Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I mean, I get it but… a lot of this is just gratuitous pretentiousness and not enjoyable.
Buen disco, buena producción. No es mucho my cup of tea, pero sí reconozco que merece su lugar en la lista. Lo escuché mientras armaba un lego de tamaño considerable y fue buena compañía.
I really found this hard to listen to and digest. I always felt like I could be open minded to the music Bjork creates, but I just found this jarring to listen to to. Not much flow and the vocals do not compliment the music, that I think without her vocals I would really enjoy. It is an interesting album just not to my taste.
Just really struggle with the vocal here. Maybe it's just too intense for me I find a bit like listening to a child cry. Almost too emotional that I can't enjoy it as art. Think it's definitely a me issue rather than a Bjork issue.
Very emotionally raw and unique. The heavy use of ambience didn't musically resonate with me as much compared to other albums in Björk's catalog, but there are still parts to enjoy and appreciate. Lyrically this feels like one of Björk's strongest, and that helps to carry through the parts that drag. Not my personal favorite, but not bad by any stretch. Top tracks: Lionsong, Black Lake, Family
I listened to this twice through. The first time around I found it to be pretty enjoyable, if a bit repetitive. Many of the lyrics are quite beautiful if you take the time (and are inclined to embrace our cyborg future): “I wish to synchronize our feeling,” “the history of touches / every single archive / compressed into a second / all with us here as I wake you up.” After the second listen, however, I realized this is the type of album I can only enjoy very intermittently, and found the halting cadence of the vocals made it hard for me to settle into the music. I can appreciate this album as a work of art, but it’s not the type that I’d like hanging in my home.
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
Pretty quiet but not her best stuff?
I keep listening to Bjork albums, hoping that this will be the one that changes my mind and turns me into a Bjork fan. For the first 20 minutes of Vulnicura, I really thought it had finally happened.
Ohhoh! Enpä voi tunnustaa Björkiä aiemmin juuri kuunnelleeni, kuullut ehkä joskus jotain yksittäisiä biisejä. Ennakkoluulot olivat vahvat, odotin melkoista taidepläjäystä. Ja sellainen sieltä totisesti tulikin, tosin vain hyvin eri tavalla, kuin odotin. Odotin ehkä ”tekotaiteellista paskaa” mutta sainkin melkoisen musiikillisen seikkailun. Avausraita oli heti todella vangitseva ja levy piti otteessaan koko kestonsa ajan. Vaatii keskittymistä, ei toimi tsustamusana. Mutta kannattaa kuunnella, palkitsee ja isosti. Björkin ääni ja melodiataju on jotain aika omalaatuista. Mahtava levy! 5/5
Me molesta bastante su voz en este disco. Me resulta incómodo por demás.
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.
2026.03.26.
I don’t understand Bjork, literally and figuratively.
There’s no doubt this bjork can sing, but about what I have no idea. I swear on my kids, I thought she was speaking another language until halfway through the first song when I was able to recognize a couple of words in English. This album is essentially classical music being played while Bjork freestyles on top of it; mostly outside of the song’s rhythm. Not a fan of the style or compilation.
Björk sings art songs like she is some sort of post-modern troubadour. This is not a judgment, a criticism or an opinion - it’s straight fact. She is an anachronism - or I guess more properly, she is a prochronism, as she apparently is from the future. But, I’m not totally sure that’s correct either, because I don’t think she IS from the future - I don’t think Björk is actually from ANY rime or ANY place - I think she’s fucking insane and her music is Björing as shit. There, I said it. Musical genius my ass - you wanna impress me? Take the wheel for a little while, motherfucker!
I don't know much about Bjork. A song or two from the 90s, swan dress, and quirky voice. That's about it. My expectations were low for this one, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I was mostly struck by the seriousness of the music. Very deliberate and well composed. The beats are tranquil and fluid, nicely complimented by Bjorks unique voice. Overall far more enjoyable than i expected. The downside, as is my gripe about this genre in general, is that it's all a bit dull and mundane. I didn't care for the album overall, but not upset to have listened. This is better than 2 stars. 3 feels more appropriate but it's the lowest form of a 3.
Sometimes chaotic, sometimes beautiful, sometimes kinda annoying. But overall a pretty unique and interesting package that makes me want to try out some more Björk.
I think Björk may not be for me? Vocals annoying on this album.
This record resembles Homogenic with its strings and ambient mood. It’s more classical with electronic beats laid on top. And when you have Vulnicura as the title, the album reminds me of Iceland and the volcanic force of nature. It's definitely a difficult listen than the pop Bjork records I discovered this year. But I appreciate her toying around with the border between familiar and unfamiliar music. Now I can enjoy more songs in this list by having this in my memory.
El disco del retorno de Bjork a sonidos que la hicieron grande. Electrónica y cuerdas, melodías agradables. Medúlla u Homogenic están en el horizonte, pero no llegan a ese nivel. La Bjork de 2015 no es la de entonces, para lo bueno y para lo malo. Produce junto a Arca, pero sorprende que no se empape de sus sonidos. Un disco que viene de Biophilia (y de Volta) y de su divorcio, pero que con Arca fue una producción sanadora. El reverso de Vespertine. Ya desde la preciosidad de la inicial Stonemilker estamos de enhorabuena. Lionsong es otro de sus puntales. Family o Vulnicura sin embargo son oscuras, densas. Se hacen largas, y algomonótonas. En Atom Dance vuelve a contar con la participación de Antony, quien todavía aparece en el libreto acreditado bajo ese nombre aunque en breve iba a reaparecer con un nuevo nombre (Anohni), pero se hace demasiado larga, no engancha. Cierre más animado en Quicksand, pero tampoco es para tirar cohetes. Un disco que gustará a los amantes de la música de Bjork pero que no convencerá al resto.
Unmistakenly Björk. A beautiful haunting album, but for me, not one of her best.
Despite being experimental, most of the songs on "Vulnicura" sound very similar to each other. I'm just not a fan of Björk's music, so far. It could change as I get to hear more of her songs. Anyway, "Vulnicura" is dull, and a few songs go on for too long. "Quicksand" is a good song, though. 2 stars for "Vulnicura".
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.
Bjork is not for me. Just don’t get the fascination. This album sounds like one long long song, with someone hitting a violin or cello and her just talking / singing over it.
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
Not a fan of later bjork
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
Almost every song would be better as an instrumental
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.
Not as weird as I'd have thought
This might have been my fave Bjork so far on the list. I liked it, didn’t love it, but I’m in my sad girl era, and it was speaking to me. “Stonemilker” was probably my favorite track, and I think the lengthy tracks really worked here. Rating this a high 3.
6/10
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.
Pleasantly surprised, nice beats
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.
Woman 👍 can't sing 👎
Un disco sumamente artístico y experimental. No me gustó mucho pero solo es mi opinión, seguro que tiene muchas virtudes este disco. Sin embargo, cada vez que el disco seguía me costaba menos entender las pistas, me pareció un disco sumamente sincero y artístico, en momentos piensas que es pretencioso pero conforme el disco sigue te das cuenta que no, es honesto. Creo que es música que vale la pena escuchar y analizar. Digo, es Björk, es de las artistas experimentales y performativas más importantes que hay en la industria. No me gustó tanto el disco pero me gustó el concepto, aunque no se si lo entendí bien. Pero bueno de cualquier manera creo que tiene cosas muy buenas.
dislike strogner
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.
No, sir. I don't like it.
hear me out
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.
With Bjork I often appreciate the talent and creativity more than I feel like I am enjoying the music.
Didn't like it as much as last bjork that was suggested to me. Music felt minimal and quiet, leaving just vocals that don't do much for me if they're not blending with music
I liked aspects of this album, the dissonant strings and Björk Björking. It didn't really grab me though.
Très bel album que je ne connaissais pas. Donne très envie de le réécouter.
16/20 Une belle découverte. Les sonorités étaient plutôt belles et riches. Je reste pour autant pas un grand fan de la voix
I was going to give this a 4 for complex internal reasons but there is a sound in the middle of the track Atom Dance that gave me chills, full body goosebumps. Unbelievable
Yeah, I'm definitely not that keen on Bjork's later stuff, it's delving into experimental territory a bit too much. I admire what she's doing, but it's not as impactful as it was.
Normally when an album just kinda passes me by without making me feel anything, I give it a three. However, I constantly found myself instinctively reaching to put on some music, forgetting that there was technically already music playing.
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
I still don't understand her. But it was harmless.
I was excited for this one since I just listened to Homogenic yesterday, but I found this one to be more of a drag. Björk’s vocals are always great, but the songs themselves couldn’t keep my attention. Maybe worth a relisten sometime, but for now I couldn’t get into it.
05/03/2026 I was looking for a reason not to give this 1 star, but i couldn't. It's total guff. Spotify listeners: 7.5 million
Too empty and husky for me.
I don’t know if this one needed to be on the 1001. Bjork is a good artist who always offers a bit of oddity. However, the only song that caught me was Family, which features interesting orchestrations and vocal melodies. But I didn’t think Black Lake was ever going to end. Atomic Dance had some interesting elements, especially the “backward” melodies. This seemed too experimental for me. Respect the artist. Appreciate the exploration. It just didn’t connect for me this time.
Random thoughts: * I was hesitant about this one from the first time it popped up. * I finally worked up the courage to turn this on and I was righteously apprehensive. * There is some Sigur Ros, her fellow Icelanders, in the sound as it is very atmospheric. * However, this atmosphere was not for me. I almost made it through the entire album but this was not my jam. I have no intention of going back. I'm sure there is some redeeming qualities but I just couldn't through it. * How do you say "no thanks" in Icelandic?
It’s Bjork. It sounds like Bjork. Is you like that, I imagine it’s wonderful for you. If you don’t, then it’s just Bjork.
This album doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. It’s vocally infuriating and I just don’t understand the appeal at all. There is the most beautiful string quartet in the first song though which I’ve thrown an extra half star on for
I don’t get Bjork, and I’m not going to pretend I do. I just don’t like this
Completely unlistenable, couldn't finish
can't find my way around the newer bjork, love other albums tho
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.
Ummm...ethereal?
Thats okay
probably pretty good but not for me
I like the idea of Bjork more than the actual listening to Bjork
Mellow not very inspiring bjork
Sounds like she's making random sounds with her mouth
Bit weird. I know it's Bjork, but bit weird
That was a quick listen because I skipped most of it. Sucks ass
one doesn’t just listen to a björk album, one experiences it. the songs are all immersive works of art. a fascinating journey.
Kinda boring for a Björk album
I can appreciate Björk as an artist, but most of the time it just isn't something I can get in to. I have to be in a very specific mood to want to listen to her.
Never fucked with her, never will.
nope... dit was een misser
I had never really cared to listen to Björk before, but I'm glad I did, because Vulnicura is pretty interesting. The whole mix of electronic and cinematic orchestral music was pretty neat to listen to, and I think her voice is very pretty. That being said, the album didn't feel like it had a whole lot of direction. I especially didn't like how the last song abruptly cut off at the end, and elsewhere the album seemed to kind of meander around and not really flow the best. The sound of "Black Lake" really stood out to me though, I really liked how the orchestral portion sounded in that one. I feel like more people should go for an orchestral sound like this, though, it sounds nice. Favorite Song: "Black Lake"
Too much weird, not enough music
Not as bad as Medúlla, but I still don't get the appeal. Thankfully, I have waded through all her albums now and never have to listen again
I’m glad Björk is doing Björk but it’s not doing it for me.
Different voice, and music.
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”
Björk's voice is heavenly, but I'm not sure I'm into her music just yet.
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.
maybe a bit too experimental for me, but i didn't mind stonemilker. 2 / 5 stars
My second Bjork, and I'm thrilled this popped up. The ambience is immaculate, dark and emotionally charged. Opener Stonemilker is so good, immediately immersive with strings and a drum beat full of reverb, like echoes in the depth of a cave. Lionsong has a nice hook and introduces glitchy, stuttering beats. It gets a bit more avant-garde, and the synths in History of Touches are icy, fragmented. She wrote this about the end of a relationship, but it could be the soundtrack to an alien world. Black Lake is again cold and deep, strings seemingly locked in combat with the mechanical sounding drums. This time, the strings win the battle, but it feels like a stay of execution. Later, the powerful Atom Dance is a touch more whimsical, but then Mouth Mantra is harsh and oppressive. The drums increase in intensity again in the closer Quicksand. It's frenetic. Strings, as always, abruptly cutting at the end. Unresolved tension. No one sounds quite like Bjork, and this has depth and nuance to it. It's a fantastic collection of soundscapes. Don't expect a lot of catchy melodies though. The album cover is fire too.
Breathy, techno euro-pop ain't for me.
Bjork is a singular presence and artist, I don’t know if this album is the best representation of her, but can’t argue it sounds like a Bjork record.
Har ikke hørt mye på bjørk før, kanskje det er en grunn til det? Denne skiva er iallfall ikke den man starter med.
Que te puedo decir, Björk es madre y siempre lo será. Este disco alteró mi química cerebral desde que fui a la experiencia inmersiva del mismo jsjaja Gracias por dar a luz esta obra bjorkcita woaos
Björk halt
Surprisingly I enjoy Bjork, but only in small doses. Her style really wears you down after a while
Never gotten into Björk, didn’t mind this. I think this kinda stuff ends up really growing on you
I really tried to like Björk's music, but it's just too weird and out there for me
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
Bizarre as hell but not so bad.
Emotional journey through the lens of the Icelandic goddess
I didn’t really understand it. I’m happy for you tho. Or sorry that it happened.
don't want to give lower than a 3 because I'm scared of her
Not your best work Bjork ...
Terrible my ears bled!
7/10
Admirable but not for me. I want to be pushed and challenged, but alien emo isn’t for me, AND THATS OK! Orchestral stuff was cool. Lyrics are very raw and feel authentic/sad.
Like most of Bjorks music, it initially inspires and reminds me how weird music can get, but quickly fades from my interest There were some standouts here. I liked Atom Dance and Quicksand. The hits didnt stick at all for me
Buckle up for outer space kiddo.
Outoa, vähän järkevämpää Björkkiä kuin aikaisemmin. Silti outoa. Tosi orkestaalista. Kai se juttu näissä biiseissä on tuo Björkin avantgarde laulutyyli, mutta se on musta vähän liian pistävä. Mussa on se pervo puoli joka tykkää outoudesta ja noista erikoisista instruista, mutta se laulu on vaan liikaa. Ehkä kertoo jotain että levyn paras hetki oli Atom Dance biisissä missä featti lauloi eikä Björk. Parhaat: Black Lake, Atom Dance
god this was so painful to sit through, sorry
I found this very grating. There were a few moments that it all came together in a nice way, but I didn't feel it was worth sitting through the albums or songs to get there.
I can’t properly rate this as it is one I simply can’t listen to at work. I tried, but it scrambled into background noise, which is not a thing you really say about Björk. It deserves a much better hearing so I will try again.
нежно, трагично, чувственно, в стиле бьорк. оно всё конечно очень качественное и уникальное, исполнительница легендарная, но вот нимагу я прочувствовать. может, потом мне будет стыдно за эту оценку, но бьорк я пока вообще нипанимаю.
8/10
good lord that was heavy. not my favorite bjork at all - I love her but this album was depressing and too abstract for me to actually enjoy
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.
a fraught journey. beguiling as ever. she is going deep on this one so maybe we don't have to. i'm not sure i'm able to join her but it's awesome to see her drifting in space from the safety of the ship.
I know nothing about Björks personal life, but I have a feeling she just broke up with he man. Edit. She did.
2.9 Torn on the inclusion of this. If I hadn't already had gotten quite into Bjork (thanks to this list, several years ago now), I honestly don't know how low this rating would have gone. As it is, knowing how.. 'artsistic' her music can get, knowing the backstory of her divorce, knowing the juxtaposition of this versus Vespertine... It makes it a better album but it doesn't make it a good album. She's clearly very hurt, very broken, but ultimately she hasn't translated that into great music. Strays too much on the artsy-side, with no great hooks (other than possibly Lionsong) so there's nothing to really pull me in. Her first 4 releases were all fantastic, but after that it can be quite difficult to get in to. Extremely surprised this is on here over Homogenic
Vulnicuraing on it
#32/1001 🇮🇸 Bjork's break up album is never an easy listen lyrically. Its her in the darkest place of all her albums. Musically it combines sparse electronic beats with haunting strings to great effect, most notably on Black Lake. Bjork is undoubtedly one of my favourite musicians and has the ability to make me laugh and cry with her deeply personal lyrics. I was intrigued and blown away the first time i heard the Sugarcubes on late night tv, then totally hooked from the first time i caught Human Behaviour on MTV. I get that she divides opinion - just read the other reviews here, but life would be boring if music never evolved or stepped outside its lanes. Best tracks: Black Lake, Stonemilker, Atom Dance
Another banger Bjork album. I listened to this twice through. Glad this project finally forced me to listen to her!
Felt like a silly fairy listening to this.
Er ikke så glad i Arca-perioden til Björk. At denne plata er på lista, men ikke Homogenic, er tullete!
Bit samey
A cacophony
This was a tough listen. I think kind of liked the other Bjork album, this was not as good. Was tempted for a 1 but I wasn't truly offended by the album.
I can confirm that this sounded like Bjork
- Selvom jeg synes Björk er talentfuld og gør sin egen ting, må jeg bare erklære og erkende at det ikke lige er mig, helt basalt synes jeg bare det er anstrengende at lytte til, ville ønske jeg kunne sætte pris på det, men det hele irriterer mig bare lidt
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.
It was interesting. Felt very intimate, almost too intimate, like I shouldn't be in room for it. String arrangements were incredible!
Horrible
Pretty strange and odd. Not my thing.
I love Bjork in the same way that i love Iggy Pop. She is mutha fucking cool, she is progressive and interesting and dangerous and inventive and anti establishment. She pushes the boundaries of music forward and makes the music that she wants, not what she should make. However, all of this can get in the way of actually making music that i actually want to listen to and engage with. This album was beautiful and interesting and well done, but i didnt emotionally connect with it. Maybe one day i'll find a way in and this will be a 5, because it has all the ingredients to be one, but for now its a 3.
Good
Tense, hyper-detailed arrangements built from cutting strings, fractured electronics, jagged rhythms, and Björk’s exposed, ear straining vocals push this experimental art-pop album like walking across a frozen lake that keeps cracking underfoot. Emotionally intense, and permanently on edge waiting for the fall.
2.8
really honest and raw but with insanely good production and harmony's. Genuinely an insane sonic experience with a perfect blend of emotion and experimentation. I wouldn't casually put this on and you do need to sit down and listen to it but an insanely good album
This generator LOVES Björk
I want to like it more than I do
Björkiä ei voi kuunnella kuin täys fani
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
Eccentric and good. Bjork is a very creative artist.
This one kind of left me cold. Both in the chilly electronica sounds but also in the lyrical and conceptual sense. I really enjoyed the orchestrations and some of the songs like "Stonemilker" and "Black Lake" had beautiful arrangements and emotional resonance. But it's way too much of the same and there are no melodies to pull you in and stick with you. Meandering, formless, and, in the end, dull instead of transporting.
This started to irritate me a lot towards the end, which surprised me because I thought Vespertine was great. It has that cold weird beauty that Björk is famous for, love some of the orchestral arrangements, but none of these songs stood out, and I felt at least an arm's length from all of them. By the end I was just sick of hearing the same stilted vocals and trippy beats that are on every track
3.5
2.5
The biggest thing about Björk to me is that I've always found her a bit too challenging for my taste but I find her interesting. Now I did enjoy both *Debut* and *Post* quite a bit more than this one but I think that's mainly because it's also firmly inside of the trapping of '90s alternative music. This with the orchestral Suites was a little bit more for me to just like digest at least in one sitting. It's one that I probably should come back to and see if it grows on me because there's a certain emotionality to it. But as always it's a bit more challenging than my ear wants to hear. (7.4) ★★★½
Interesting, but too harsh for me at times. 3.5 stars
4.5/5
Objectively, I think Bjork is a talented musician -- she's a technically great vocalist and some of the arrangements here are nice and pretty at times. However, something about her songwriting approach just leaves me cold. Maybe that's the goal, but it has an alien, futuristic feel that doesn't quite resonate with me, and kind of makes me a little anxious. I probably liked the first two tracks the best, but by the end I was really ready for this album to be over. Very light 3 stars.
4.5
Gloomy clunge-day. An absolute travesty how this is in the book in favour of her second album Post. These are more like hypo-ballads.
Good but now I need to sit in a dark room
Shocker! Not for me
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
not for me, it's cool as guess? 01/26/2026
Lovely afternoon listen from a true never a dull moment artist. Sonically fantastic!
It feels like every track is a concept that she tries out in different forms - so that's why every song is so bloody long! I zone out and then realise 5 minutes later I'm still listening to the same song - some of these lyrics come out of her mouth painstakingly slow, like can she spit it out?! Most of the keys used are minor, and lots of clashing notes that aren't that easy on the ears. Futuristic sounding.
"Stonemilker" ist ein phänomenaler Opener. Das ist genau die Björk, die ich mit Alben wie "Verspertine" und vor allem "Homogenic" lieben gelernt habe. Etwas schräg, aber sehr melodisch und emotional. Leider verliert der Rest des Albums ein wenig das Gespür für den Song, hält sich aber durch die tolle Grundstimmung dennoch gut über Wasser.
no te pases de verga bjork, qué increíble album - las percusiones y las cuerdas me están dando un viajesote por el tiempo tqm
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.
If I could give this negative stars I would
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.
Interesting but a bit too esoteric for my taste.
Vague and stupid electronic music. Quite hard to sit through
like the music is really good but like i personally dknt understand it, like its not my type of music. i dont like how she sings.
Homeogenic is one of the best albums ever. This is solid.
I appreciate her as an artist although this album is not exactly my jam. Very emotional and experimental. But I'm missing all the driving rhythm from her "Debut". 1,5
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
Weird but not quite in a bad way. Some of the songs are so beautiful
03/10 15.01.2026
Really fascinating album. She's really doing something different here and I like it. So many strange things going on in the music, and I think it works. I need to revisit Vespertine after this. 4.5/5.0: Excellent
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.
its giving soundtrack in a good way
Nice strings. Very sad songs but nothing to get me tapping my foot or nodding along
my girl is so interesting!! sound over voice but she works with it!!
I love Bjorks older stuff but after Vespertine, she got too weird. I'll listen to this though. Yeah that was too weird. I would give it a 2 but since it's Bjork. I'll go 3.
Har inget emot Björk men alla låtarna är.. Björk
Typical Bjork album. Couple of really cool songs with some great beats and a few head scratchers
Je m’améliore définitivement dans l’écoute de Björk! Je me suis presque rendu au 2/3 avant d’abandonner, pis j’ai seulement pris 4 pauses entre-temps!
I’m sure if I saw Bjork perform live with an orchestra I’d love it. But am I going to go out of my way to listen to her elsewhere? No.
Vulnicura ist ein emotional starkes Album mit faszinierenden Klanglandschaften. Doch die komplexen Strukturen und düstere Stimmung machen es schwer zugänglich. Interessant – aber kein leichter Hörgenuss.
Album 1016 of 1089 Vulnicura - Björk (2015) Rating : 1 / 5 There was absolutely nothing about this album that I enjoyed. I gave it a fair listen, kept an open mind, and still came away with nothing positive to say. I understand that this album is deeply personal and emotionally raw, and I respect that aspect of it. But as a listening experience - especially when listening for enjoyment - it did absolutely nothing for me. I found it grating, inaccessible, and unpleasant from start to finish. I know many people connect with this record, and that’s fine. For me, though, I don’t understand how this works as entertainment at all. Sometimes an album just isn’t for you, and this one couldn’t have missed me by a wider margin.
The sound on this album feels big, spacious, grand. The strings are great, though in some tracks they're really all you have to go on texture-wise other than Björk's vocal. Stonemilker is gorgeous at a glance, but extremely straightforward in terms of sound. Just vocals, a floaty string section, and simple percussion. The song family might be an exception here, because though it does mostly have string instruments, they cover an enormous range of textures. I especially love the combination of haunting lower notes and sharp, accented, creepy ones on the violins. (This happens about halfway through.) Björk also layers her vocals nicely here. This would be mind-blowing on hallucinogens, I guarantee it. As it stands, from a sober perspective, I'm not as impressed as I was with Debut and Vespertine. Lionsong is difficult to follow, on account of all the chords haphazardly thrown out, but it still sounds excellent. For that reason, I have to assume a ton of thought was put into the composition. Which is always a plus for me. The vocals are gorgeous, too, and those strings, man... they caress your heartstrings. History Of Touches has lyrics that are both clumsy and in slightly bad taste ("Every single fuck / We had together / Is in a wondrous time lapse") but I can't make myself hate Björk for it. Though I completely understand if you do. It doesn't help that the song is arrhythmic and only contains one instrument: a synth that can't get over its obsession with suspended chords. In fact, a lot of the songs here lack any sort of tempo/rhythm, accentuating Björk weird post-psychedelia outlook to life where everything is a confusing dream and nothing makes sense. I would like to hear her continue with the poppier approach she had in the 90s. But alas. 3/5 Key tracks: Lionsong, Family, Atom Dance
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.
Overall Rating - 2.17/5 (4.33/10). What the f@%$ did I just listen to?
I think I don't get Bjork.
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.
It's okay. Not very memorable.
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
Kunstnerisk musikk og særegne, til tider personlige tekster. Ganske bra, men ganske utmattende også.
-ough fuck yeahh… i have cried many a time while listening to this album. some of Björk’s best work imo, sooo emotionally raw and heartbreaking. fuck Matthew Barney fr -definitely her most impressive post-2010 album imo. anything she does with strings is always incredible… 4.5 but leaning toward 5 -Favorites: Lionsong, History Of Touches, Black Lake, Family, Atom Dance
Apparently need to listen to later bjork cuz this is awesome
Not mine. This is better than Radiohead, but not mine.
Unisound background. Lyrics are quite beautiful but are lost in the noise.
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.
Ikke helt min stil, men ikke helt jævlig heller. Trenger aldri mer høre en sang av Bjørk.
æ skjønne faen ingenting hørt på nyttårsaften 25
I continue to discover that I enjoy Björk. 4/5
So nice I listened thric
There are some great sounds on this but I was looking forward to it being over.
“Bjork” is the same sound when my cat coughs up a hairball. This so called music had the same disgusting affect on me.
I'm generally a big fan of the artist, and this album has lovely instrumentation. I liked it and will listen to it again.
Well, this was a trial. I’ve never got Bjork, and an hour of different arhythmic/polyrhythmic microtonal craptracks that are indistinguishable from each other ain’t changing then.
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.
I thought i'd like it at first but it is really quite boring
I’m usually all about weird and distinctive voices, but Björk’s vocals on this one straight-up annoyed me.
You really gotta be in the mood for bjork. I know she’s always had the electronic lean but this album was a bit much for me.
Very cinematic and dramatic, but I like it. I've noticed that most of the Icelandic artists I've heard have an underlying similar sound. I'd give 3.5/5 if I could, because this heavily depends on what mood I'm in.
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.
maybe this one just caught me on a bad day but i didn't get anything out of this. the songs follow the tried-and-true bjork formula of her odd little mouse voice over aleatoric orchestral backing but it just never coalesced beyond that. the songs were far too long, with only two clocking in under the SIX MINUTE MARK. wrap it up, bjork! favorites: stonemilker
One of the Björk albums I haven't heard before, but it's pretty in line with what I expect out of her music, though notably it's less experimental, electronic-driven, and left-field. Instead, it opts for these lush and slowly shifting string sections (say, for maybe the jagged and nightmarish ones on 'Family', maybe the most abrasive track here). There's something super hypnotic here that won me over, just the way these long songs slowly move and evolve over their durations, with the opening 'Stonemilker' captivating me almost immediately. The uber-long 'Black Lake', I felt similarly about with it, alongside 'Mouth Mantra', leaning into those more familiar electronic sounds a bit more than the other songs here. 'Mouth Mantra' and 'Quicksand' had maybe the best drum machine work on the album, straight out of the '90s IDM scene, which Björk grew up adjacent to. On first listen, I do think it was a bit too long for its own good. The sound did start to feel confined and limited, especially by Björk's standards, near the final quarter. But still pretty good and certainly a grower.
I didn’t really like the beats
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.
"Stonemilker,” the opening track of Björk’s "Vulnicura", features sumptuous, flowing orchestration that swells beautifully, set against sharp, stuttering electronic beats. It’s bold and intriguing, yet ultimately, for me, somewhat off-putting. The remainder of the album continues in much the same vein. This is not a relaxing listen; it is the sound of a woman in pain and despair. It is a deeply sad, melancholic album. There is beauty here, particularly in Björk’s voice, a beauty I can admire, even if the music itself doesn't quite resonate with me. What impressed me most, however, was the sheer clarity of the production, crystalline, like an icy winter pool. It would be easy to dismiss this record with a glib remark but it deserves a little more respect than that. I usually rate albums track by track, but in this case, I’ll make an exception and judge it as a complete experience. For me, it’s a three-star album: I appreciate the artistry and imagination poured into expressing the anguish of a painful break-up, yet as something to listen to, it’s not for me; it's an uncomfortable and disturbing listen and I won’t be returning to it. Three stars. 190/1001 105/190 albums reviewed were new to me.
While I appreciate Björn for doing something different, this album wasn't to my taste. Felt a bit like a snoozefest, too much downtempo and ambient arrangements on one album. Her wailing also became a bit too fatiguing over time, and I found the lyrics a bit contrived.
I never really got Björk. It's not that I don't enjoy this style of music - it's just that i prefer other artists like Fever Ray and Holly Herndon. Was quite bored throughout. Strong 2.
Bjork...not my thing. So for me this one was okay.
I gave this a couple listens because I wasn't really sure what I heard after the first round. After two listens I thought maybe I'd try to listen to it in reverse order so if I could hear it better but I just get increasingly annoyed with the beats that sound like they came from a video game. Bjork the video game. ugh. please no.
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.
I can't with this album. Sorry, Bjork. I appreciate the emotion and processing of heartache. But the music just isn't enjoyable to me on any level. I've rated you highly on two albums and low on one, and this one joins the low club.
A completely Björk thing
#796. As poetry, this would be fairly interesting, but as a song, as music to listen to- it's pretty fucking boring. 2/5: meh
It's ok, you have to like Björk and even then it's pretty long and a lot of Björk
I like her ... but there a limit to how much I can listen to before it gets repetitive, and it starts to annoy.
Bjork is on another plane but this isn’t for me
#26 With the understanding that this is Björk's divorce album, and that anything she makes is a work of art, this was not an enjoyable listen.
'Moments of clarity are so rare / I better document this'; 'Anything peak for clarity.' Björk's breakup record, Vulnicura is not just an honest outpouring of emotion, it's intensely analytical, striving for 'clarity' above all else. She insists on having it: 'I demand all clarity.' Every track resembles some sort of therapeutic procedure, an emotional reckoning that's as philosophical as a novel by Sartre or Camus. In order to get clear about oneself, especially during and after a breakup, one ought to analyze - it's probably not a great idea to chew over things aimlessly and feverishly. The problem is that this doesn't always make for very interesting art. In this case, tho the songs are often beautiful, they drag lyrically + orchestrally: the monotony wears thin.
Meh. Pop stars try to hard these days to sound different, and it ends up sounding like shit.
I guess I can appreciate what Bjork did here. But I didn’t like it at all. 1.5
1.4/10
this was really challenging for me to listen to
4th Bjork album I got. I understand what people like about, but I hate it. It's definitely not run-off-the-mill. There's a lot of tension in the music, but there's no climax. I don't have the patience for this kind of music.
This is one of those albums that might need lots of listens to appreciate.
Björk's strained, whimpering vocals meet a perfect pairing with a haunting and atmospheric orchestra. I struggle at times to connect to her music as it can feel jarringly disjointed and hard to follow. There is still some of that in this album, but it had a lot of my attention throughout. Even if at times my mind wandered, something would snatch me back into a track at random. I give major props to her ability to stretch her horizons and make interesting music even if it isn't my taste. I think in this instance she was successful in portraying her pain and struggle. 3.5 Stars
very interesting, wasn’t convinced that i was listening to english at first
Mellow. Songs sound similar
Not my cup of tea.
As someone who considers myself a fan of Bjork, I've owed this a listen for a while. Vulnicura is on the shortlist of greatest Bjork albums in the eyes of many, so I was pretty excited going in, and my expectations were well exceeded. The last Bjork album I listened to was Debut, and I've heard several projects between these two, but the distance is still pretty astounding. After Homogenic, Bjork's music seemed to largely get more and more abstract as a rule of thumb: to divisive, but generally fascinating results. And here, the experimentation is emotionally grounded to her processing the end of the long-term relationship she had with Matthew Barney. This lends the album an emotional intensity and a relatability that tethers things, even if you aren't into the aesthetic here (although, I fortunately am). The sound here consists largely of jittering, rubbery electronic elements, and gorgeous strings: and Bjork herself lives somewhere between the two. This very much follows in the tradition of Bjork's other albums of the 21st century, in which she ensures that she is constantly at the forefront of advancement in electronic music. Here she brings on Arca and The Haxan Cloak, and they deliver: the electronics here are pretty much completely alien, invoking strange, slick forms. But, when juxtaposed with the strings, a beauty greater than either emerges. This really is a beautiful album, and Bjork's phrasing plays into it. She drifts, in her own signature way, over, through and around the music here as her chilly voice takes on way more warmth than you'd think. And her lyrics are as brilliant and idiosyncratic as can be expected of Bjork at this time. For how dense this sounds, it's deceptively simple: electronics, strings, Bjork, and this palette gives the album a really impressive cohesiveness. it almost just runs as a single work. That being said, I do have favorites. Black Lake unfolds beautifully over the course of 10 minutes. Family embraces a uniquely harrowing, jagged sound. Notget features some of the album's most fascinating textures, and it has some of the most intense and emotionally stirring melodies of the album (in my opinion). And Atom Dance features a gorgeous duet with other 1001 albums inductee Anhoni. But there's nothing here that even approaches bad, or even mediocre. There is an attention to detail and level of expertise over the soundscapes that sets the level of quality here *incredibly* high. This kind of just has to be a 5, it's really astounding art.
I actually really liked this pared back dark ethereal female break up album.
this album is art art isn't something you can always digest easily
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 was great. I love Bjork's sound and the way she sings and writes is really unlike anyone else I've ever heard (and possible anyone who's ever lived, haha). The sound of this music is so lush and well-recorded and her vocals and lyrics are just so amazingly bold and melodic and great. There was one segment of multipart vocals (performed amazingly by Bjork) in Lionsong that absolutely blew my mind in terms of their musicality, creativity and coolness. I had never heard a single one of these songs before and I listened to the whole album twice because I loved it so much. Five stars.
One observation - the Spotify listens on each track go down as the album goes on. The person who lasted the whole album wins a lifetime supply of Hákarl.
„Vulnicura“ entstand in den sundlaugin Studios in Island und im New Yorker Avatar Studio. Björk arbeitet hier als isländische Künstlerin sehr direkt mit elektronischen Produzenten wie Arca und The Haxan Cloak zusammen. Die Stücke „Stonemilker“, „Lionsong“ und „Black Lake“ gehören zu den bekanntesten Momenten des Albums und verbinden Streicherarrangements mit präziser Elektronik. Stilistisch bewegt sich die Musik zwischen avantgardistischem Pop und experimenteller Elektronik. Insgesamt wirkt das Album konzentriert, emotional klar strukturiert und konsequent in seiner Form. Künstlerisch bestimmt wertvoll, aber man muss es nicht unbedingt mögen.
It was ok, but a bit too pretentious for my taste. Mouth mantra was interesting for some seconds in the middle of the song. Much better than the album cover, which is horrible. And pretentious.
I just can't
Very disjointed sounds. I see the emotions she is portraying, but her style isn't for me. Very creative but too me it is too wierd.
I like Bjork in doses and the music is great but difficult to stay engaged for me
Not my jam- almost DNF’d
Not what I was expecting. Very atmospheric and experimental. The music interested me and while I wouldn't listen to this in day to day life I must admit it made me feel things. Some tracks felt quite anxiety inducing in a very intentional way which I respect and definitely left an impression. Notget is a standout track for me in terms of being evocative and inciting emotions.
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.
How is this music, how does she have listeners, just not my taste.
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
Sadly, its always been the case that the sounds that come out of Bjork's mouth are not the ones that me ears want to hear With Spotify, I also got to read some of the lyrics for the first time - that did not make her appreciate Bjork's songs any more Me and Bjork broke up a long time ago, with no real hope of a reconciliation
Some of it sounds cool but I could not get into any song at all really!
Je ne sais pas pourquoi j’avais des aprioris sur Björk, alors que c’est franchement très agréable à écouter!
Bjork. 2.3/5
The was she drags the words in english, i wish she just sang in her native language. I am struggling to like this music.
Rv
definitely art
As with alot of Björk, there’s beauty, there’s melancholy, avant garde, originality, deep emotion, mystery, and personal yet often universal lyrics. Most of all though there is that singular voice. In my mind, I draw a similarity with Miles Davis; throughout their careers, the accompaniment alters dramatically in arrangement, dynamic, mood, form etc., but the constant at the core remains the same. Björk (and Miles) may have expressed a huge variety of emotions from year to year, album to album, but the voice at the centre of it all remains the same unique and individual focus of attention. I have tried but failed to get on with the solo work of main collaborator here Arca and as a result wasn’t expecting to be fully engaged with this album. The somewhat overwhelming experimentalism is kept in check on Vulnicura though. Instead it’s lushness and beauty that wins out. I don’t concur with many that consider this one of her absolute best, but for the intensity you might’ve expected from a Björk break-up album, Vulnicura is genuinely warm listen.
Interesting string thing
First time listening to Bjork and to me this album is like the equivalent of looking at a modern abstract painting or sculpture. It may not be for me and I may not fully understand what's going on, but I can still appreciate the talent that goes into creating art like that. I don't know if all of her albums on this list are like this (because I'm sure this isn't the only one) but that's where I'm at with this one.
I am begging you...no more Bjork
Keeping it weird. Lots a classical like LUX. Sometimes I think her songwriting is just taking multisyllabic english words and pronouncing them all icelandic and stretching them out melodically. Like someone somewhere said, a lot of tension, but no climax.
I remember listening to bjork before she went weird....good voice and always a bit out there...even with the sugar cubes.... but gets further away from normal with every album.
astounding
I didn't like this as much as debut or Vespertine. Obviously still good.
Pretty weird, kinda dig it
I respect her as an artist, just not my thing.
Thoughts before listening: I should like Bjork. I really should. She has been putting out weirdo, avant garde pop music throughout my music obsessed life, and outside of a few of the bigger songs, I just haven't cared. Maybe this later career release from her will be the one that finally clicks for me? Review: This is certainly an engaging album, despite not necessarily being my cup of tea. I think I had similar reactions to David Bowie's Blackstar and the final Leonard Cohen album as well. Both of those were dark albums written at the end of the artist's life, and this one is about the end of Bjork's marriage. This is slow, emotional, orchestral music with Bjork's lovely vocals floating on top, and while there aren't specific songs I would add to my playlist, I am glad to have had the chance to hear this. 3-stars
More weirdness that I'm not compelled to understand.
I started thinking I that I might've been too hasty in my dismissal of Bjork. I liked the moody production, and while her voice can grate at times, I thought it worked well with the moody production. By the time I was nearing the end of the album, I had too much of this "avant garde" music.
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.
This is kind of annoying and repetitive
This is wild. You cannot listen to this while doing anything else. You cannot have this on in the background. You might hate it.
pretty mellow, not great not horrible 3.25/5
I just didn’t like this at all…a bunch of long, boring, and depressing songs. I had a hard time getting through it, and only listened to portions of most of the songs. It’s clearly not my thing. Two stars, and that’s being generous.
66/100. A pretty exhausting experience. The emotional weight of the album is undeniable, with some truly great and vulnerable lyrics. But musically, some of the choices didn’t land for me, certain string arrangements and production moments felt draining.
I started out with high hopes for this one. Into the first song, at least, those hopes were being met (Stonemilker is friggin' gorgeous). But then the melancholy just kept going, and the quirky weirdness I was hoping for never arrived. This could be one of those albums that it takes many listens to appreciate, but I'd bet not.
Björk is probably the best example of a musician I really, really want to like (I mean really!) and yet, cannot. I mean, like, every time I listen to an album of hers, I go in thinking, "This is the one." and come out thinking, "Huh. That was...very...Björk. Maybe next time." This album was no different. It was very definitely a Björk album and I'll very definitely not listen to it again.
I have a great deal of respect for Bjork. I don’t think it’s very easy to maintain a commercially viable life in music when you are so incredibly idiosyncratic. She has an absolutely unique sound, and I like it reasonably well. That said, I’m not sure I’ve ever truly liked an entire album of hers, including the Sugarcubes, but rather I like some individual songs. The closest to liking an album is probably Vespertine, not this one.
It turns out that while I like the concept of Björk, I don't like her music, which is aggressively unpleasant. (At least on this album. I sorta remember thinking "Army of Me" was an okay song.)
2/5 - I liked the first song a good bit. I lost interest somewhere in what was maybe the third track. I'd need to pay a lot more attention to get anything out of this. It was definitely a sad album with a lot of expression, but I didn't connect.
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 think I'm in the place to enjoy this right now. This might be a "me" thing. Couldn't really make it through it.
Two Bjork albums in a single week. This is beyond the pale. Weirdly enough, though, I think I am enjoying this one more than her original release. Not really sure why. Didn't finish listening.
Very odd, but mostly enjoyable
Her spritely voice is beautiful and cute... but rarely fits the music. Seems like they just put her vocals over any random music bed and go with it. Gets old pretty quickly.
3/5
Lion song is 10 stars
Production is top level. Clearly they have a broken heart and are working through it, but I'm not the audience for this at all... Ethereal. Angry. Pained. A good representation of emotion.