique. This is her breakup album following her divorce, so it drips obtuse heartbreak and hurt. The instrumentation on this record is gorgeous, at times sad. The songs are sublime. All of her post 90’s albums have a sense that she’s just wandering in space making up words and melodies on the spot. Vulnicura is more successful in this feeling than others, feeling more structured and easier to digest. I’d say this is her best record of the 21st century, though I have a soft spot for her 2017 album Utopia.
beautiful album, I need to relisten to the other Bjork records on this list, I may have harshly judged them early in the process
This is nowhere as experimental and odd as I expected. It just sounds like orchestral pop with electronic music beats in the background. It's a breakup record, and the lyrics are very straightforward to understand within that context. "Black Lake" works far better than a 10-minute orchestral pop/electronic song has any right to. The second side feels more energetic than the slow first side without abandoning the atmospheric qualities present here. It's also where the weirder songs are ("Atom Dance" is especially weird compared to the rest of the album). Overall, this was a pretty good album. It has more range than I would think while also being a fairly easy listen.
Here's a Björk album that I don't listen to much so I was excited to revisit it. I definitely don't understand why they picked this album over "Post" and "Homogenic", but ignoring that this is still really great album. Favorite track: History of Touches 3.5/5
Je ne sais pas pourquoi j’avais des aprioris sur Björk, alors que c’est franchement très agréable à écouter!
Interesting string thing
This is the album that got me to deep dive into Bjork. I want to give it 3.5, I guess I will round up since I respect Bjork a ton.
Actually really enjoyed this. Never listened to Bjork really so this was great.
I'm glad I gave this a second listen and a half-hearted first try. I read up on the history of the album and thought fine, I'll give this Black Lake one more listen and pay attention. It's got a ton of depth. The soundscape is powerful and the lyrics are personal and compelling. Halfway through when the music builds it really turns into something more and reminds me of Ghosteen by Nick Cave. The rest of the album has more variability but that one song feels important to have heard. You only need one Bjork album on here but it should probably be this one.
There is a lot of Björk on this list. She is a being constructed of pure emotion. This would probably be pretty great to hear live. Pretty cohesive and expansive feeling. I'd like to try and give the strings version a listen to see what it's like, see if it's stripped down a little. Yeah, this is probably the only Björk you really need on the list.
I just don't like her voice, but I like her style
Typically I can only take Björk in small doses but something about this album really worked for me. Very pleasantly surprised.
A work of heartbreaking genius. The juxtaposition of those absolutely beautiful orchestral strings with fragmented and booming electronic beats is such a well considered and fantastic artistic choice. The randomness of the harsh beats breaking apart the softness of the strings is startling, and paints a musical picture of the emotional turmoil that is the subject of this album. "Black Lake" does it best. Those gorgeous strings are somehow some of the saddest things your ears might experience, mixed with long drawn out moments of almost silence, before the booming electronic beats come in, fragmented and disjointed. It's an absolute masterpiece of a song, and emotionally draining. That's the only problem with the album at times. It's operating on another level, and requires a lot of mental effort to listen through properly. Sometimes a bit inaccessible and often emotionally draining. I guess the album cover does the best job of describing the feeling of this album. Björk standing with open arms, surrounded by softness in a layer of feathers, with an open wound in her chest exposing her heart to the world. 4.5 stars.
It's been hard for me to quantify my feelings about this album, but the almost eerie quality of Björk's vocals works well. Even if the songs feel a little disjointed, it's an enchanting and even romantic sonic experience. Favorite tracks: "Atom Dance," "History of Touches"
I wouldn’t say this is her best album some of her early work probably stays higher for me. But I still do really like all her work and especially the electronic, experimental style. I do love the combination of the electronic sounds, classical instruments, and her voice. 4 stars
Beautiful
First Bjork album I've listened to in full. Some great, atmospheric stuff here. Black Lake is a highlight.
Very strong 4
I'm slowly starting to understand
1001albumsgenerator project: Album 8 - Vulnicura by Bjork
Solid. Not Debut but will give another listen.
Amazing, however I felt like some songs were longer than they needed to be. 4/5
How do you even listen to this? It's so specific and so broad at the same time, I went through it twice (once will at a slow jog, once at my desk) and neither was quite right. I kept feeling this alien sensation of something very close to me being evaluated in new light. I kept trying to pin what else this album was reminded me of, in an instant it was there and then it was gone. This thing is one of a kind, and better for it. Here comes the but! I didn't pierce my heart he way I felt it should. Cowardly criticism? Maybe. But there's so much being swirled around in here I feel like it should personally affect me more in a way that it just didn't. Great, great album, worth listening to, but I don't think I can in good conscience give it a 5 for some reason as alien as this album feels.
Really interesting and enjoyable, I was a Björk fan in the 90s and early 2000's but haven't revisited any of her more recent albums. Definitely liked this, at 4 stars. My favorite was Post in '95
I love Björk. I love her weird stuff. I love her more accessible stuff. I'm not sure this is her best, but it's still very, very good. 4 stars.
Best of bjork!
Definitely futuristic - too much for me, but the vocals, tracks and everything were interesting
Арт-поп и авангард, исландское тоскливое мечтательство, струнные и электроника, фолк. Интересно.
Björk is amazing. Late era/late stage Björk is a revelation.
As with most things Björk this is weird and (mostly) wonderful. Actally own the album Debut which I don't listen to very frequently. I really must explore her music much more.
Pretty decent, a bit long and draggy for my taste but overall good
Incredible instrumentation and vocal performances.
BJÖRKKKK ohh es breakup album stonemilker typisch björk, vool aber nöd meh de schluss mite striicher isch huere schön! lionsong hani nöd so gern gha black lake findi reeeecht cool, es zieht sich und alles aber de komisch triibend bass macht vill uus würkli die bäss hahaha ich liebs poaahh und jz de mehrstimmig part bi fily findi megaaa megamegaaa schön wow jaa jz woni sochli dinne bin findis wieder reeecht geil hahahaha ES ISCH SO KOOOMISCH ICH LIEBS OMG ANOHNI????? han denkt d stimm chunntmer bekannt vor jaa s album hetmer megaa spass gmacht, typisch björk aber immer wieder hets sache geh wo supeeer gsi sind aber halt au soooo weird hahaha
First impression pre listen: I usually like Björk so this will probably be at least fine. Her more modern stuff can get a bit weird, but it's at least something different. Never heard this particular album. Expecting something fairly unique. Individual track notes: Stonemilker Somber and open atmosphere. The strings are nice. Strange lyrics, the language used here is very Björk. The instrumental outro is lush and powerful, a really striking ending. Good. 4/5 Lionsong Interesting vocal layering. I like when the violin follows the vocal melody. The bargaining and confusion in the lyrics is pretty interesting. I like how the themes resolve. Cool electronics. Good. 4/5 History Of Touches A strange choice in synths, kinda works I suppose. It creates a hectic and confusing atmosphere. Captures a very specific moments. A bit confusing. Fine. 3/5 Black Lake Really depressing and dark. Haunting and personal. She sounds vulnerable and hurt. Love the quiet moments with the distant rumbling strings. The instrumental is dynamic and intense. Love the percussion. Really like the descriptive language used in the lyrics. Fantastic. 5/5 Family Very ominous, very depressing. Love the vocal layering. The temple themes are pretty interesting. Great switchup. Fantastic instrumental. Beautiful outro. Great. 4.5/5 Notget Weird and chaotic instrumental. Haunted carnival vibes. Love how this motif evolves throughout the track. Interesting lyrics. Love the dark themes. Great. 4.5/5 Atom Dance Cute premise. Fitting instrumental. Sounds soothing, and genuinely like she's healing. Love how layered the song sounds with all these clashing elements coming together. Great feature, love the additional dynamism provided to the track by the additional voice. Explosive and large. Fantastic. 5/5 Mouth Mantra Deep electronic bass. Love the dark strings. Very emotional vocal performance. Disturbing imagery. Strange choice of language at times. Good. 4/5 Quicksand Very electronic. Love the return of the mother imagery, feels like throughline between many of her albums. Love the positive sense of purpose to end this otherwise depressing album with. Great. 4.5/5 Final review: This is quite the departure from other Björk projects when it comes to tone. It's dark and quite depressing in its presentation. She visits themes of loss, grief and heartbreak; emotions that I've never associated with her music before. Delving deeply into these negative emotions you discover this thin and fragile version of this woman who details the harrowing state in which she finds herself in. This is a very personal and layered journey where she finally in the end manages to heal and continue on with a new sense of purpose. It's bleak, it's haunting and it's also quite beautiful. Accompanied by familiar grandiose strings and cold pulsating electronics she twists her usual productions style into these bleak soundscapes where her unique vocal delivery floats gently on top. It's mesmerizing, odd and a bit overwhelming, but still a solid effort providing a new perspective and a fresh sound. 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4/5
I really enjoy a lot of Bjork's earlier work, but I've never gotten round to listening to her later stuff. While I like this, I don't love it like I loved Debut or post. Perhaps it's one of those albums that take more listens. It's definitely interesting enough to make me want to give it another few goes.
I like Björk but haven't really kept up with her music so much. This feels like more of a return to the style of Debut. It feels a little overwhelming at times, and the length of some of the songs can be a bit much but overall, I enjoyed it. 4/5 because I wanted that variation in pace that we see in earlier albums
8/10 Björk is one of those musicians who does everything on her own terms, and this album is in some way testament to that. Going through a breakup with her husband and seeing the collapse of her family, her first port of call is to use those emotions as inspiration for an album. As she says in Stonemilker; “Moments of clarity are so rare, I better document this”. While this could be considered a bit of a tough listen for some, I feel that the quality of this album is in the journey of it. There are moments of dissonance and harshness, amidst others of beauty and sorrow, but all of that flows together to paint an overall picture of what she was experiencing at the time of writing. There are some obvious standout moments for me, as well as some bits that drag just that little bit, but even on the longer tracks, there’s often so many sections, developments and modulations that things are rarely too static. Personally, I feel that Black Lake is an absolute masterpiece that completely justifies a ten minute runtime. There are certainly some more avant garde choices that she makes, particularly during the later part of the album, but it’s all so expressive, and really sells what she’s trying to convey, at least to my ears. When compared to some of her other albums, and certainly specific songs, it isn’t quite Björk at the absolute peak of her powers, but when considering the ‘album as art’, I think this is a fine example indeed. Stonemilker - I feel like there are echoes in the strings here of tracks from Vespertine, which was the album she wrote at the start of her relationship with Matthew Barney. This is a really beautiful song. The strings just drift and flow over everything, alternating between hope and despair and the little shuffling beats also have a dark and bassy edge that add a momentum and grounding to the track. Lionsong - This has such a brooding tone. It’s a little more disjointed, which makes it a little harder to follow, but there are some really interesting ideas and I think the disjointed nature of it is thematically appropriate. That beat that comes in about 3:20 is so good. It’s not quite as satisfying a whole as the previous track, but some of the component parts are so, so good. History Of Touches - This is almost an interstitial track for Björk. Only three minutes long and with a fairly static theme, it’s interesting but doesn’t really grip in the same way as some of her more fully formed ideas. Listening to the lyrics, that does feel very intentional, and the wash of sound is sonically quite pleasing. Black Lake - A heartbreaking song. The sections come and go with pauses where a single chord or note just drones on. Emotion builds in many forms throughout, but each time drift back to bereft sadness. There’s fury in the beat that kicks in half way through as the strings build. This, to me, is one of the most visceral musical interpretations of grief, and the pulsing emotions that surround its underlying sadness that I’ve ever heard. How pretentious of me. Family - This one ebbs and flows. There’s anger and wavering tension, but it’s not quite got the emotional heft or consistency of the previous track. There are real shining moments and the song is a journey through unresolved tension and uncertainty, but it’s definitely not as easy a listen. As a soundscape, though, it’s all encompassing. Notget - If you’re not into the more avant garde end of the spectrum, you won’t engage with this. It’s harmonically non-traditional which can make it sound jarring. Definitely not one for a casual listen. Again, there are some really nice elements here. Some of the beats are so crunchy and squelchy, but the overall journey is a little all over the place. Atom Dance - This is like the start of a build out of the darkness. The little scuttering beats give it an immediacy, and some of the little string flourishes start to build us back to a more major tonality. That’s all mixed in with a note of confusion, particularly with the delivery of Anohni’s vocal parts. I really like the mix of this one too. Spatially, it’s very interesting. Mouth Mantra - This continues the more avant garde approach to things, with parts jarring against one another. When it gets moving, it’s got a great pulsing rhythm and the way the different parts overlap and flow in and out of focus can be quite overwhelming. That bass synth part that comes in about half way through is so meaty. Quicksand - So much meat and drive to the start of this one. That beat is great and gives this so much momentum. There’s stuttering sections, washes of synths and strings and Björk’s vocals which occasionally soar over everything. A quality end to the album.
I think enjoyed it, it was different. Unlike the previous album on this list, it had instruments and lyrics, but it was just as weird and avant garde. I would like to listen again, although I don't think it will become a favourite longer term.
Sounds like a soundtrack to a movie that would be right up my alley. This is definitely not an album for casual listening but it was never meant to be. Strong, weird and amazing. Björk rarely ever fails to amaze me.
Bjork is pretty damn awesome Its very very good. Its not as good as vespertine, but what is
This was really, really good. It’s fascinating how tortured Björk sounds at points on this album. Stonemilker was probably my favourite and it opens the album so strongly. Loved this one!
Pretty good for Bjork
I was only familiar with bjorks first 3 releases. This album still has her charm and artistry that I enjoy but in a much more dream like state.
Very quirky and atmospheric, impressive that she can go outside the box so much and succeed. 4.1
Beautiful
Great headphone album. Soundscapes are inventive and unpredictable. Bjork seems very vulnerable here. (Divorce album?)
Smooth Bjork sounds
One of the most creative and unique albums I've had the pleasure to discover, Vulnicura, by the praised icelandic singer Björk, is bold and full of mixed feelings that are deeply relatable, even if we've never been in the same situation she is describing throughout this work. This is art. Authentical, real, from the heart and one that expresses a worldview that is, mostly, pretty correct. Even if it's an album about the ending of a marriage, her concerns are very virtuous and comprehensible. I am very glad I got to know this work. -- Um dos álbuns mais criativos e únicos que tive o prazer de descobrir, Vulnicura, da aclamada cantora islandesa Björk, é ousado e repleto de sentimentos mistos com os quais nos identificamos profundamente, mesmo que nunca tenhamos passado pela mesma situação que ela descreve ao longo desta obra. Isto é arte. Autêntica, real, vinda do coração e que expressa uma visão de mundo que é, em grande parte, bastante correta. Mesmo sendo um álbum sobre o fim de um casamento, as preocupações dela são muito virtuosas e compreensíveis. Estou muito feliz por ter conhecido esta obra. 9,5/10
There’s a point where Bjork sounds so discordant that it’s very difficult Outside of that point there is requisite beauty here
I absorbed this album into me whilst running on a North Devon beach in the sunshine and it washed over me brilliantly. Loved it. 'Post' must be on the list as well surely?
Score 8/10 Favorite Song: Stonemilker Vulnicura is an emotionally raw and immersive album that finds Björk at her most vulnerable. It’s a breakup record in the most literal sense, documenting the slow unraveling of a relationship and the aftermath with chilling honesty. The string arrangements, often sweeping and sorrowful, are paired with ghostly electronic production (much of it courtesy of Arca), creating a soundscape that feels like it’s collapsing in on itself. Björk’s vocals cut deep here — not just lyrically, but in delivery — like on “Black Lake,” where her pain feels infinite, or “Lionsong,” which sounds like she’s still holding out a desperate hope despite everything. What makes Vulnicura so compelling is how unfiltered it is. There’s not much polish or metaphor to hide behind, which can make the album heavy and, at times, difficult to return to. But that’s also its strength. It doesn’t try to make heartbreak sound pretty. Instead, it offers space for grief, anger, and finally healing, all paced through long, slowly building tracks that give each emotion its due. It’s not an easy listen, but it’s a powerful one, and a standout in Björk’s discography for just how fearless and human it is.
I didn’t even know Björk had dropped an album in 2015, as I was certainly not paying much attention to anything outside of K-Pop at the time. This was an enjoyable listen that was the soundtrack to my morning grocery shopping and other errands.
I haven't listened to a lot of Bjork but I know she's weird and I generally like weird. The album started off pretty slow, wasn't sure if I was feelin it at first. Then it started to find it's groove, I was in the zone. It continued to ramp up til the end. Last song reminded me a bit of her collab with Death Grips on The Powers That B as well. Overall really enjoyed it. Would maybe have done a 3.5/5 if I could.
7.5/10 Homogenic is in my top 5 albums ever, and this might be the best album Bjork has released since then? It dials up the strings and down the jagged beats, keeps the great songwriting and voice, goes darker and more mature. The beats are often my favourite part of her songs, so I did gravitate toward those songs more. Black Lake is up there with the best Bjork songs. Best: Black Lake
Björk has been my favorite female artist since the '90s, so of course I like this album. It's not a personal favorite, but that's okay. I'll still give it 4 stars on here.
Not my favorite Björk album, but definitely not bad.
Very emotional. The abrupt end fit with the theme of a breakup.
Intricate and uniquely Bjork, something I more respect than will come back to listen to. I think this is the last Bjork on the list and surprised Post is not on here. Only have her albums after Medulla still left to listen to minus this one Rating: 3.8
I'm both unsurprised and surprised the average rating is so low. I thought it was great - experimental but still emotional.
Challenging but very affecting. I won’t listen regularly but glad I did at least once.
Beautiful, hypnotic. Loved it.
Не самый, эмм, в веселом смысле впечатляющий её альбом, но, наверное, наиболее чувственный. Воспринимается мной сейчас будто бы с гораздо большей теплотой, чем на релизе. Не уверен, что это говорит обо мне, но это всегда приятно, находить что-то в музыке, которая когда-то прошла мимо. Лучшая песня - Black Lake.
4/5
Björk has such a unique sound, and I could never truly place her, or her work, into any specific genre. She has her own genre entirely. Her voice and sound is strange (in a fantastic way) and can range from haunting to ethereal from song to song. Family was my personal favorite on the album. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really did enjoy this album. It grew on me more and more with each song, and it has me excited to hear more from her.
> The Beatles Björk rules
I've always thought of this as one of my least favourite Björk albums, but having listened to it again, it's beautiful. It's still so grand and emotional with the synths and strings blended seamlessly.
This is a very intimate and sad album, where Björk shows herself at her most vulnerable moments, specially in the first half of the album, being the track 'Black Lake' the most emotional one. Now that I've described this album, I have to give some of my personal takes. First, I'm really glad that I discovered Björk before this album and list, because this is not an easy listen, as it took me several days to form an opinion. Second, I love the weirdness and experimentaion of Björk's music. She always surprise me with her strange melodies and way of singing. For example, a track that really stand out to me for these things is 'Notget'. In summary, as I said, in this album, Björk exposes her most vulnerable side withouth sacrificing the traits that define her previous works, specially in the first half, which is way stronger than the last tracks.
Björkillä ollut kyllä kova ura, eikä vauhti hidastunut edes 2010-luvulla! Hyvää taidepoppia 4/5
Not as good as her 90s output but still beautiful and heartbreaking
Surprisingly OK
Around 15 years ago I spent months OBSESSED with Björk. This album felt wonderfully familiar to me, even though it's first time listening to it. I can't really judge this based on her previous work, because Björk always requires several listens to fully get it (yes, I'm one of those obnoxious people who claims to 'get' Björk), but I really enjoyed going down memory lane while listening to this album.
Björk knows how to do emotions. This is one of the saddest records I have ever heard-- in a good way.
I'd not listened to this one before, but it's good. Whilst it isn't my favourite Bjork album, it's solid and interesting.
OK, Bjork, I’m impressed.
Standard Bjork fare. Really interesting and engaging but not a lot of fun haha
She’s always been such a slay.
It gets a bit repetitive…
Beautiful Islandic weirdo songbird
Bjork has a great voice, but not my kind of pacing or structure. Still an enjoyable one time listen.
This is one of the few times that I hear string arrangements in pop music and I don't cringe a little bit. I find that strings are well suited to the complex arrangements found in classical music, and when they're used in pop music, it's often to give the aesthetic of depth without actual providing any. However, this album felt like it mostly really used the string section to great affect. Other than that, the production was really top tier, but some of the lyrics were far too on the nose for my tastes. Overall, the album was really great at its best, and slightly cringe at its worst. Favorite Track: Atom Dance
heartbreakingly beautiful. I love those string arrangements, let alone her unique voice.I won't claim to know much about Björk's music and the album took some time to grow on my ears but I feel it's worth it. “Stonemilker” is beautiful from start to end. worth a 4-4.5/5.
Bjork is more human than all of us. Who could leave Bjork? Who’d want to make Bjork feel all the things she had to transmit on Vulnicura (because this felt more like a cathartic need than an artistic opportunity grab)? This one is sparser than her other material and feels so private and so painful, it doesn’t go down as my favorite Bjork album, and I’m sure returning to this state of mind wouldn’t be her favorite thing to do either. Still, this is a shade of Bjork, and therefore magic is contained within.
when i listen to bjork, i do genuinely appreciate her music. it's really cool and, although challenging to listen to, it's a bit fulfilling to listen to for me. that being said, i don't know if i would really listen to this album on repeat. it's cool, no doubt, but the replay value here for me is very minimal. i rode the ride. it was neat. that's about all.
Enjoyed this
Once it was simple One feeling at a time It reached its peak then transformed These abstract complex feelings I just don't know how to handle them Should I throw oil on one of these moods But which one? The joy peak Humor peak Frustration peak Anything peak For clarity Maybe he will come out of this loving me Maybe he won't I'm not taming no animal Maybe he will come out of this Yeah, Bjork is pretty good. 4/5
für mich manchmal schwierig einzelne songs zu erkennen, erschafft Björk doch einfach vielschichtige klangwelten .. spannend, aber auch anstrengend.
Difficult but never unpleasant - self-parodying on occasion unless you're into that sort of thing. Lots of highlights in this listing, ecofuturist, cerebral sound scape but I listened to it cycling up a hill in india so I can't point to any really
Big, bold, dramatic, emotional, moving
I remembered not liking this, but I really do. I think I just don’t like it *as much* as Post, Homogenic, and Vespertine.
Really well recorded. Lots of interesting stuff happening in the record. I wouldn’t land it in the 1001 must hear. That doesn’t take away from the record. It’s just that I feel the other Bjork entries certainly belong as they pushed music forms forward whereas this one seems a progression from those as opposed a new step. I guess I’m really saying probably one too many Bjork records on the list and the slot could have been used for something else. I think that’s the issue with a number of the more recent records (relative to edition release dates) you just don’t have enough time to judge if a cool record has enough to stay in the 1001. Still I really enjoyed listening to this and it does well on a good sound system. Happy to have heard it.
listened to again love the chamber strings
Björk is weird but not in a fake forced way. I appreciate the artistry but it doesn’t always work for me but this album deserves repeat listens
Björk - Vulnicura First album that I ever hear from her, and it's really good honestly from start to finish. I like how she experimented classical music with electronics and turn it more dysfunctional in a way but still having that lively emotional feel to it. The fact that this was made almost a decade ago genuinely amazes me, this really sounds from the future. Overall, this is REALLY great! 1.- Stonemilker = 10/10 2.- Lionsong = 9/10 3.- HIstory of Touches = 7/10 4.- Black Lake = 10/10 5.- Family = 9/10 6.- Notget = 8/10 7.- Atom Dance = 9/10 8.- Mouth Mantra = 9/10 9.- Quicksand = 9/10 FINAL SCORE: 8.9/10
A lot to like here, the well-crafted contemporary classical feel, the emotional intensity and the originality, which is mostly engaging. But it can feel somewhat stiff and overdetermined. Still, one is prepared to indulge an artist like Bjork, whom one has always liked a little bit less than one figured one might have liked her.
Creeps into 4 stars. Excellent album.
Another good record from Björk. Feels like the heavier, darker sister album to Vespertine. Only complaint is by the end it feels like you’ve just been berated with synths for a bit too long. 7/10
Love Björk but importantly on reflection I should have only given ZZ Top's Eliminator 4 stars
Its a grower. Will definitely listen again. Its probably a 3.5 - but was feeling generous so rounded up. Favourite track is Black Lake.
La combinaison d’arrangements orchestraux et électroniques donne lieu à une œuvre dramatique où la musique ne cède jamais le terrain à la voix singulière de Björk, qui aurait facilement pu prédominer
This shit hurts. Björk is an amazing artist in every sense of the word but this was difficult without having much sunlight. Reminded me of Beck's "Sea Change," without the hope on the horizon.
The 1001 albums rating universe generally can't be arsed with Bjork. But there's a lot of turning the nose up to experimental stuff so we shouldn't be surprised. Bjork is a wonder, really. We're lucky to have her. Even if I don't entirely get on with one of her records they're always interesting and engaging on some level. I go back and forth on this record, and most specifically Black Lake. And then Family, straight after. It's sort of like musical theatre. Stonemilker however is straight up gorgeous. Overall as a record, it's fantastic and impressive. And always interesting.
I thought I had listen to this already but I've had 3 Bjork albums fairly recently, and they seem to have a similar sound. I still enjoy it and would listen again.
I've never listened to Bjork so this should be fun... It's kind of weird but I like it. I dig the instrumentals a bunch too. Bjorks voice is unique and depending on the song, haunting in a good way. She reminds me of the voices in Räven by Hedningarna. Solid 4/5
Todo lo raro que se dice de ella pareciera ser verdad en este álbum, pero me voló la cabeza. Es algo distinto, que no encontrás prácticamente en ningún lado. Mezcla el pop, con música clásica, una onda de musica celta, electrónica y mucho instrumento de cuerda. Top.
Bjorks work post Vespertine has been largely off my radar. Gave this a couple of listens. Musically I am rating this a 3 but an extra star for the raw emotion on display here....
3.7 2x similar to other Bjork albums still quite good
I’m really glad this album chose a quiet Sunday when I could lie in bed and do nothing but pop in my earbuds and *experience* it. I suspect there are other artists who create music like Björk’s work but they aren’t as famous or successful and she’s doing this while holding her own in the mainstream. Reminds me of Bowie in her ability to innovate and push boundaries while also remaining fiercely confident and individual in her style. There are also a lot of shades of instrumental post-rock in her soundscapes and mournful strings. All exacerbated and punctuated by her breathless surrealist and distinctive vocals. You can only respect the hell out of her as an artistic force. Is Vulnicura something I’ll now put into regular rotation or go out and buy? Probably not. But is this listening experience exactly the reason why I am excited to open the app and take on this challenge every day? Abso-bloody-lutely.
As I've moved toward the end of my twenties I've got more and more of Bjõrk's music. It's great, feels like appreciating fine wine. This one might take a little longer for me to really get but I'm glad I gave it a couple of spins. Stonemilker has always been a favourite.
STOP PRESS!!! bjork in "actually good" shocker
Gefällt mir einerseits. Man muss aber hinhören, das ist keine Musik zum im Hintergrund laufen lassen.
Bjork is a wild talent. This particular album wasn't what I love in her work but it is still really, really good and interesting and pretty fun. Maybe just a bit more somber than I was in the mood for?
Again, this is a Björk album that is very different from the previous ones. Here, she uses string arrangements in nearly every track. There is even a version of this album that only has strings. As always with Björk's music, this is meant to be listened closely to. You may not enjoy some parts, but that's how she works.
Gorgeous
Black Lake (all 10 mins of it) was my favorite track on here, but the whole thing is to my taste. Bjork is a true original. A strong four, I'd expect this could reach 5 territory with a few more listens.
It’s kind of mad that we’ve had Vespertine and now Vulnicura in less than a week Björk is amazing, every era of Björk is amazing, she has such a unique sound but still manages to reinvent herself every few years and put out some truly special and original music. This album combines some of the fuller orchestration of Homogenic (though that orchestration also makes more use of extended techniques and is spliced up and used in more diverse ways - the range of sounds Arca can get from a flute is insane) with the thin and creeping textures of Vespertine, the heavier industrial elements from the back end of Biophilia, and some truly mesmerising and inimitable vocal lines and harmonies. All these elements fit together to make a record that’s often beautiful, sometimes unsettling, and constantly immersive and impressive. It’s also probably her most personal record lyrically, drawing heavily from her break-up with the long-term partner who much of Vespertine was written about 14 years earlier. Not quite a 5 for me, and once again I don’t understand why Homogenic isn’t on the list, but it’s a fantastic album and one of the most enduring and ahead of its time from the 2010s (which you can’t say about many artists who debuted decades earlier). I would also highly highly recommend checking out the Live and Strings versions of this, they are nuts
I mean look, for all the hate she gets Bjork's voice is strange in a beautiful way and this album is pure vibes. It's more art than music, and has a time and place. Worth experiencing
Oh, nice. Haven't listened to much of Björk's later work at all. Very sad and beautiful and unnerving.
Surreal and beautiful. Gets maybe a little too out there at times, but for the most part I really enjoyed it.
It's Bjork, so it's different of course, but it has a very distinct aesthetic of loss. The mix of strings and synths is pretty amazing throughout.
Like it 👍
Sonically beautiful. The strings are great. I'm also fascinated by her lyrics, they feel very sincere and raw. I wasn't expecting this to be such a vulnerable and emotional album
Bjork is an artist who fascinates me and who I have tried and tried to get into over the years. I was’t expecting this one on the list as I know two earlier albums are on it. In my attempts to see the light I have bought a few of her albums including this one. This and her next Utopia (discounting the different versions of Vulnicura) I bought on vinyl second hand but in immaculate condition. The record shop manager told me that he had bought them from someone who apparently struggles like me with Bjork. So a very common theme and I suspect that Bjork herself would approve of the reaction to her music which she gets. I actually think that this album and certainly Utopia are a lot more accessible than some of her earlier stuff. I do play these albums more than anything else of hers. The problem I have with Bjork is that I love a melodic song and she often comes up trumps and traps you momentarily before she goes off in a direction I don’t want her to go. So I can listen to half of her albums quite happily but a full album listen is not for the faint hearted and very much a challenge. But as I say I can normally better that with this album and get to the second side before I crave for something more normal. Bjork is out there on her own and trying something new every album. For that reason I applaud her and long may she continue. And who knows one day she will serve up an album full of beautiful melodies but I doubt it. The other versions I talk about with strings and live are well worth a listen and stand out on their own. 4/5 17/10/24
7/10 light and meandering soundscapes as a mad women sings at the moon. What isn't to like? 10-16-2024
I think this was more interesting than enjoyable. It definitely achieved what it was trying to do.
Very intriguing album and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought. The app has it down as pop/electronic but pop hardly seems appropriate, it's as experimental and avant garde as you'd expect from Bjork. The strings are really beautiful and the lyrics incredibly personal and affecting. Not totally on board with the vocals, she doesn't really do catchy melodies, but clearly Bjork is an amazing singer Don't think this is an album I'd listen to repeatedly but it certainly got my attention so 4/5
Ah, Björk. This is a weird yet intriguing blending of classical and electronic music. The string arrangements are great, and the same goes for the electronic stuff. The real highlight though, as expected, is Björk’s performance. Her lyrics are striking and emotional, and her recognizable and amazing voice adds to the emotion. While there’s good things to be found here, to me the songs can feel a bit same-y sometimes, and some parts aren’t really for me. Still pretty good!
I haven’t loved the other Björk. Albums on this list, but I’ve always admired her creativity and willingness to defy convention. This album retains those qualities but is significantly more emotive and, at least to me, more accessible.
Bjork always has such lush and intricate electronic instrumentation. The songs on this album were fairly disorienting and often didn't feel like they had an easily discernible direction, but it was still often quite interesting. Would need another listen to better decide my feelings
I'm a Bjork fan, and this she is definitely deserving of her multiple spots in the book, but this one (along with here more recent albums) hasn't really clicked with me yet. Until now anyway. This one is very dark, so took a while to get into. After a closer listen on headphones though, I found it very moving in places; especially the 4 song run of Black Lake, Family, Notget and Atom Dance. There's some very emotional string parts that echo the best of her Homogenic album, and some really interesting production too. I haven't fully grasped the lyrics yet, but there are some great and very direct ones in there. Overall, I'd prefer Vespertine and Homogenic over this, but it may grow on me even more.
She is unique. Idk if good, but surely unique
I used to love Björk. I don’t anymore, but I can still respect some of her albums for what they were.
very good
I rather enjoyed this. I’ve never listened to Björk before and this is definitely weird, but you can feel the pain she was going through when this was made.
Nice
Bjork'n Bjork is Bjork! 4/5
Best Bjork album since Vespertine. Sounds like a mix of Vespertine + Homogenic, but does occasionally lose the plot for me, similar to Volta. This same album, going a little bit harder, and a little shorter would be in 4.5 territory. 3.75/5
I’m not familiar with later Björk, so this is all new to me. Sounds like her classic stuff- yes please! B*
Bjork is not unfamiliar with these haunting, devastating sounds, so on paper if you were to describe this album's sounds it may not sound that different from her other projects, but when actually sitting down and listening to the album, there is something at the core of the musicianship that has changed. The album is sporadic, manic, and sometimes aggressively ugly, but still with her trademark lush instrumental fills and angelic vocals, as if you're listening to a whole album that exemplifies the highs and lows of grief. On the surface the album isn't overtly depressing, but even cracking that thin top layer reveals the pool of sorrow that Bjork is wallowing in, and while the album is still incredibly catchy at times, downright gorgeous in others, it can be like a brick wall to break through to the other side and get through it all. It's a long album, and it feels like it. Each song is a hurdle, and it is very satisfying to triumph over, but within the moment it can sometimes be draining, whether it's just due to Bjork's mood, lyrics, or even the sound of the song. I respect this album heavily, and even a "different" Bjork album such as this one is still an incredibly rock solid four out of five stars, but there is just a barrier here, and I don't know if I'm truly worthy to break it down completely.
A hard one to listen to, but amazing nonetheless. Interestingly I got the break-up album 2 days after the album about how much she loved him.
Honestly my favorite Bjork album that I've heard. Just gorgeous songs. Her stuttery phrasing still bothers me a little but the language barrier is probably responsible for that.