Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Björk is so specific. I don’t get the hype lowk
Björk er best live, men fungerer godt dette også.
I don't know if I would listen to it all again but her mix of voice, strings and electronic sounds is great
nice
Clásico de Bjork. Casi nunca sabes cuándo terminó una canción y empezó la otra. Música extraña, hipnótica y bien producida.
På første lytt tenkte jeg dette var en dårligere take på Vespertine, men med strykeseksjon. Andre gang satt den bedre (er ofte sånn med albumene til glitch-dronningen) og den er noe eget, litt mer avant garde enn Vespertine, men fortsatt i høy grad pop.
Først syns jeg det låt litt seigt og fragmentert ut, men etterhvert som jeg ble vant til det begynte det å bli veldig fint og behagelig.
I feel nothing from this.
wait this was the sad Bjork album? Like the others are happy?
I’m not familiar with this artist and I can say, I really don’t like her style of music.
Sigo creyendo que si esta en esta lista es porque debería ser bueno, pero no. Todos sus álbumes son así de malos?
My big issue with Bjork is that so often, the music has no beats
Uh I don't feel like this is for me. Not clicking like other Bjork records.
One of those “huh?” choices that feel like they must have been recency bias vibes. Lots of big Bjork fans who thought this was the most important album of a decade ago. All agreement to the folks who think it's wild that this is included and Post or Homogenic isn't. But if it isn't remotely important, is it good? Because that's the dual purpose of this list, right? We should presumably hear some of these albums because they are IMPORTANT but you would hope even more of them must be heard because they are GOOD (and hopefully as few as possible must be heard because they asked a critics meathead brother who thought Sex on Fire was the best song of the last hundred years). And Bjork has had a complicated musical history, some brilliant outsider pop, some deep electronic grooves, some formless experimental art weirdness. What is this one? Well, it starts with an expansive Hyperballad analogue. It moves to a glitchy, flowing, Laurie-Anderson-vocal tinged piece and a very spare, unstructured meditation piece. Later on, Family tosses in hammering digital beats, thudding and then juddering through the speaker. So, er, all of it? Every sort of Biork album? This feels a lot like a modern classical album. Much of this is deeply orchestrated, more concerned with movements and layers and ongoing melodic threads than any normative pop song structure (but isn't that more or less true of the entire last 20 years of Bjork's catalog?) As that goes, there is far more of that nebulous experimental impulse of Bjork's than anything straightforward, but while I certainly haven't heard all of it, this does feel like the most LISTENABLE Bjork's been in the last couple decades. It's still more difficult than her earlier work, still plays with a lot of discord snd tension, swirling vocals and way too many rolling Rs. But I actively want to go deeper. I guess that makes it as good an album as there is to explore later Bjork, if we think Later Bjork is as vital as Early Bjork. Maybe not necessary as a listen but i'm not sad to have. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½ but i'll round down for now.
I think Björk lost the plot with this one. Or, I'll admit, maybe she just rose beyond my intelligence level. Either way, this made me angry and uncomfortable like a crap ton of Icelandic ants in my pants. Ooooooh so cold and squirmy eeeeeeeee
Really great instrumentals here with blends of strings and darker ambient electronics. The long songs give time to develop. Not my favorite Bjork album but definitely still good. Favorites were Lionsong, Black Lake, and Atom Dance.
The songs are interminably long, but they’re bad too.
Ughhhhhhh
Is this a good record? Yes. Is it significantly different from any other of Bjork's later works? No, it is not. If you like Bjork, you will very likely enjoy this album. If you dislike Bjork, you will dislike this album in equal measure. In conclusion, it is not an essential album. Instead, I would recommend almost any of the available remix albums she has released with some very talented collaborators.
I know Bjork knows how to write a melody, but boy does she like to release albums without any.
Post & Homogenic are works of art, but Ive never listened to Bjork's other albums (I tried listening to Fossora but it was too weird for me). Vulnicura is a gorgeous soundscape.
Vulnicura is the eighth studio album by Icelandic musician and singer Björk. It was produced by Björk, Arca and The Haxan Cloak, and released on 20 January 2015 by One Little Indian Records. Björk said the album expresses her feelings before and after her breakup with American contemporary artist Matthew Barney and the healing process. Vulnicura was originally scheduled for release in March 2015, in conjunction with the Björk: Archives book and an exhibition about Björk's career at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City; following an internet leak, it was released digitally two months early. No singles were released to promote the album but a series of innovative music videos were created, culminating in the 360-degree virtual reality exhibit Björk Digital. Vulnicura received widespread acclaim from critics, with many considering it one of her most honest and personal albums as well as her best output in a decade. It peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard 200 and received a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 58th Grammy Awards. The music on Vulnicura has been described by critics as incorporating electronic, avant-garde, and ambient music. The album is primarily composed of string arrangements and electronic beats, as a return to the sound Björk pursued on her 1997 album Homogenic. In an interview with Pitchfork, Björk exposed how working on string arrangements served as a way to keep her mind busy after her breakup: "The only way I could deal with that was to start writing for strings; I decided to become a violin nerd and arrange everything for 15 strings and take a step further." Vulnicura was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 87, based on 40 reviews. Many critics have referred to it as her best work in the last decade and the boldest move after 2011's Biophilia. It has also been compared stylistically to her critically acclaimed albums Homogenic and Vespertine. Praise has centered around the "emotional honesty and musical daring" used to portray the album's deeply personal themes. The lyrics have been described as some of her "strongest and most moving" and Björk's voice "miraculously expressive". On the less positive side, longtime music critic Robert Christgau claimed, "I always thought she was too lifelike for him anyway." He cited "Stonemilker" and "Atom Dance" as standout tracks.
Siempre con ésta señora. Nunca me van a ver hablando mal de ella. Nota: 4.1
Fine , atmospheric but didn’t move me
A very beautiful and atmospheric project. Not my cup of tea, but I was blown away at the emotion that this album provides, even as this kind of sound isn't typically to my taste.
hard 0/10
i can't relate but i can feel it
Third Bjork in 3 months and second in as many weeks so I think I can officially say that.... she's not for me. Not terrible and I get it but just not my thing. 4/10
Not a bjork fan
Pretty but weird
This is pretty mild for bjork. Good enough for background music.
Quirky but good songwriting.
I'm not saying that all Bjork tracks sound the same... but all of these ones do.
Better than Taylor Swift when it comes to the "I hate my boyfriend" concept. However the older Bjork was better.
Me parece un álbum en el que Bjork transmite tristeza y mucha honestidad en su mensaje respecto a lo que enfrenta Tiene una producción muy madura y vanguardista que amplifica el mensaje que busca transmitir Habla sobre el amor y ese es un tema al que Bjork le sale muy bien componer y externar sus emociones Canciones como Stonemilker y Lionsong ya dan un preámbulo de lo que la línea del álbum desarrolla tema a tema, es un viaje emocional que se da de forma muy etérea por momentos en otros si se siente un poco más difícil de procesar, pero si es cierto que te invita a entenderla Se disfruta y se aprecia el arte que hace, es un álbum que te puede acompañar en momentos donde compartimos emociones similares a las que se exploran en el disco, muy bien pulido con colaboradores interesantes De momento Debut sigue siendo mi preferido de ella, pero es porque le canta al amor desde múltiples partes y eso es valioso Recomendable y reescuchable
I didn’t know Björk before this album, so this is the perception of someone who didn’t know the artist at all. I found it good, but too experimental. The songs were made of interesting sound escapes, the mixing is on point as well, and the artist has a nice voice with a different accent. But I thought most songs lacked on having good lyrics or a complete composition overall, almost to the point of being weird or strange. Anyway, in my opinion it’s good, but I wouldn’t go back to it… Not my style.
It sounds like the same song on repeat.
She’s not really different from other artists
Unpleasant. Didn’t like. Her voice is too off for me. Delivery the same thing. I wish I liked her, I really do. I wish I understood why she is so revered. But I don’t. This really felt like a waste of my time.
How can an album be so unique & original sounding but so incredibly boring at the same time? Bjork nails it on this one
It's weird. Not bad, but weird.
I love Bjork’s 90s albums, but this kind of just felt like a slog for me. Sorry — I just don’t have the patience for an album of 6+ minute ballads with no hooks!
Bjork does Bjork. I didn't hate it - used to listen to her 20+ years ago occasionally - I liked the first track on this album, didn't like the 2nd or 3rd. After that it kind of grew on me but it's not something I'm ever going to seek out.
Very creative for sure. Interesting for sure. Just an average cup of joe...
Not for me
08/09 Meh
Long and pulsating music. Strange and sometimes harsh sounds. It brought a lot of imagery to my head. An album of modern art. Evocative and unsettling word choices with an awkwardness in the delivery. This album leaves me uncomfortable, intrigued, inspired, and confused. Excellent. Some of the sounds used weren't the best quality. The first song's violin sounded very robotic. Could just be an artistic choice. Tldr. Crazy. Loved and hated it. It's art. Worth listening to, interesting, and thought prevoking. It's also not entirely pleasant to listen to. I'd probably skip it when just trying to vibe to some music.
I don’t necessarily love bjork’s voice, but the music is interesting. An odd soundtrack to my Costco trip
Strings and electronica just didn’t do much for me other than kept putting me to sleep.
Jag förstår mig inte riktigt på det här
Love the instrumentation, absolutely beautiful. But i just can't really get into her voice or her lyrics
She’s like no one else and that’s a good thing.
not for me
Eh
I almost had a fit when I saw I had to listen to another Bjork album. I found her Debut really dance-centric and annoying. This happily was different. There were still the rhythmic beats but here it called ambient and I liked it a lot more. Case in point, the knocking noises in the song Black Lake were quite disturbing at first but then I found them to be interesting and quirky. Good music makes you feel something, even uncomfortable, and this certainly moved me.
poetry in the form of an album
About as unlistenable as possible. I really liked Björk’s debut album and was looking forward to this one. She sings like she’s in pain and the music is just awful. Not for me thanks
I like it. Maybe it's a little less memorable than other Bjork albums.
If this was on in the background I probably wouldn’t notice it, but putting on intentionally is crazy work
Awful, awful singing.
I really liked this! Hadn't heard it before, will revisit. Sparse, ethereal, beautiful.
Made it half way through track 2, which was enough to confirm my instincts. It’s all unbearably awful impenetrable noise. Apart from Play Dead, I’m not aware of anything Bjork has ever done that can be described otherwise.
Opens well and reminds me why I liked Debut-era Bjork but then... it's not jazz-bad but what even is it? It doesn't feel like music and I'm not enthused to listen again.
Never really grabbed me, just a bit of a mess
Bjork's best album since Vespertine, and her latest high-quality release to date. Inspired by a breakup with her longtime partner, Bjork goes for the art-poppiest art pop possible, full of strings and long, drawn-out beats that easily stretch all of the songs past the 6-minute mark, with only 2 exceptions. In typical Bjork fashion, the beats take inspiration from the IDM acts that influenced her years prior as they skitter, glitch and jump all over the the strings that sweep over the album like a massive migratory bird formation. It's not all uniform though: songs like "Notget" have a distant folk influence - Chinese in this track's case - and the following song, "Atom Dance," features a warped ANHONI guest feature as the watery beat splashes around the plaintive string backing. The 2 shorter songs, "History of Touches" and the closer "Quicksand" condense the full electric fury of the breakup into less than 6 minutes total with their huge, violent drum patterns. The second half is honestly a lot more interesting than the first, so long as the clashing musical styles are more interesting to the listener than the utter sorrow communicated in the first half. To my ears, that second half conveys the clashing emotions following the end of a relationship much better than the lonesome sadness of the first 4 tracks. Best among those is the opener "Stonemilker," as that first track provides the full thesis of the album as the many elements it introduces are further developed in subsequent tracks. I had listened to this album several years ago and not remembered very much of it at that time, so this was a very welcome revisit: I didn't expect to like this album as much as I ended up liking it. Definitely a later-career triumph for Bjork, and while her voice has definitely aged in the years since her peak years, it hasn't lost any of its emotional weight. Key Tracks: Stonemilker, Family, Atom Dance, Mouth Mantra
A collage of experimental pop that went well
In what world does this list need 4 Bjork albums? (And that's only counting her solo work). For a song or two, she's not bad, but for an hour? This ain't it.
I may want to listen to this more than Trout Mask but dang this was tough to get through. I’d be curious what the instrumental strings album sounds like; however, I was not at all feeling Bjorks vocals here.
ive been known to be a bit of a bjork enjoyer, but I haven’t listened to anything past vespertine, so this was fun. This album is very bjork, so you know take that as you will
Perfectly listenable but didn't do a lot for me.
Legitimately fucking terrible music. It ruined my day. no more Bjork. Please. Please for the love of God make it stop DNF Best song: N/A Rating: 0.5/10 Stars: 1 (zero if I could)
That sucked!
Like Quicksand.
Ok 2/5
𝘝𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢 is yet another reminder of why I admire Björk as one of the most original artists of her generation. The album is emotionally devastating, while its blend of strings, electronics, and intimate songwriting creates an unmistakably björky atmosphere that nobody else could quite replicate. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend 𝘝𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢 as the best entry point into Björk’s catalogue. Personally, I’d suggest exploring some of her earlier work first — even if those albums aren’t included in the 1001 Albums list. That said, 𝘝𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢 is a deeply rewarding listen that draws you into Björk’s singular musical world. On a lighter note, I’ve always found Björk’s beautifully rolled r strangely charming. It’s especially noticeable on 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲, where it somehow becomes part of the album’s emotional intensity. 𝘝𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢 may not be the defining Björk album for me, but it reminds me why almost nobody sounds quite as björky as Björk herself.
Ça allait mais c’est pas ma came Je mettrais pas de moi même, dans n’importe quel contexte…
Désolé mais j'aime pas trop Bjork...
Pleasant, but I have to admit as much as I like Bjork, this kiiind of did bore me?
Why . What is the obsession of the critics with this ?
Nah. This never changes. Same odd sound with terrible vocals
As a fairly big Bjork fan, I could not get through this album. What attracted me to Bjork were the sonic short stories in her older work, as they sound interesting and can be appreciated in bursts. This album expands the songs into 8 minutes prog slops. Quirky melodies could be great in 2 minutes, but when you have to spend 7 minutes to get to the point, it’s much less enjoyable. Mouth Mantra is a good exception. 1/5
Bjorks claim to fame was pushing the boundaries of music with eccentric, inventive tracks. Not always my cup of tea, but hard to argue that what she put out was interesting. This album's single note approach drags on for too long and becomes wholly separate from her past inventiveness to be a dreadfully boring slog of a listen.
Day 343 Really enjoyed the opening track and Pagan Poetry the rest I didn’t care for at all. Highlights Hidden Place Pagan Poetry
Oh oh oh. Please don’t let this be as painful as I believe it is going to be… It is. It’s Bjork. I. Just. Can’t. Stand. Bjork. I feel like I am supposed to give this a high rating based on… idk. I don’t think I can even muster a 2 today. This was torture. Truly. I would rather listen to my dog find howling harmonies with a passing ambulance on continuous loop. And I would argue that he’s more musical. The best part of this album? It’s over! An hour never felt so long. 1 Boolean—— true? Because it’s Bjork? False? Because it’s utter poop.
Pain, disgrace, the absolution despair that comes after the romance it's gone. There is a reason why Bjork said back in the day ""The only way I could deal with that was to start writing for strings; I decided to become a violin nerd and arrange everything for 15 strings and take a step further." and when you listen to this record, those three words that appears at the beginning, Pain, disgrace and absolution, are assumed by your body, mind and soul in a way that makes you feel them completely. Many people will ask why, or how can be that possible and the truth it's almost a decade later, Vulnicura it's still one of the most greatest records the Islandic Singer has ever released. Conceived after her breakup with contemporary artist Matthew Barny, Bjork decided to sit down next to the famous LGBTQ+ venezuelan producer Arca after his managed sent her one of her mixtapes. The whole record was designed and made in almost two weeks, but despite the fast development, it is indeed a release designed to make you feel a chaotic nostalgia, through the electronic beats and the string arrangments made by both. With songs like Stonemilker as the opener or the astonishing Black Lake this one its Definitely a work that has become in a unique piece of art and worth the listen despite the sorrow it may bring.
I didn't enjoy this as much as Medúlla. Again. I probably enjoy the idea of Björk's music than the music itself. I prefer the oddness certainly. Maybe this wasn't just odd enough? Not bad though, and deserving of a greater than 3 average
falling into the lake drowning submerged and buried under sediment hit by a rock floating in the dark washing up onto the sand dancing in the light rain destroying and rebuilding yourself mourning and moving on just incredibly gorgeous. ingenious production and arrangement. had my jaw on the floor on multiple occasions. bjorks vocal performance is beautiful and powerful and versatile as always. lyrics raw and intimate and complex in their simplicity. a beautiful interlocking living mechanism of an album. it's really just that good the most truly perfect 5 so far. i want to go back and rate everything else lower #first time listening
love
maybe 7.8/10 = i do love bjork and i do glaze her often and i actually hadn't listened to this album before or even particularly heard of it but i did enjoy it quite a lot, i think she's always good at making an entire album flow and the instrumentals are always 10/10 but i didn't have any stand out songs, will probs listen again soon
Bjork remains being somewhat inaccessible to me but I acknowledge her brilliance.
First Bjork record I got on the list: oh this is kind of cool. It’s different, I can see the beauty. Second bjork record: ah okay, more of the same. But at least it’s weird and unique! Third bjork record: I can’t do it. I’m too sober and it’s a Monday morning. Can you please just write a normal song!?
Not my cuppa tea, but fun to experience björk
This is, by far, the least terrible Bjork album you've forced me to listen to.
More varied yet less concentrated than Vespertine, but very much a second work in that vein, still keeping up its commitment to beauty well
Absolutely no thank you. Worse than reggae
I like the strings and I like her voice but they were combined to make an album that felt painful to listen to at times. There were some moments I enjoyed and I did think that in those moments it did a good job conveying emotion, but overall it wasn't for me. It made quite a good album to listen to while reading a horror novel though. Fav song: Stonemilker Least fav: Mouth Mantra
Very painful album to listen to. Terrible pacing, terrible vocals and not enjoyable music. Tough to get through for sure. Specific rating - 0.5 Fav song - history of touches Least fav- atom dance
I listened to it twice and it did grow on me on the second time- but it grew from hatred to mild dislike. I can see little hints of why people love it but god it's a rough listen. Favourite song: Stonemilker Least: Quicksand
I already know this record. I already like this record. Ater her first four albums, Björk followed weider, more experimental paths, resulting in very different albums. Some more well received than others, none was as praised as Vulnicura. Her break-up album, dissecting the death of the relationship that was celebrated on 2001's Vespertine. It is one of the (if not the) most emotional albums in her career. The first few songs follow a chronology. As such, Stonemilker marks an attempt at reconnection and mutual understanding, before it is too late. The strings are beautiful. Lionsong, which starts with its weird vocals, is about a big rupture in that path of reconnection. After years of dealing with each other, she is tired of his reactions, and way of dealing with things, claiming she doesn't care about how he deals with the issue. What matters here is not whatever that issue was, but the fact that she is not too bored about whether or not he still loves her, as she refuses to claim a wild lion. History of Touches tackles the couple's sexual history. A last time together serves as a reminder of every single previous time. It is bittersweet, as Björk realises that it is their last opportunity at showing their love for each other in that way. Black Love is the centerpiece of the record, as it is its longest and most emotional song. It details her feelings after the relationship is ended, and their love is lost, as it is then that she realises that "Into the fabric of all / He has woven". The beats, present since the beginning, become more aggressive as she does the same thing, singing that she "destroyed the icon" and telling him "You betrayed you own heart". What I am about to say could get me crucified by Björk fans, but this one never did that much for me. It is one of the few times where her vocal delivery (which only got less... complacent, let's say, as she got older) bothers me. Then Family... now we're talking. The beats here, though similar to the previous track, work much better. It is about the death and mourning of their family unit, and is incredibly (and deservedly) dramatic. Towards the end, her voice is reminiscent of her early albums, singing (emotional) gibberish and constructing layers of angelic vocals. Notget is my jam. The instrumental side of things is the craziest yet, and the lyrics keep the usual intensity. She extends her empathy at him, since their hurt is the same, and they will forever be connected by the existence of their daughter. Death, and its avoidance, is also a theme throughout, with the ultima sentiment being "Love will keep us safe from death". I said Notget was my jam. Geuess what. Atom Dance is too. This three track run is one of the best in her whole discography. This one is about healing, and allowing youself to depend on your friends for your emotional wellbeing. Love ANOHNI's participance, and the ending is majestic. The album gets to a weird phase now. Besides not being my favourite song ever, Mouth Mantra is emotionally and thematically disconnected to everything that came before. The argument could be made that, after the throat surgey the song is about, Björk's impossibility to sing oppressed her even further, but everything still feels disjointed. However, listening to it right now, I'm actually not too mad at it. The beats are really cool, and Björk singing "I am not heard" goes really well with them for some reason. Quicksand, the most heartwarming song (about passing down her mother's knowledge, passed on to her from her own mother, and further on, to her own daughter) in the album, is also its most experimental. Arca is on the loose here. Overall, I ended up liking this one much more than I expected! Only didn't love Black Lake, and that one's still good. Sooooo... at the risk of coming of as a Björk stan....
First track ok, but downhill from there.
Fine for one listen but I don't see any reason why I'd throw this one back on.
An interesting racket. Probably perfectly sums up Bjork. Strange album to include, she has better but scrapes a 3.
I do like bjork but cant see why this is on here. One for bjork fans, not for joe public. Nowhere near as good as her other albums either - but indeed very beautiful stuff if ya already like bjork
More gentle and ballady. Her distinctive coice goes great with strings and operatic stylee Not as good as Debut. Experimwntal stuff began to get tedious by the end
Greatly enjoy Bjork
Björk is best listened to when in an altered state of mind
Way more of a challenging listen than Debut, but I dont totally hate it. Just will need several more listens for me to parse the songwriting and arrangement. That aside I'm kind of failing to see how this is included amongst the many Bjork albums already on this list. 6.5/10.
It took me a while, but I think I'm starting to appreciate what makes this album so acclaimed. It's really impressive how Björk's music keeps evolving and pushing musical boundaries, not to mention Arca's contribution here. The songwriting might even be my favorite out of all her albums up until that point. However, I have to admit a small part of me will always be annoyed that Homogenic never made it on this book, as I think that album was her most groundbreaking in terms of sound.
Les r roulés m'ont cassé les couilles, sinon y'a des sonorités sympas et ça met une bonne ambiance
Tää oli vähän liian ambienttiä mun makuun. Björkin ääni on kyllä ihan mukavan eteerinen, mutta näin albumillisena vähän liikaa. Kuuntelin myös tämän levyn biiseistä tehdyn riisutun version ”Vulnicura Strings (The Acoustic Version: Strings, Voice And Viola Organista Only)”.
So I’ve been exposed to Björk now, having had her debut album on the generator before, which I thought was pretty good. It was varied and while avant garde, at least listenable. This is a questionable inclusion at best, given its 2015 publication date and extremely samey subject matter: a breakup. Mostly just how Bjork feels about it. To that point, this album rarely strays from the classic Bjork ethereal whiny vocal over some non matching, unmelodic orchestral arrangement, which makes it seem like every song was cut from a movie scene as background noise in a dramatic moment. Individually some of the songs are decent, but as a whole product, hard pass. I’m beginning to think that this isn’t actually a consensus of great music, but rather a random smattering of 1000+ albums.
Raw and gorgeous
Enjoyed this, Bjork knows how to keep things interesting
Do I like the music? Yes. Do I like her voice? Yeah, well enough. Do I like the way that she sings? No. Not really. It gets to me after awhile.
Bjork is good, Bjork is cool, but the notion that of the 1000 albums one "must hear" at least 3 are Bjork albums is inconceivable. Low stars for the suggestion, but the album is okay. I knew what to expect after listening to the two previous Bjork albums off the list.
There are bjork albums I would put on this list over this one. But at the end of the day, it is Bjork and she rules. Some very beautiful orchestral sounds. Her voice is as great as usual.
I think her earlier stuff is better. Bjork has a beautiful voice and uses it well, but I think that she, sometimes, leans way too hard into the avant garde and makes an album full of beauty somehow so forgettable.
my GOATTTT
Too wierd
I didn’t mind this, but it was firmly background music. I realised part way into it i had no idea how many tracks I’d listened to, as it just blurs from one track to another.
Much like the last Björk album the generator bestowed upon us, this was utterly bonkers. And I hated every second of it.
I really liked the first track: it was all beautiful atmospheric strings and Björk's ethereal voice melding perfectly. And then pretty much everything else that came after was a disappointment to me. It just didn't gel for me at all. It's all relative obviously, and it's so far from my least favourite albums on the generator, I was just really hoping I'd have more fun with it. 2/5
Jesus. One is enough. It’s good and she’s important but she’s not as impactful as say Fleetwood Mac or Beyoncé.
I give up.
Bjork is a genius and this is pop music as art. But I much prefer joyful Bjork than sad and angry Bjork. I admire the construction -- fragile rhythms, gorgeous string arrangements, delicate melodies -- but I defy you to dance to it or hum any of the tunes. This presents more as a multimedia performance art than simple album. I absolutely defend Bjork's right to follow whatever directions her art takes her, but this is not to my taste.
My first experience with Björk and I’m not sure how to feel. I know I’ve got limited information but I’m certain she’s got better albums than this on the list.
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.
I typically like Bjork’s more beat driven music, but opening song Stonemilker works for me. At least she has a distinct sound and style. It’s another pretty album, but not for me.
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.
Let's see if this sounds like Bobcat Goldthwait or not. The answer to that is no. This isn't anything I'd usually listen to, but it's interesting. Backed almost exclusively by ethereal string arrangements, Bjork is apparently singing mainly about a breakup she went through. It's not an unpleasant listening experience, though I might prefer a more traditional arrangement. I had no clue what to expect from Bjork, but I'm not mad at this.
La première : Très jolie mélodie mais j’aime tjrs pas la voix Black lake : bonne rupture dans la chanson Notget bien ! C’était bien au global, mais je reviendrai vers aucune chanson je pense 7/10
Not my favourite of hers, not my least favourite! Mental that Homogenic and Post aren't on the list, but this and Medulla are
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...
J'ai vraiment aimé, autant quand l'album précédent de Bjork, Medulla, m'avait laissé complètement désintéressé. Ici j'aime beaucoup l'ambiance qui se crée à travers la musique. Pas surpris de voir que c'est coproduit par Haxan Cloak (que j'avais vu au Pitchfork Fest en 2014, petite plug). J'ai envie d'y revenir!
Bjork never disappoints, and I always feel like breakup albums frequently display an artist's best work.
I can appreciate it on an intellectual level but it is not an album I actually want to listen to.
Orchestral electronic pop. Good find from the list. Nice sounding and well produced album. Favorite track: Stonemilker other picks: lion song, black lake, mouth mantra.
On paper, I should absolutely be in love with this. I like Bjork's voice usually, it's got beautiful strings but also some harsh electronic beats, Arca and the fucking Haxan Cloak co-produced it, what's not to love? I keep forgetting that I don't actually like Bjork, until I listen to her, then I'm like "oh. right." A problem I consistently have with Bjork, especially this album, is that her voice just kinda does whatever it wants while an instrumental happens to play behind it. I don't like how formless Vulnicura is. My favorite song on here is Quicksand, and not only is it the shortest, it's the closer! We spend most of the time on the album listening to songs kinda...draaag themselves out. It's frustrating. BUT I still think it's a beautiful listen and emotionally captivating, even though I don't see myself coming back to it.
Just a bunch of noises
I’ve always had a bit of a funny history with Björk. Technically I know she’s great, and I really admire her for doing entirely her own thing and carving out a career with such a distinctive voice, but I find a lot of her songs so samey she becomes a bit repetitive. There were some great moments here and some really fun drum loops, but an album or Björk is just a bit much for me all at once.
2.0 nah
Sounds like a bunch of rejected Disney songs. Bjork music isn’t enjoyable. The production is decent but the style is dull and not interesting. Her performance art is much better than anything she has recorded.
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.
I imagine I'd feel about the same about Bjork as I do about Ethel Cain...if I'd ever seen Bjork live. Without that anchor, I just struggle to get into her records at all...they just leave me cold. As I continue to listen, I’m getting more and more negative towards it. It’s just collections of random sounds. A melody or a chorus wouldn’t hurt would it?
I should have loved this but I just found it to be a bit too monotonous for my taste. I love Bjork in small doses but find an entire album difficult and I know I’m probably wrong.
A difficult one to rate. There’s an eerie, jarring beauty to some of it, but it’s a difficult listen and I struggle to follow the lyrics. It gets at least an A for strength of feeling and that counts for a lot when so many albums are lacking on that front. However, I find it hard to imagine that on more listens I would get on better with it.
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!
This is the usual unusual that you have to expect from Björk. I don't know whether it was my mood or the context (night time driving), but I found this album immediately compelling. There were no standout moments, but the whole vibe of the album as it washed over me was dark, intimate, interesting and very beautiful. I was surprised to see how recently it was made and I wonder whether this had something to do with the more instrumental arrangement. I think there is less of a reliance on electronic synthesis to these pieces which really suits her and adds depth. Great find.
Björk's whimsicality has lost its charm to me. I'm starting to feel like once you've listened to one of her albums, you've heard all there is to know.
Supposedly this is a breakup album. But that just sucks out what little fun there was from her being a whimsical figure. The instrumentals are sparser, the lyrics are weirdly inflected with emphasis always put on the least important word of the line. And when you read the lyrics, it's like someone just saying " emotions and feelings" over and over without actually describing any in a relatable way. Ultimately the result is one big sigh. Both the album and my reaction to it.
this is not for me but somehow i get it still did not like it
Absolument insupportable
there really is no one quite like björk. really well produced. stunning music.
A true masterpiece
Some beautiful melodies, soundscapes and passionate singing. Björk's voice is a major selling point. It's a bit front loaded however - I lost interest at the end. Faves: Stonemilker, Lionsong, Notget
An okay album but no stand out songs.
Not gonna lie didn’t like this at all
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.
No good.
*59 Jeg synes “Debut” var bedre. Det er dog en gentagelse i form af en utrolig betagende og smuk vokal, men hvor lyset fra helheden ikke rigtig kommer igennem til mig.
Det her synes jeg faktisk var ret fedt. Selvom jeg fortsat ikke er verdens største Björk-fan, så synes jeg at hendes vokal passer bedre ind i stemningen på dette album, end jeg oplevede det på 'Debut', hvor det blev en anelse for skingert til mig. Stor 3'er
Det er meget smukt, og jeg synes også, det er bedre end "Debut", som vi har været igennem. Jeg er dog stadig ikke Björk-fan, og der er også nogle ting på albummet, der ikke giver mening for mig. Tror, jeg kunne condition mig selv til at nyde det mere over tid. Jeg gav Debut 2.5, så det her må være en: 3.0
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.
That was odd
Excelente
I like Bjork's artsiness, but this album was a little much
### Overview *Vulnicura* is Björk’s eighth studio album, released unexpectedly in early 2015 following a digital leak. Conceived as a “healing documentary” about the dissolution of her 13-year relationship with artist Matthew Barney, the album maps emotional trauma with clinical precision. Where previous Björk albums experimented with character (*Vespertine*’s domestic bliss, *Medúlla*’s raw flesh, *Biophilia*’s natural science), *Vulnicura* strips away metaphor to confront heartbreak head-on. It is arguably her most painfully direct and sonically cohesive work since *Homogenic*. --- ### Lyrics: Cartography of Grief The lyrics are structured like a medical chronology. Björk even provided a timeline in the liner notes: six months before, at zero, three months after, nine months after, etc. Each song occupies a precise emotional stage. - **Pre-breakup (“Stonemilker”):** She senses the fracture but cannot articulate it. “Who is open-chested / And who has coagulated?” – a stunning image of emotional availability versus defensive hardening. - **The rupture (“Lionsong”):** Ambivalence and false hope. “Maybe he will come back / But maybe he won’t” – delivered with unsettling calm. - **The aftermath (“Black Lake”):** The centerpiece – a ten-minute excavation of suicidal numbness. “I am not hurting you anymore / Now I am stuck in this lake of black tar” – the tar as both tomb and stasis. - **Healing begins (“Family,” “Notget”):** “We have light / We have light” repeats over a glacial bass, suggesting survival without forgetting. “Notget” even flirts with vengeful reincarnation: “I will not forget / This fist.” Her vocabulary is visceral (veins, wounds, scabs, lava) yet forensic (chronology, diagnosis, prognosis). The weakness: occasional awkward phrasing (“our love was our house / I can’t live there”) can feel less poetic than other Björk works, but this bluntness may be intentional – trauma rarely speaks in elegant metaphors. --- ### Music & Arrangement: Strings, Beats, and Void *Vulnicura* reunites Björk with producer **Arca** (Alejandro Ghersi) and mixer **The Haxan Cloak** (Bobby Krlic). The sonic palette is stark: mournful string arrangements (courtesy of Björk herself, later scored by Una Sveinbjarnardóttir), skeletal electronic beats, and occasionally corrosive bass. - **Strings:** Borrowing from *Homogenic*’s volcanic strings but slowed to a funeral pace. In “Black Lake,” violas and cellos mimic breathing – long, shuddering bows that swell then retreat, as if the music itself is hyperventilating. - **Arca’s influence:** His signature is everywhere – glitching, granular synthesis, beats that feel organic and broken. “Mouth Mantra” features a percussion track made from Björk’s own vocal clicks and dental sounds (teeth chattering, saliva). The result is uncomfortably intimate. - **Björk’s voice:** Stripped of the usual vocal acrobatics for much of the album. She sings low, vulnerable, sometimes flat-adjacent (“Lionsong”) by design – to convey exhaustion. Only on “Atom Dance” (featuring Antony Hegarty) does she soar into her upper register, signaling tentative release. **Musical highlight:** The transition from “Family” into “Notget” – a sub-bass drop that feels like a heart restarting after flatline. --- ### Production: Negative Space as Instrument The Haxan Cloak’s mix favors negative space. Reverb tails are long but the center is often dry and close-miked (Björk’s voice inches from the mic). Electronic elements are not “glitch for glitch’s sake” but emotional markers: - In **“Black Lake,”** after nine minutes of despair, a single digital stutter cuts in – like a record skipping on pain. - **“Quicksand”** closes the album with a reversed harp loop and a pitched-down vocal sample (Björk’s own daughter singing “Mama”), suggesting that healing is not linear but cyclical. The production is dense but not cluttered. Every sound has a psychological reason to exist. --- ### Themes: Heartbreak, Betrayal, Survival, and the Gendered Gaze 1. **Time as wound & healer:** The chronological structure denies catharsis; you cannot skip stages. “History of Touches” (a song about the last time they had sex) is explicitly timestamped – a museum exhibit of a corpse. 2. **Betrayal without blame:** Remarkably, Björk never names Barney or details infidelity (though press later confirmed infidelity). Instead, she explores *the feeling of betrayal* – the collapse of shared language (“Stonemilker”), the shock of being suddenly unknown to oneself (“Mouth Mantra”: “My mouth is a scar / It’s a mantra”). 3. **The female body as battlefield:** “Mouth Mantra” uses dental imagery to explore silencing and control. “Notget” turns the womb into a threat (“this fist will not forget”). The album refuses to make female suffering noble – it is ugly, repetitive, and physically real. --- ### Influence *Vulnicura* arrived at a moment when “sad girl” electronic music (Lana Del Rey, Lorde, FKA twigs) was gaining critical mass, but Björk’s directness – no irony, no aestheticized misery – set it apart. - **Immediate influence:** Artists like **Weyes Blood** (the orchestral sadness of *Titanic Rising*), **Eartheater** (glitched vocal processing and trauma lyrics), and **Lingua Ignota** (classical devastation meets industrial rage) all owe a debt to *Vulnicura*’s tonal courage. - **Rehabilitation of “confessional” art:** In an era of curated social media grief, *Vulnicura* showed that raw, unpolished emotional excavation could still be avant-garde. - **Orchestral electronic fusion:** Paved the way for later works like **Serpentwithfeet**’s *Soil* and **Kelsey Lu**’s *Blood*. --- ## Pros and Cons | **Pros** | **Cons** | |----------|----------| | **Emotional authenticity** – Perhaps the most honest breakup album ever made by a major artist. No sugar-coating, no revenge fantasy (except “Notget”’s clenched fist). | **Relentless heaviness** – The album’s 71 minutes offer little respite. Even “Atom Dance,” the most hopeful track, feels tentative. Not an easy listen. | | **Lyrical precision** – The medical/chronological framing is brilliant, turning private pain into universal architecture. | **Occasional lyrical flatness** – Lines like “I loved him / He loved me” (“Family”) feel undercooked by Björk’s standards, though arguably intentional. | | **Arca & Björk synergy** – A perfect marriage of experimental production and emotional narrative. The glitches *are* the psychology. | **Accessibility** – For casual listeners, the slow tempos, dissonant strings, and arrhythmic beats can feel alienating. Not “pop” in any conventional sense. | | **Cohesion** – Unlike the scattershot *Biophilia* or *Medúlla*, *Vulnicura* maintains a single mood from start to finish. | **Live performance limitations** – Many songs lose power without the studio’s precise electronic textures. The *Vulnicura Live* album is great, but the strings often overwhelm the subtle glitches. | | **Bravery in vulnerability** – Björk sings off-center, broken, and raw. She risked “ugly” emotions (resentment, numbness, self-pity) and turned them into art. | **Length of “Black Lake”** – At 10 minutes, it’s magnificent but exhausting. Some feel the final third meanders without new insight. | --- ## Final Verdict **Rating: 9.2/10** *Vulnicura* is not an album you “enjoy” – it is an album you *survive* alongside. It trades Björk’s usual whimsy for a scalpel, dissecting heartbreak until nothing is left but raw tissue and the faint, stubborn hope of healing. Its flaws (occasional lyrical bluntness, punishing emotional weight) are inseparable from its virtues. In confronting her own devastation without flinching, Björk created one of the 21st century’s definitive breakup albums – a work that makes you feel not less alone, but more honestly alone. And that, paradoxically, is its greatest gift. **Recommended for:** Fans of *Homogenic*, Arca, FKA twigs, Nick Cave’s *Skeleton Tree*, or anyone processing grief who wants art that does not look away.
Was an interesting listen, not sure if it's something I'll go back to immediately but I think I'll listen again
The is what I imagine an ethereal plane sounds like
Damn. Damn. Damn. Devastating. Damn.
Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork Bjork!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Bjork is strange and raw and true and I love her experimental spirit even when I don’t like her music) 4⭐️
These songs feel like they're lacking context, as if they'd work better in some film or cool scene in a show. I liked the instrumentals but felt vocals were just not working for me. Overall felt like it didn't take the music anywhere, and became a chore to listen to early on in.
Arty
It wasn’t great
Not for me - interesting, but just didn’t resonate
Breaking up with Bjork after this one…
3.5
I like Björk better if I don't try to understand it.
Pretty classic Bjork. Didn’t love it and didn’t hate it.
She’s the best living musician. No doubt about it.
honestly a little surprised that i'm listening to björk today. this is björk's eighth album release, and it's centered around the breakup of fellow musician matthew barney. leave it to someone like björk to really get gradiose with her emotions.... like most of her work, this entry is quite surreal and otherworldly, her distinctive voice, and biiiiiig strings, both acoustic and electric fill the album's runtime. it's like taking a venture directly into her mind as she sings about her experiences and feelings about this period of her life. don't get put off by the more faint, and... well... ambient instrumentation, björk is VERY direct. she's kinda confronting you and exposing herself at her most vulnerable and personal levels. her past albums are a lot more whimsical, poetic and full of tongue-twisting ideas but this album is straight up talking about her feelings in plain english. and i found it captivating, really. there's a sister album that goes along with this one... i might have to check that out too.
I couldn’t get past three tracks. I’m told the lyrics to this breakup album are “devastating” but I’m met with lyrics like this: “Show me emotional respect, oh respect, oh respect / And I have emotional needs, oh needs, oh ooh / I wish to synchronize our feelings, our feelings, oh ooh” Not so subtle… not so artful. Neither is “I remember every single f*ck” (track three). I usually don’t rate an album if I didn’t hear all (or at least most) of it. But this was a non-starter. Needle off, record back in its sleeve, and ready to move on
Icelandic music is intriguing, but undeniable from a colder, darker place. Icelandic breakup music with strings? I just don’t have the internal fortitude to get to a point of enjoyment.
I enjoyed this Bjork album more than the previous one I received. I'm not really into the vocals but the combination of electronic beats and string instruments was cool. I also received two Icelandic artists in a row (Sigur Ros and Bjork).
Apparently I much prefer weird danceable Björk over weird unsettling strings Björk. The opening track had me curious but then what followed was a disconnected mess that was dissonant, bland, and just off. But not in an artsy way, just a tiring way.
Bjork is a tortured soul in this album and she succeed in torturing me. I hope she heals.
I can handle this in small doses. The first song was ok. After that I could not wait for it to be over with.
It's Bjork, you get what you get
Ne mogu ju ni čuti. 1/5, 1/10
she's a trip
Vulnicura is an album that i feel like had a lot of potential but ended up not realizing it throughout most of the album. This does make me think of that one FKA twigs album that i heard a while back but this one definitely is better for having more of a structure. The big issue with this album in my eyes is that it has so many points where it feels like its building up to something and then when it reaches the apex, nothing happens, it just slides right back where it came from. This problem was mostly apparent during the first half and while the second half fixes the issue, its still too little too late. Overall, a pretty disappointing listen. Best Song: Atom Dance Worst Song: Quicksand
Björk album
I'll start by saying I love the mix of strings and electronic instruments. However, the lead singers style is not my thing and the constant fade and slow pace makes it an annoying listen.
Thought I’d enjoy this and boy was I wrong, just felt like it was deliberately alternative for no other reason than being edgy
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?
Not for me but I guess its oohhh kayish
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.
I like Bjork when I’m in a Bjork mood. I am not in a Bjork mood today.
It took a few listens to appreciate it, it's a grower.
I think Bjork is an acquired taste, and I don’t have it. That being said, I respect the effort and the art.
Horrible, whiny sound
Beautiful chaos.
How did I miss this release? Seriously, WTF is wrong with me? I thought _Vespertine_ was the finest work that Bjõrk had done. Forgive me, Bjõrk, for my aural blinders (is earmuffs a better word hear?) This is an absolutely transcendent album.
Really weird, but I can dig it, definitely appreciate the pop influence, but very a hot guard, four stars
3 - interesting but tough listen
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
I will be honest I could not finish- I’m sorry Björk. Extra star bc the instrumentals were very moving
Björk does NOT deserve more than one album
Samey production in every song and her singing was samey too. Can't say I enjoyed this at all.
Buenardo. Qué viva Bjork
I keep going back and forth between hating this and thinking it’s pretty cool On one hand, there’s some really haunting, beautiful moments in this album. Bjork’s voice is super iconic and I really can’t see this album working with anyone but her voice. It’s hard to deny there’s a lot of emotion being conveyed through her vocals and lyrics On the other hand, so much of this album just sounds…bad. Maybe it’s just because she’s past her prime in this one but there are some really really rough songs on this, where I’m just begging for it to be over. The instrumentation is minimal, yet still finds ways to clash with itself. Her voice is really hard to listen to after 50+ minutes of wailing It’s interesting to see something that is so far away from what’s popular in the US, but I can 100% see why this did not catch on. Also wow we have 3 more of her albums on this list? Not the best first impression but I guess we’ll see where it goes from here
Weirdo music!
This is such a weird album and I kind of liked it. My main issue with this album is how it sounds like it's always off time, the musician in me can't handle it. I liked the sound of it though, and I can't figure out how to rate this album.
I just can't get along with Bjork. I know everyone claims she's a genius and I can see that she is crazy talented. It's just that all her music makes no emotional connecton and seeing as this is a break up album, that's probably the last thing it was trying to attempt. The songs have a mixture of strings and electronic bubbling all while she does her weird elastic voice thing all over it. It comes across as an album that people feel like they should say they like at parties but would never actually play it when by themself. And man these tracks are long. Maybe one day it'll click, but today is not that day.
This was a vibe to listen to. I would give it 3.5. I'm gonna give it 4 because it felt more unique.
This sucked, this is the first album given to me I just couldn't get all the way through.
Je ferait écouter cette album à mon pire enemi
I like an occasional Bjork tune...mainly earlier stuff. This dragged on a bit.
I like a lot of Bjorks music. I think this one was a bit too minimalist for me. Seems like the kind of record you have to be in a certain head space and I'm not in that head space today.
Bjork is actually an artist I haven't explored yet. This album makes me think I should perhaps start a little earlier in her discography...
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
I'm not too familiar with Björk's work, maybe a handful of songs. Vulnicura has such a different feel compared to the one's I have heard previously. Her vocals really shined through along with the string arrangements and the electropop (even thought I was not a huge fan of this album). Notget was fave.
ive always meant to check out more of bjorks stuff but i think this album veers a little too much on her experimental side for me, it still was a pretty enjoyable listen though i liked quicksand from a production standpoint quite a bit!
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
Respect the artist, originality, output. This one’s not for me.
I'm not sure what to make of this album. It's interesting though. While being abstract, it channels a haunting element of beauty and harmony—very different from some other abstract or experimental albums on this list that seem to channel noise and chaos. I can imagine listening to this album again and perhaps exploring some of her other work.
Huh. Not sure we needed a third album from Bjork, and this one probably wasn't that influential. (checks list) Oh fuck off, there's FOUR? Sigh. I mean, this album is fine, but it's normal enough that it doesn't even sound like a Bjork album. I'll say this: it worked really well as background music, and it was fairly soothing. But at no point did this grab me or strike me as exceptional. I never thought I'd call something from Bjork "milquetoast" but here we are. In the right mood and with proper expectations this is probably more like a 3.3, but not today. 2.4
nothing new here
Pleasant surprise, great vibes.
I kinda didn’t get it
I have a hard time with Björk. I really like a few of her songs. Most of them just get on my nerves. It’s kind of the same with this album, except that I’d already lost patience before I found a track I liked. I didn’t want to sit through all that pretentious mumbling and hissing. 2/5
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.
An other example of Bjork doing.. Bjork. I really enjoyed listening to this as a new to me album, not sure how it slipped by me but I will happily revisit this.
pretty indifferent to bjork, but this was better than anticipated. still probably wouldn't reach for it again at any time.
A la gente le encanta este album pero a mi las vocales estiradas con la composición industrial se me hizo pesadisima de escuchar, siento que este album duro como 2 horas y no creo que me haya transmitido lo que me tenia que transmitir 6/10
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.
With album reviews, I try to hear the good out of music and not throw around ones for the sake of it. However, for this album, I can't find any redeeming qualities that would make this any better for my ears. I wasn't a fan of her voice in her debut album, and this is a worse version of that. The production didn't give her any liberties either; even the orchestral arrangements didn't lift her. I'm glad people love you, Björk, but that person is not me.
Can’t lie this fucks
It’s got some nice moments, but it felt a bit reliant on bjorkisms, and the production was a bit off. Some of the sounds were incongruous. Stonemilker and history of touches were high points and there were good ideas but overall just a 3
Similar-ish sound to Bork’s earlier albums, overall not bad but not a fav.
the singular most inventive album of all time. harrowing storytelling and production and some of the best sound design of any album ever. bjork and arca are a force to be reckoned with.
I really loved the weird ethereal soft blippy parts, but some of the songs were kinda just ok otherwise. Neat album tho
After a few lesser album, Bjork returns with a powerhouse album.
I really can't stand Bjork
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.
MEH
Bjork can kind of wear on you after a bit, but she still rules
why she have a vaigna on her chest
Got bored halfway through. Bjork has some absolute 5/5 albums and songs, but I don't know where they were on this extremely unremarkable album. This is the epitome of 2.5/5. Nice sound, no highs or lows, and nothing that I'll remember in a day. It feels very measured and deliberate, but that verges into plodding and trudging, and I find myself missing the rawness of things like Pagan Poetry.
Oh, Björk. To me, she went from idiosyncratic, messing things up in a positive way, to being idiosyncratic for idiosyncrasy's sake. Ie formulaic. Which in this case means recycling a lot of vocal melodies from Vespertine over a bed of synths and programmed beats that at best sound decent but also recycled from earlier albums and completely disjointed from the vocals. At worst, they sound like a synthesizer our youngest programmed when he had just turned 5. It was, I should add, a synthesizer that produced sounds based on where you placed wooden blocks on a surface with superimposed bars, and a computer scanned that surface and ran a sort of loop over it. And our kid obviously had no idea what he was doing. I tried to help, but couldn't because there were no instructions and you had to figure out what you were doing as you went along. I'm not saying the musicians here didn't know what they were doing. They did. But they tried very hard to sound like they didn't.
p nice
New to me. On first listen I wouldn't say it was one of Bjork's best, but will definitely listen again and I am sure it will grow on me.
Not heard this before but really liked it. A high 3
Very listenable, enjoyable album. One to revisit
I love Björk, but wouldn’t often choose this LP when choosing something to listen to from her back catalogue. Two stars. Tom.
Just not a fan of Bjork’s singing. Music was ok, just on the weirder side. Vocals were off putting to me. 2/5
Lost track a bit of Björk’s work but this is a great album. Challenging at times and emotionally charged. Really enjoyed the orchestration working well with her voice. Rewards repeat listening.
Interesting and different but not really my fave
I don't mind it, but it just made me want to listen to ANOHNI
Found this pretty grating. I like weird but this was too avant garde
Not always the easiest album to engage with, but rewarding in places - the build towards the end of “Black Lake”, the chopped vocals of “Stonemilker”. Some songs probably take too long to develop? But I rarely found this album boring. Kudos to Björk for being like no one else.
not really for me
Awful. Sounds like she’s being tortured.
I just wasn’t feeling the bleeps and boops today. I love a lot of Bjork’s earlier music, and this is still very much in that vein, with beautiful strings playing alongside broken-sounding percussion. But it was just a few clicks too far on the avant-garde dial. THREE STARS
(60/100)
I liked it?
Was actually ok
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
Oooh, that is one very ugly breakup. Bjork is critically wounded from whatever she went (or is still going) through and tries to show us her damaged heart. It’s just too far gone, too artsy, and too messy for me to understand or appreciate. Or maybe just too European. Either way, that’s a rough hour for me. Hopefully, I’m not permanently damaged. (0.44*s) I feel sad for her. The black lake is deep, very deep…
What a strange, somewhat beautiful but also too abstract breakup album. I'll admit that Bjork has a way of making her voice an instrument that works with the string arrangements on Vulnicura. The whole project with the art and digital displays would be kinda cool to see but the album on its own is hard to digest. I would not want to date this frosty sorceress. The song "Notget" sounds like a curse cast upon her ex-lover. I'd like to see a Thom Bjorke collab someday...I think they could come up with some really interesting stuff. This one was not a complete drag but also a tough listen. Even though I didn't really like it, I'm not opposed to another one from the Bjorca...an earlier one so I can get a better feel for her weirdness. 1.25 stars this time.
While I'm admittedly not well versed in Bjork's work I've always seen her referred to as a snobby avante-garde artistic mess that critics love to laud for her eccentric nature. None of that means anything to me since the majority of what I've been exposed to of her work is Yoko-esque cackling, random chanting, and over the top musical beats paired with truly ridiculous outfits (prior Sugarcubes album excepted). She comes off as the personification of an angsty off-broadway show that is trying to push the envelope of edginess to get some press coverage. It's posed as an extreme way to express yourself but is any of it any good or worth listening to? Fun to look at for a few minutes, fun to make fun of, fun to refer to but not the best in large doses. I tried to keep an open mind heading into Vulnicura but the truth is I didn't have high hopes for a Bjork album from 2015 and this was about as bad as I expected. Every song is in the same vein and if you take Bjork's reputation out of it I'm not sure there is anything of substance in here. I didn't really find anything personal, inspirational or groundbreaking. Perhaps the instrumentals are only 1 piece of this larger puzzle as I can imagine some cool museum art or a show set to this soundtrack would be a much better experience to take in. The second half did start to improve and mix it up a bit (Notget and Atom Dance probably the best songs) but it was too little too late. I maintain that there is absolutely some talent buried in there, but without someone to reel her in it just devolves/spirals into a mess. As it stands as an album, I sum Vulnicura up as some bad electronic minimalist production and Bjork spewing some inane lyrics for an hour. I can finally say that I've heard a full Bjork album so I guess that's something. Bjork ain't for everyone, that's for sure. 1.29 stars
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.
How the fuck does this have an average score below 3?! This album is a masterpiece. This lady is heartbroken, and you're giving low scores because she's interesting? (I assume). I'm sorry that it's too challenging for you Men. Anyhow, it's not my absolute favourite Björk album but it's deffo up there. Just heartbreaking and gorgeous with those beautiful strings xx
I was previously familiar with Bjork but not this album. I knew she was eclectic but this one is pretty far out there. There are a lot of strings, but it is also electronic and ambient. I could see listening to this again if I was in the mood, but I probably wouldn't seek it out.
Dream team of Bjork, Arca, and The Haxan Cloak. Possibly Bjork’s best record? Lionsong kills me.
I quite like some early Bjork, and the Sugarcubes, but this leaves me pretty cold. After a couple of songs, I'm over the exaggerated, prolonged pronounciation that Bjork seems incapable of avoiding these days, and I didn't find the incessant bleeping and random noises that passes for 'production' interesting enough to keep my attention. And why are all the damn songs so long? I love a long song at times, but it has to have enough going on to justify the length, and these ones just don't, I'm afraid.
When the strings come in on Family. I felt that. It's not really my bag, but I respect it.
(2.5) björk is one of those artists that I absolutely adore as a person and deeply admire the work of but simply cannot actually listen to for longer than 10 minutes at a time
Listen, I know Bjork walked so Aurora could run, but some of this was just complete garbage. Not a fan.
The closest I've come to really getting Björk. Started really strong but fades towards the end. But I'm going to keep trying.
3- Stars (7/15)
I just do not like Bjork. I don't get it. I don't like it.
Simultaneously maybe too baroque but also very emotionally touching lyrics.
björk.
It’s hard for me to get into a Björk album. They all end up sounding more or less the same. Her voice is so singular.
I like to pretend that I understand and appreciate Bjork's music but really I just think she's cool and want to be her friend.
I may not always understand what she’s doing, but I respect her sincerity.
I don’t know why they broke up, but this album does nothing to entice someone back. Maybe this is what grief sounds like for some.
I just can’t see the appeal. The production is quite fantastic but everything else just doesn’t hit. Definitely not as good as her earlier stuff.
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.
I haven't even started listening to this and I am filled with fear. There is more than a small part of me that doesn't even want to bother listening as her other albums on this list have been so fucking awful. That is not a good pre-listening state!!! I was listening to the first track and I can tell you what it is that I don;t like. It's just meandering and wandering with no structure. My daughter, who is now nearly 30, first learned to talk she would do the same thing vocally. I can remember dreading long car journeys as she would just waffle on, about nothing in particular, with no structure or substance, jumping from one subject to another. This album is the musical equivalent. The time it's take me to write this has taken us into track 2 and that just reinforces my feeling. It is utter wank! I can't stand it! If this type of music is your preference then I would probably not ever discuss music with you.
a cloud hangs over Björk on Vulnicura. this comes four albums and 13-ish years after Vespertine, a lovesick affair which is arguably her masterpiece. that album saw her falling head-over-heels for the same person Vulnicura documents her separation from. "Black Lake" deals with the demise of this relationship with particularly stark, heartbreaking imagery: "My heart is enormous lake, black with potion / I am blind, drowning in this ocean / My soul torn apart, my spirit is broken / Into the fabric of all he has woven." the music underpinning Björk's dissection of her feelings leading up to (and after) the breakup mainly consists of plaintive, downtrodden choirs and strings, alongside glittering electronics. the latter facet often comes courtesy of The Haxan Cloak and (especially) Arca; rounding out the list of collaborators is ANOHNI, whose guest appearance on "Atom Dance" is an unbelievable showcase of her utterly unique voice. as much as I adore this music, it's definitely pretty harrowing! even "Notget", the closest thing Vulnicura gets to a "banger", is a song about how the love in her life was the only thing keeping her "safe from death." but, even if I don't return to it as much as her more upbeat or abrasive albums, I still think that one could make the case that this is her finest hour. the music on this album oozes heartbreak, and Björk's unmistakable lyricism helps her navigate said heartbreak in a way that only she could. strong 9/10.
Nein, diese Heulboje höre ich auch nicht. Diese Dame jammert, jault und stöhnt sich nur so durchs Leben. Wie zugedröhnt muss man denn sein, diesen Mist zu konsumieren?👎
I’ve head a lot of good things from bjork and I didn’t really like this I hope any other entries on here are better.
I've only ever listened to one other Bjork album. I don't think I recognize any of these songs by title. Once again, I don't really like this, but I don't hate it either. I _do_ respect it though.