Vulnicura

Weird af, but that was expected

What a wonderful adventure. Vulnicura lures you in with the beautiful slow rolling strings accompanied by Bjorks standout vocals. As the album proceeds, the moments of haunting beats and underlying anxiety becomes more relevant. The production is great, the layers of sounds and classical composition mixed with electronic beats made for an interesting listen. Black Lake was my favourite. 4 stars

Il y a des artistes qu’on suit comme des potes de longue date. On a fait les quatre cents coups ensemble, on a partagé des bières, des concerts moites et des moments de grâce. Et puis, la vie faisant son oeuvre, on se perd un peu de vue. Pas de fâcherie, non, juste une sorte de distance qui s’installe. Pour moi, Björk, c’est un peu ça. J'étais là au début des hostilités soniques, quand elle braillait à la tête des Sugarcubes à la fin des années 80. Une claque. J'ai suivi religieusement le début de sa carrière solo, cet enchaînement quasi miraculeux de "Debut", "Post" et "Homogenic". Des disques qui ont redéfini ce que la pop pouvait être, des albums que j'ai usés jusqu'à la corde dans mon petit magasin de disques, en essayant de convaincre le chaland que oui, cette Islandaise était bien le futur. Et puis… j’avoue, j’ai un peu décroché. Pas par désamour, mais peut-être par lassitude, ou parce que mes oreilles de rocker commençaient à saturer de ses concepts parfois perchés. J’ai fait l’impasse sur "Biophilia" et ses applications iPad, j’ai écouté "Volta" d’une oreille distraite. On s’était éloigné, la grande Björk et moi. Alors, quand "Vulnicura" est arrivé en 2015, je l’ai abordé avec la méfiance d'un vieux con qui retrouve une ex. On se jauge, on cherche les rides, les changements, on se demande si la magie est encore là. Et bordel, quelle baffe. Une baffe triste, chirurgicale, mais une baffe monumentale. Inutile de tourner autour du pot, ou de détailler chaque morceau comme un comptable des émotions. "Vulnicura" est ce qu’on appelle dans le jargon un « break up album ». Et pas n’importe lequel. On n'est pas chez Taylor Swift à écrire une petite chanson vengeresse pour faire danser les ados. Non, ici, on est dans la salle d'autopsie. Björk ne nous raconte pas sa rupture avec l'artiste Matthew Barney, elle nous la fait vivre de l'intérieur, avec une précision clinique et une honnêteté qui foutent les jetons. L'album est construit comme un véritable chemin de croix sentimental. Les premiers morceaux décrivent les fissures, les doutes, les mois qui précèdent la fin. Puis vient l'explosion, la douleur pure, l'amertume qui ronge. Et enfin, tout doucement, la tentative de reconstruction, la cicatrisation. C’est un disque qui saigne, littéralement. Les paroles sont d'une crudité désarmante, d'une vulnérabilité qu'on n'avait plus entendue chez elle depuis longtemps. Elle ouvre les vannes, et tout sort : la peine, la colère, l'incompréhension, ce sentiment d’humiliation qui accompagne toute fin d’amour. C'est presque gênant, comme de lire le journal intime de quelqu'un sans sa permission. Mais c'est cette mise à nu totale qui fait la force cataclysmique de l'oeuvre. Musicalement, on est à la confluence de deux mondes qui s'affrontent. D'un côté, des arrangements de cordes somptueux, déchirants, organiques. C’est le coeur qui parle, la chair, la douleur à l’état brut. Ces violons, ces altos, ne sont pas là pour faire joli ; ils sont les nerfs à vif de l'artiste, ils pleurent, ils crient, ils se tordent. De l'autre côté, une production électronique fracturée, glaciale, presque hostile, façonnée en grande partie par le génial Arca. Ce sont les beats déconstruits, les glitchs, les textures synthétiques qui représentent le chaos mental, la fragmentation de soi après le choc. Ce dialogue entre les cordes classiques et l'électronique avant-gardiste est la plus grande réussite du disque. Ce n'est pas une simple fusion, c'est une guerre. Une guerre entre le passé et le présent, entre la chaleur des souvenirs et la froideur de la réalité. La voix de Björk, au milieu de ce champ de bataille, est plus humaine que jamais. Elle a perdu un peu de sa légèreté elfique d’antan. Ici, elle est parfois au bord de la rupture, fragile, mais elle ne cède jamais. Elle témoigne, elle accuse, elle panse ses plaies à la vue de tous. Franchement, ce n'est pas un disque facile. Ce n'est pas le genre d'album que tu mets en fond sonore pour une soirée entre amis, sauf si tu veux que tout le monde finisse en larmes dans les bras les uns des autres. C'est une écoute exigeante, qui demande de s'y plonger corps et âme. C’est une expérience immersive, presque suffocante par moments. Mais au bout du tunnel, il y a une lueur. Une forme de résilience. La tristesse est là, palpable, mais elle n'est pas dénuée d'une étrange forme d'optimisme. C'est la beauté de la création qui naît de la destruction. En disséquant sa propre douleur avec une telle minutie, Björk la sublime et, d'une certaine manière, la surmonte. Pour moi, qui avais un peu perdu la flamme, "Vulnicura" a été une réconciliation. La preuve que même après toutes ces années, cette femme a encore le pouvoir de te retourner les tripes, de te faire sentir des choses que peu d'artistes osent explorer. C'est un album qui rejoint le panthéon des grands disques de rupture, aux côtés de "Blood on the Tracks" de Dylan ou de "Sea Change" de Beck. C'est courageux, c'est radical, et c'est d'une beauté à fendre le coeur.

I must admit I've not listened to too much of her newer works, but the addition of the symphony is pristine.

Bjork is sensational. I just love how untamed this album is

Choir and strings on this album lend it a unique feel. I like how much variety has been shown across the Bjork albums on this list. I'd say I liked Vespertine more, but still I'd listen to this album again. Quicksand was my favourite track.

My Icelandic bae. <3 I’ve always said no one sounds like Björk, and this record demonstrates that. She has such a gentle, yet powerful voice, layered on top of ethereal and calming instrumentation. It’s symphonic and melodic and hits all the right tones. Somber while uplifting and courageous. Very happy we have Björk in the world of music.

Björk is a complicated artist for me. In theory, she’s my favorite artist ever – quirky, experimental, playing with sounds and genres and aesthetics that I typically adore. In practice, though, she’s more a 50/50 coin-flip artist. Sometimes, she makes the greatest music I’ve ever heard. On other albums, I can’t fathom how anyone could like her music, and those albums are usually the ones that are sparse, expansive, less electronica, and more orchestral. It’s not always the case (for example, I love Utopia), but, like, my favorite Björk album is Homogenic. I like one half of her vibe, and check out for the other half. Unfortunately for me, those sparse orchestral albums are always the ones that receive the most critical praise, the most fanfare (which makes it hard to critique these albums), and, apparently, are the exact Björk albums that make it onto lists like this. So, all this said, I walked into my re-listen of Vulnicura a bit pessimistic, to say the least. And I’m happy to say, this revisit was very necessary, and I’m walking away pleasantly surprised! First of all, Arca does her goddamn ✨thing✨ on here, especially on the back-half. Without her very specific brand of IDM/deconstructed club, I would find Vulnicura a bit less sonically interesting. And those Arca flourishes are all throughout this album – sparsely, for sure, but palpable enough to make this feel like a true collaboration. It is missing Arca’s distinct Latin je ne sais quoi, but I get why it’s stripped away on this record. This album’s other strength is Björk’s lyrics. Normally, I’m not a fan of her dense abstraction, but here, it’s pretty clear what the themes are, what the emotions are, and what I’m supposed to feel. This is an album about feminine transformation post-love lost, and trying to determine what a life alone looks like when you’re a grown women who just yesterday had a nuclear family and stability and, well, normalcy. (I also think these themes are especially interesting in the context of collaborating prominently with two transfemme artists on this record. Obviously, I’m not saying that was a calculated decision, or that they were only called because of that, or that this album is exclusively built off those collaborations, but it makes a lot of natural sense and is interesting from to consider. And it’s something I want to think about because 🏳️‍⚧️) And then of course, there’s the general goodness about Björk – her vocal tone, her vocal range, her general aesthetic, and the general vibe, which is not always the vibe you may want to live within, but it’s certainly something to dive deep into when you do want it. All this praise doesn’t come without some critique, though. Again, historically, this is the side of Björk that I usually hate, and it’s largely because I find orchestral arrangements to be boring. Call me a pleb, but I’m no classical gal, that’s for damn sure. And this album is very much tapping into that classical aesthetic. And sure, it’s trying to experiment within that sound, which is cool. But Vulnicura is an electronica-forward orchestral album, not an orchestral-forward electronica album, and that makes all the difference. It’s not even like Medúlla, where the experiment with tradition is the point and punches you in the face when you hear it; I just feel like Vulnicura is too light with its distortion, too playful with its experiments, especially for its subject matter. That also makes it easy for critical adoration, and I think my cynical skepticism is holding me back a bit, here, truthfully. I’m not saying I dislike it, but I do need to be in a very specific frame of mind to appreciate it – one I’m rarely ever in. Because otherwise, I find this record boring, like “History of Touches” or the first half of “Family.” Even “Stonemilker” was a bit of a take-it-or-leave-it, at least until the hook got stuck in my head. I really had to play this back a few times to see if I was missing something on the more somber tracks. Sometimes I was, but other times, I think I just am not the target audience for the general sound of this album. There are moments where playing it straight still works thanks to strong songwriting, say on the closer “Quicksand,” but most of Vulnicura’s strengths is in its flourishes. Fortunately, most of the album is strange enough and therefore engaging enough to win me over. On a worse day, I’d rate it a little lower. Not because it’s bad or poorly made – I’m not deaf – but because I just find orchestral sounds underwhelming. I need a thrill, and knowing Björk can thrill, I have a hard time accepting when she actively chooses not to. I now understand why I was against this record when it first came out – I didn’t give it enough time to breathe, and Vulnicura needs that time. Now I get it, and I know that, in the right context, this album really is worth it. Would I prefer a solo Arca album on this list and/or a different Björk? Absolutely, no question in my mind. But without those alternative options, I’m happy to stand by Vulnicura as a very good example of late mid-career Björk, and why she matters so much to alternative music, pop music, and electronic music. It’s not a peak – and maybe not even an essential listen before you die – but if you’re on board with her discography, it’s a crucial turning point and worth the listen.

Solid stuff

solid album, really industrial and experimental

This is definitely a whole-album experience. It's weird and wonderful in places. It's very atmospheric. There's not really any hooks or strong melodies, but it's not about that. It's all about the overall. There's definitely moments where it tested me a bit, where it was just a bit much, a bit too formless. Overall I think it works. It's layered and atmospheric, and doing its own thing, which can only be commended. 3.5 rounded up.

Beautiful

A nakedly emotional chronicle of a disintegrating relationship. Visceral and biting.

Björk cathartically charts the anxiety, actualization, and aftermath of a broken heart through the healing powers of soaring strings and avant-garde electronica.

very emotional, very interesting arrangements. Bjork rarely disappoints.

Didn't immediately transfix me like vespertine but I'm sure this will become loved like medulla

More Bjork - strings are fun

Was a huge Bjork fan back in the 90s, then started waining in the noughties. By Vulnicura I was out. Genre wise this would be post- something. Post pop? A complete retreat from melodies, catchiness, radio play, standard lengths. There's none of the traditional playfulness, instead this feels super serious, mature art. The first time I've appreciated this album. Will listen again.

This is possibly Björk’s most restrained and emotionally vulnerable album, with electronica dialed back in favour of swirling string arrangements and the lyrics describing the aftermath of a relationship breakdown. It definitely takes you on an emotional journey and I will be checking out the accompanying video art pieces that went with it and passed me by at the time.

WTF - why do I like this?

Probably her best late-career album. I don't think it reaches quite the highs of some of her earlier stuff, but it's certainly close. The arrangements here are just gorgeous as always and it's cool to see her singing about some more grounded topics.

This album is VERY Bjork. Lots of sounds packed into this, from orchestral, to strings, to weird buzzes, clicks and hums - it'll keep you on your toes. Of course Bjork's wonderfully hazy, ethereal voice is the star of the show here. Apparently this is a breakup album, and it shows. The lyrics are, at times, gut wrenching, the pain and emotion palpable. I loved this album and would give it a 4.5 if I could.

Good, but really long for having only 9 songs. It hits a vibe, but I would have liked to see this being around 10 minutes shorter.

Lækker og velproduceret og en smule rodet imho

Not a Björk album I'm familiar with at all, and oh yeah, she's really pushing the boat out, production-wise - those are some tasty IDM-inflected noises going on in the background. Ah, wikipedia tells me it's Arca and The Haxan Cloak - badass! There's definitely a meme in there about the chad Björk vs the virgin Madonna and her William Orbit collabs, heh. Fave tracks - "Lionsong", "Black Lake", "Quicksand" maybe? I feel like it would take a lot more listens to get familiar though...

a nice emotional album, will want to continue through the Bjork discography

4.5 stars. I thought I would have to force myself to enjoy this album but it was really good. Lots of cool, noisy and syncopated elements. Each measure of each song is fascinating. Only 4.5 because no one particular song stood out to me, but it was a very engaging experience.

Like

Björk, innit?

I fully support opportunities for women in the traditionally male-dominated space of being an unsettling little weirdo in the name of art

this is a great piece of art and i might need it when i am sad

I like the idea of Bjork. The album is lyrically complex and the beautiful melodies. I want so badly to love her work, and I do....from afar. I listen to music to selfishly to calm my frazzled nervous system or so I can scream my rage, heart ache, etc....For me her music demands so much that I can appreciate it and her as the creator but in at an abstract, cool distance.

Bold, daring and quintessential avant-garde.

The 'return to form' album is the holy grail of mid and late career artists, wished for far more than their ambient/reggae/classical excursion is a re-nailing of why we loved them in the first place. Rarer than hen's teeth, Bjork gets pretty close to the RTF ideal with a focus on strings and the kind of hushed electronic beats that dominated Post and Homogenic. If none of the songs are quite a Hyperballad or Joga then that's understandable. But always listenable, and within touching distance of a melody. 3.5 but feeling generous.

Hats off to the orchestra and music composition. I’m of the firm belief that Björk wouldn’t be as great without them. Her voice is great. But her rhythm is just kind of random, which makes the songs a little odd. 7/10

Bjørk is pushing boundaries! I wouldn’t necesarilly push all of those boundaries myself, but a great experience that I will come back to.

Bjork is an intersting artist. She mixes everything so well. And I like the sense of philosophical uncertainty.

First of all. Compiling a list like this and not including Björk's '95 Post should be a criminal offense. Who is this Robert Dimery dude anyway? With this out of the way: Björk lost me somewhere around Vespertine. Her music became weird. Not cool weird, but a meandering weird weird. And so this album was new to me. Still weird and not pleasant, but well. There's the subject matter here. Seems like a return to Homogenic but with all Pop thrown out of the window. Like his stuff, haha. Innn aaany case. Very glad that I got to listen to it. Will I ever put it on again? Hm.

I generally like Björk a lot, and this album was good but it was missing something for me. “Stonemilker” is absolutely brilliant, though.

Vulnicura might mean "cure for wounds" in Latin, but the word brought to mind the volcanic nature of Björk’s home country of Iceland. And so I went into it hoping for the eruptions of intensity that I enjoy in Björk’s earlier work. “Black Lake” came the closest to the eruption I was looking for. But it never quite bursts forth the way I was hoping. Not the way songs from “Post” like “Hyperballad'' ebb and flow and explode and soar over peaks. “Vulnicura” is symphonic, with Björk’s signature passionate and pained vocals, lovely at times and disarming at others. But nothing feels quite as intense. With three entries on the list, I would have placed “Post” and “Homogenic” with “Debut” instead of “Vulnicura” and “Vespertine.” “Post” - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - is Björk’s best, and it's a mystery why it’s not on the 1001.

First half is a 4, Black Lake is by far my favorite track but after Black Lake is a 3. I guess I will stick with first impressions.

My first time hearing Bjork, not at all what I expected. I’m impressed

A genuinely interesting album choice for this list. Maybe there will be more Bjork on this list, but I’m otherwise surprised that this is the album of hers that merits listening over some of her other better known work. This is a challenging album - and I mean that in the best way possible. Bjork really toes the line between pop and art. Her music requires focus and concentration. It is simultaneously melodic and bizarre. And I think it gets more complex as her canon goes along. I think this album showcases so much of what I love about her as an artist and neglects so much of what I love about her as an artist. I really enjoyed listening to this, and I also found myself wishing I was listening to Debut or Post. Great album from a great artist though.

Beautiful and unique

Beautiful. 4.

Accessible and not overly glitchy. Enjoyed it.

Like all records by Björk, this heartrending "break-up album" (chronicling the dissolution of the Icelandic singer's marriage with conceptual artist Matthew Barney, and how to pick up the pieces from there for her and their daughter) is something you can advise most people with an open mind (and a taste for the dramatic) to listen to. Driven vocals, apocalyptic beats, tragic strings and long tunnels of despair abound in this beautiful record, along with faint glimmers of hope at the ends of said tunnels. Surely, you could find ways to add this striking LP into your own rankings. Except for one little detail... Robert Dimery "forgot" to include other seminal and pivotal Björk albums in his original list--albums whose impact and groundbreaking nature is agreed upon by most professional "critics" out there, but also by music fans of all stripes. Those albums are 1995's *Post* and 1997's *Homogenic*. And you could also probably include 2001's *Vespertine* if there was a little room left for it. Of all the omissions inside the 1001 Albums book--usually about other genres such as jazz, post-rock and (post)-hardcore--the absence of those records is one of the most glaring examples you can find, unfortunately. Indeed, and oddly enough, Dimery and co. only selected first album *Debut* within Björk's discography, and then they included the far later *Vulnicura*, but also *Medullá*, a more experimental LP using human voices as its main conceptual thrust--an impressive effort, but with results that are also a little topsy-turvy at times. I have nothing but benevolent feelings and even sheer love for those later albums, but c'mon--if you can't identify an artist's *true* magnum opus, how can you hope convincing newcomers of those artists' greatness with other records that are obviously a *tiny notch* under them. It's as if Bob Dylan was quoted only for *Blood On The Tracks* or *Time Out Of Mind*. Which would mean that *Bringing It All Back Home*, *Highway 61 Revisited* and *Blonde On Blonde* had been left aside. Quite ridiculous. To be fair, all of this is not the sole reason I'm taking out a point out of a perfect 5/5 grade for *Vulnicura*. That point is also taken away because the heavy subject matter this rather admirable record deals with makes it an arduous listen at times. The thing is, if Björk had found ways to transcend her personal pain into something less solipsistic and a little more universal, those songs would have been even more impressive. But I readily admit that I might be nitpicking here. Whatever the case may be, give this one a listen. Because whether she's in pain or not, Björk's music is always one-of-a-kind, that much is for sure. 4/5 for the purposes of this list gathering "essential albums". Which translates to a 9/10 grade for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 281 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 318 (including this one, at least if *Post* and *Homogenic* are also in my own list--and make no mistake, they *will* be quoted!) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 175 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 232

I hadn’t gotten to this album yet, I should have! Another great album from Björk, the production is also very suitable. I will need more time to digest it fully, but first impression is strong nonetheless

Jättekova men har aldrig riktigt fastnat för denna som med de andra

really liked it

Björk, to me, is one of the most interesting and innovative musical artists of our time. What an incredibly creative and intriguing array of expressions! This album is no exception. Brilliant.

Trippy. Sounds like being abducted by some sort of otherworldly fae alien being, which is to be expected of Bjork.

Mira, siempre me ha costado entrar en la música de Björk, pero este disco me gustó.

I was a massive Bjork fan in college, but haven’t kept up with her output in more recent years. Consequently I’m hearing this one for the first time. It’s a terrific blend of what drew me to her in college and a new, even more experimental sound, which is saying something for Bjork! Really loved this, I’ll definitely need to listen to more of the recent stuff.

Många säger att de är uppbrot album. Nej. Det är björk björkar. Björk icelandiska.. scar tycker inte.. icelandiska är pretentiös, anspråksfull. Men jag tycker at det här album björk är digsjälv. Ingen icelandiska.. Under hela tiden.. Ingentinga jördu gjurdu honom icelandiska.. Hon gör ingen märkvärkligt.. Det här.. Björk.. Jag tycker at det är perfect björk... min söt bebis.. min söt bebis.. in min ÖÖÖÖRRR!! tack för dig, björk

A lot of the songs themselves feel sort of aimless, and even with some great string sections I can’t help but feel like something’s missing. Bjork’s delivery is very drawn out which takes away from the drive that this album could’ve had. And tbh it’s hard for my ADHD ass to stay engaged when she sings about her breakup at a third of the pace that even most pop singers manage. But her voice is still great and the strings are beautiful. Still very worth a listen. Homogenic and Vespertine are still obviously better but I’d say this is around the level of Biophilia, which I’d much recommend if you haven’t heard before. Favs: Stonemilker, Quicksand

wow

I'm pretty sure I transcended listening to "Stonemilking" for the first time.

For my first Björk album, this is certainly a good way to introduce her musical style.

I think it’s hard to quantify this album into numbers. It’s not an album you can replay; there’s no big hit single here, there’s no catchy one-liners, there’s not even really melodies like that. There’s just Bjork, her voice, her emotions, and her soundscape. It’s hard to enter that soundscape at first, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it turns off some people early on (it nearly turned me off tbh). If you stick to it, what you end up with is a very cathartic album – a baring of the soul of someone who’s so clearly been through so much shit that they had to get it off their chest. I do think the album could have ended on track 7 to make for a much more complete and fulfilling experience, but the last 2 tracks didn't take away from the sort of mesmerizing feeling the whole album gave me. I’m gonna give it a strong 4, and in retrospect, that’s the same rating I should’ve given to Berlin. They both do an incredible job of conveying their themes and their emotions, but I think the more personal nature of this album pushes it ahead of Berlin for me in terms of concept albums, though like I said; this is an album that you can’t really quantify with numbers. You either feel it or you don’t.

I loved the tone of this albums, instrumentation, and her voice. Beautiful album.

Bjork is good. bonus .5 points for that cat music video. rounded down though

4.0

So far this is almost comically stereotypical Bjork stuff. Synths mixed with orchestral, variations in tempo and tonality. Her voice is rougher than previous works. I don't dislike either her voice or this album, but I don't think it reaches the heights of her debut album, Debut.

Ongelofelijk. Bij de eerste beluistering vond ik track 1 prachtig en de twee volgende minder en dacht ik hmm niets voor mij, te donker, te depressief, te weird. Maar black lake kwam dan weer wel heel hard binnen door de prachtige stiltes tussendoor. Vervolgens wat over gelezen en nog eens geluisterd. En nog eens. De strijkers zijn waanzinnig mooi geschreven (doet ze zelf!), combi met elektronica is bevreemdend, maar smaakvol. Een zotte trip. Is meer Mahler en Beethovens late strijkkwartetten in plaats van popmuziek. Maar op de juiste plaats en juiste moment echt ongelofelijk.

This might just be the most depressing album I've listened to so far. And I listened to a Nick Drake album! However, that is not a bad thing. Björk's Vulnicura is a concept album of sorts, focusing on emotions surrounding a real-life breakup of hers, among a few other things in the later songs. This album is executed wonderfully. This also ended up being the most artsy album I've listened to so far. This isn't the kind of music that you or I would listen to casually during a normal day, and that's fine. Different kinds of music can serve different purposes, and this album happens to succeed at its purpose. The sound is quite interesting. I really like the usage of string instruments, and the occasional electronic sound adds even more things to pay attention to while listening. The singing, while somewhat hard to understand at times due to the vocal effects, is very good. The writing is pretty simple, but oh so very effective. You can really feel that there's a story being told, and the given emotion that a song focuses on can really shine through. It's all very personal. It is, like the past few albums I've listened to, a bit long, but it works better here since the feelings one experiences regarding a breakup last for quite a while. Overall, while this is definitely not the kind of music that I listen to, Vulnicura does exactly what it wants to do in a very unique and respectable fashion. Light 4/5.

Elegant and idiosyncratic. Vivid, painful, personal lyrics. I have to be in a particular mood to listen to Bjork, but she makes legitimately beautiful albums. I've never heard a bad one. Fave Songs: Stonemilker, Black Lake, Family, Lionsong, Atom Dance, Mouth Mantra

I saw Björk in The Northman so I know she is a witch of some kind. Therefore I will not saw a negative word about this album. I didn't enjoy it but I don't fuck with witches.

BJORK SZN APPROACHING, FUCK WHOEVER YALL PROMOTING

I will forever be mystified by the mainstream success of Bjork, but putting that aside, this is really good mood-setting music.

Very special album. Nothing I'd ever would have picked out on my own, but it's super cool to listen to.

The things I didn't enjoy about listening to this album (basically the hour of long, wailing, painful songs) were certainly intentional, and from that point of view, beautifully and interestingly done. The strings are particularly effective at conveying the emotions here. It's hard to rate because I also couldn't wait for it to be done.

I feel exhausted after listening to this. It was striking and beautiful, yet painful and somewhat torturous. It kind of made me want to cry, but perhaps for the wrong reasons.

Björk has been a mixed bag for me. This album follows the way of Medúlla for me in that I can appreciate the artistry despite not enjoying the art. Still, there is a strange beauty in some parts that call out to me. My visit to Iceland actually gave me a little more connection to this cold, stark sound. While ultimately I can’t say I enjoyed this and will return to this often (or maybe ever), some parts were quite striking.

This one probably deserves all the praise, and Björk continues to impress with her groundbreaking vocal. But sometimes it feels like a chore to listen to a Björk album, and this was one of those times.

Musical genius and visionary. One of the few that fit that description. As always, intriguing, challenging, and ambitious. 4 stars.

Vulcinura has some of the most aimless bits of Björking, vocally; The beginning's especially guilty, and the production is almost too quiet to prevent boredom. The record really picks up, though, and immaculate design with growing classical influence saves it by the end. Full of anti-bangers, really: I can only imagine being unsettled by individual cuts.

A beautiful, devastating album about the end of love. Bjork makes super interesting music in a style that is unmistakably hers. This one came up just short of a 5, maybe if I heard it in a different time of my life the mood of the album would more strongly resonate with me. 4 - Will definitely listen again

Pretty much everything about this album is objectively great, but it just didn’t click with me. I could picture myself regretting not giving this album a 5 in the future.

Very avant-garde. I really enjoyed the stringed orchestra and the progressive electronic beats. The vocals are, strange to say the least. Just very disjointed. Almost as if she is doing her best to make herself not understood by adding unnecessary pauses in the middle of words. With different vocals, and more well defined melodies, this would've earned 5 stars. However, I reserve 5 stars to albums that absolutely blow me away. This did not, but it was still a very strong album and worthy of an honorable mention.

Fun

I'm not sure how to rate this. It's very arty, but I did NOT have a great time. But you can really feel her pain and expression..........

This is one of my least favorite Björk albums, but it is still really good! It gets 3 stars on the Björk scale but 4 stars here!

Pretty good, great voice as always, soothed my soul in a time of need. Will need to give it a 2nd listen

Instrumentals sound like if Aphex Twin met disney which is amazing. I have to get used to her singing style. My favorite track was Notget

Fully Bjork. I love Bjork, but her more recent work has suffered from a lack of mixing up the pace and atmosphere throughout the album. Still gorgeous, but not as fully amazing or exciting as some of her earlier work.

Great example of phenomenal abstract pop. Not Björk's best but it's up there and Björk owns that genre so it's still phenomenal

3rd Listen Bjork from Iceland Genre: Electronic, avant-garde, ambient She is so weird is works.... Her style is unique - nobody can ever copy her. This is definitely a mood album. You have to be in the right frame of mind to just sit and listen to it ... or just play it in the background while to contemplate something critical or dark in your life. Standouts: Black Lake, Stonemilker, Lionsong. 4/5

Many weird and wondrous songs.

Me gusta el concepto que maneja, la voz y la interpretación es angelical y simplemente espectacular, es un álbum escuchable para cierto tipo de momentos.

Vulnerable Bjork!

Björk has been an artist I've know that I needed to actually listen to more, glad this popped up. A very unique sound that I dug quite a bit and the arraignments were gorgeous. 4/5

I love Bjork and her weird vagina outfit and her weird jellyfish hat and her weird swan dress and her weird music

In collaboration with Arca, Bjork makes a highly atmospheric record that uses both bright baroque and dark heavy synths to create a strong electronica record. An emotionally powered piece, the choice of electronica to manipulate or duplicate her voice uses the advantage of her voice as an impressionistic instrument to express her emotions by texture. First half is ethereal and powerful, her usual glitch pop song structure. Second half becomes a lot more chaotic and horrifying, with harsher glitches and industrial sound effects. Features some techno dance tracks. All tracks are good, with moments almost as memorable and powerful as Vespertine.

This is probably my least favorite of the Bjork albums that I've gotten on this list. However, the other Bjork albums I got were absolute bangers, and this album is really good, so feel free to keep feeding me the worst Bjork albums that you have 4/5

The luscious arrangements and Björk’s heartbreakingly personal subject matter make this definitively her best record.

The most chamber-y of her works, intense and dark and lovely. And it’s unlike every other break-up record, if that’s what it is, one has ever heard, having more in common with, say, Arvo Part, than, say, Gwen Stefani. It's sad and affecting and one might spend more time with the lyrics, but lacks motivation to do that. Bjork is fully sui generis but can also be fairly charged with being self-indulgent and excessively arty (e.g., over-engineering the originality to the exclusion of many other likable qualities). It might still be a toss-up with Sigur Ros if one were forced to choose only one Icelandic artist for the balance of all time.

I’ve liked Vulnicura since its release, though I rarely return to it because I don’t follow Björk closely. Revisiting it was fun. The odd thing is, I enjoy it a lot but can’t exactly say why. The funny part about this album is, is that I like it a lot but I can't put my finger on it why though.

Maybe too intellectual for me, but compelling

Very enjoyable, which was surprising to me.

Standard Bjork, the great bits are phenomenal but then somehow loses me.

Pas certain si je n'ai pas aimé ca ou non. c'est tellement speciale. C'est original et ca change de la musique traditionnelle. 4

Whoa do I like Bjork? Kind of! Yes!

oh this ruled

Mooi.

Always a good listen.

buh-jork

Björk is another universe. Ideal music to sit back , relax and listen. Comes the closest to whale songs and represents, i guess the wide landscapes of Iceland ( never been there). Nice album.

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.

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)”.

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.

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.

Jesus. One is enough. It’s good and she’s important but she’s not as impactful as say Fleetwood Mac or Beyoncé.

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 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.

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

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.

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.

*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

I like Bjork's artsiness, but this album was a little much

Was an interesting listen, not sure if it's something I'll go back to immediately but I think I'll listen again

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.

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).

It's Bjork, you get what you get

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

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.

Not for me but I guess its oohhh kayish

It took a few listens to appreciate it, it's a grower.

Beautiful chaos.

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 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.

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!

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.

nothing new here

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.

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

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.

I really loved the weird ethereal soft blippy parts, but some of the songs were kinda just ok otherwise. Neat album tho

Bjork can kind of wear on you after a bit, but she still rules

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.

p nice

Not heard this before but really liked it. A high 3

Very listenable, enjoyable album. One to revisit

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.

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

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.

When the strings come in on Family. I felt that. It's not really my bag, but I respect it.

3- Stars (7/15)

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 may not always understand what she’s doing, but I respect her sincerity.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

With Bjork I often appreciate the talent and creativity more than I feel like I am enjoying the music.

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.

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.

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.

Mellow not very inspiring bjork

one doesn’t just listen to a björk album, one experiences it. the songs are all immersive works of art. a fascinating journey.

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"

Björk's voice is heavenly, but I'm not sure I'm into her music just yet.

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.

Björk halt

Never gotten into Björk, didn’t mind this. I think this kinda stuff ends up really growing on you

Bizarre as hell but not so bad.

Emotional journey through the lens of the Icelandic goddess

don't want to give lower than a 3 because I'm scared of her

Not your best work Bjork ...

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.

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

Er ikke så glad i Arca-perioden til Björk. At denne plata er på lista, men ikke Homogenic, er tullete!

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.

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

This generator LOVES Björk

I want to like it more than I do

3.5

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

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.

Lovely afternoon listen from a true never a dull moment artist. Sonically fantastic!

"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.

If I could give this negative stars I would

Interesting but a bit too esoteric for my taste.

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.

its giving soundtrack in a good way

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.

Typical Bjork album. Couple of really cool songs with some great beats and a few head scratchers

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.

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

Apparently need to listen to later bjork cuz this is awesome

Unisound background. Lyrics are quite beautiful but are lost in the noise.

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.

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

"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.

A completely Björk thing

'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.

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.

I actually really liked this pared back dark ethereal female break up album.

I like Bjork in doses and the music is great but difficult to stay engaged for me

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pretty weird, kinda dig it

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

pretty mellow, not great not horrible 3.25/5

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.

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.

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

3/5

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.

I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would/wanted to. It wasn’t really my cup of tea though. 2.5 but rounding up because I feel like bjork gets a bad rap.

A very weird and very sad album, about as crushing of a breakup album as you’ll hear. I have no desire to listen to this again, but I come away respectful as ever of Bjork’s unique talents.

Late era Bjork that I quite enjoyed, although I wonder how readily I'll go back. It created a great sense of atmosphere, and of course her voice was a key part of that. It felt a little bit like it lacked variety though, and felt a bit more of a single piece really. That's sort of fine, and was actually quite nice to have in the background, but makes it harder to really justify or remember it.

I don’t love Björk, and I don’t love this album, but this album makes real choices and forms a cohesive whole. It doesn’t feel deliberately obtuse, but is complicated and challenging, just like life I suppose.

Deep songs, good musical arrangement. I enjoyed it

I liked the overall sound of this album. Some stood out slightly (Stonemilker, Black Lake), while some bordered on being annoying (Mouth Mantra) but overall I think it was good.

Too lyrically repetitious to be enjoyable for me on this listen. Not feeling the teenager-y dichotomy of “love is bleak/all consuming” today. But she is an undeniable force so we’re going middle of the road here

It had a really interesting vibe. I didn't dislike it but I'd have to be in a very specific mood to reach for it.

3 - Lo siento, pero si música no me dados nada

Ctrl C + Ctrl V my other Bjork reviews. This one might have been my favorite of hers. Not a high bar, but the production is super cool

Bjork is weird af. I can get into the instrumentals I think they're really beautiful most of the time, but her voice just doesn't work for me.

I like Björk. She is super unique and I really dig two of her albums. And then there are all the rest, like 6 more, which are fine… but I probably could take my favorite 10 off those and make one more record I really like.

Įdomus pasiklausymas, manau reikėtų tekstą tiesiog perskaityti, nes jame esmė, o man autobuse sunku klausytis.

- Der Anfang hat mir besser gefallen als das Ende - Zu Beginn hatte es eher so feen vibes und zum Ende war es mir dann zu abgespaced - Aber es ist ein interessanter Sound den ich so noch nie gehört habe Topsong: Lionsong

Best Song: Atom Dance. The inclusion of a second voice to contrast Bjork was welcome. Worst Song: Family. This song felt like the first time where I could begin to understand some of the criticism people levy against Bjork. Some of her vocal phrasing has this repetitive, stuttering quality to it that makes you wish that she would just sing the line outright. Overall: Experimental and weird. Bjork remains a cool and unique artist, even if sometimes the experiments don't always pan out into the most listenable experiences. I liked it, but less than I liked her other albums on this list.

Look, this is just very Björk. Nothing against Björk. But Björk sounds likes Björk. Which makes sense, given that Björk is Björk. Just all kinda sounds the same to me.

Odd and off-putting at times but deeply emotional and interesting music.

Interesting, but not my favorite Björk. Probably wouldn’t revisit, but not bad as background Björk.

Después de los 3 discazos de los 90 fui perdiendo el interés por Björk. He escuchado otro de ella reciente y no me aportó mucho. Repetitivo, me he guardado la última "Quicksand" al menos tiene ritmo. [le he dado una segunda escucha y reedito para añadir: Family y Atom dance, y subirlo a 3 estrellas]

If someone can sing in cursive, Bjork can sing in Calligraphy

There were some interesting sounds and parts of this, but Bjork is hit and miss with me. 2.5/5

Understanding that this album was written in response to and surrounding a break-up she was going through helped the listening process. The album seems to define the arc of a failed relationship very nicely with early songs being more calm, mellow and airy in tone…only to gradually build in tension, anxiety and eventual chaos at the end. A good example of art depicting real life. I’m not sure if I can say I liked this, but I can definitely appreciate it.

Hell hath no fury like a Björk scorned… although, I probably wouldn't have known this is a breakup album had I not read about it. I dig all the strings and a fun contrast to Tay Tay and Leonard Cohen we got this week. I THINK I like this a tad less than Vespertine, so I am going to notch down a little but still enjoyed and may revisit. 3.25/5

Okay, fine.

Weird in a way I usually enjoy, but this one just felt monotone. Beautiful strings and all, but I found myself zoning out instead of being drawn in. Respect it, but I won’t revisit. I loved reading the reviews about how this had an impact on people so I added a star.

Hmm, the first three tracks I love and then it all gets a bit much. To me this is more of a performance piece. I imagine listening as part of the 360 exhibit with the films would be a better and more immersive experience. I do appreciate it but not something I would choose to listen to on its own

This is a really interesting listen. For the most part is arhythmic. The voices and strings are very dissonant. Then there's Bjork's vocals. She is adept at manipulating whatever words she's written into whatever melody she's dreamed up. I rrally like how she sings. Overall, this is not an easy album to listen to, but I appreciate the originality of it.

A Bjork cruza a vida dos europeus com muita frequência e sempre a achei muito especial, com uma vibe incrível. No entanto, não acho que este álbum funcione assim tão bem para mim, não lhe tirando o mérito e sempre tento em conta que ela é uma artista inacreditável!

Креативне поєднання нетривіальної поп-музики з глітч електронікою та ембієнт шматками. Іноді це починає звучати як музика під якийсь перфоманс ніж музичний альбом. Поважаю такий підхід, але слухати це не завжди хочеться. За один раз альбом було важко послухати, бо дуже здався таким, що перевантажує увагу

Все що Бйорк випускала після дебюту мені йде важко. Дуже поважаю її як артистку, але саме музично важко. З Vulnicura теж було так, але дві пісні прям сподобались - Lionsong та Atom Dance.

Not the most engaging Bjork album for me, but I still liked it

2.5

Toujours cool et intéressant à écouter celle-ci. Pas dans mes albums préférés par contre

Très intéressant et créatif mais un peu trop weird à mon gout. Ma note pourrait potentiellement monter dans le futur après l'écoute du reste de ses albums.

There's something really comforting about Björk's voice. She can do weird things with her music, but her vocals are the grounding that will always make things feel safe. I don't think I'd listen to this again but I didn't mind listening to it once

Little weird for me, but listen worthy

Very unique

Mid, all the way through

More accessible than I would expect from bjork

I got Midsommar'd to this album

Very unusual but there's nothing that really grabs the attention or would require a re-listen

Down-tempo electro + strings. Think trap with a string quartet and bjork's trademark vocals. On paper I should hate it but it's so well done it's okay. Kinda like a movie soundtrack Best track - History of Touches, Atom Dance, Quicksand (at least it's short) 3 stars

Not my comfort-zone, not much impressed, I'm not seeing a relisten in near future... but it's me.

3/5. Bjork is definitely taking her time and with the very pressing electronics of Arca, it's a constant push and pull of power, like two mighty forces battling it out in every song. It's like resting at the breast of someone safe while giants and monsters break down the shelter we hide in, but you also don't know if the person you are with is safe either. As far as the lyrics go, I have no clue, I was kind of listening off of vibe, which seems to most of my Bjork experiences. The main issue is that there is not much diversity here despite the many opportunities to take that path. I think I just wanted a little more from the vocals here; they can remain sparse and chilling, as that is the main highlight here, but a more unique delivery between songs would have made this a much better listen. An EP would portray the same feelings, an LP overstays its welcome. Best Song: Lionsong, Black Lake, Quicksand, NotGet

3.4 stars rounded down. A sibling to Björk’s Homogenic album only this is a break up album. “Notget” is the standout track. Arcs does great production work here.

Still can’t get on board with her voice.

As disorienting as an actual breakup, but not as compelling.

Not bad

This was a Bjork album. Homogenic was a favorite in high school and I still put it on every once in while and it feels raw and fresh nearly 30 years on. On one listen (maybe not enough), Vulnicura feels like a retread. Lush and beautiful, but no real new territory explored sonically. Postscript: Joanna Newsom's "Baby Birch" auto-played after this album. And with Bjork and Newsom sharing a similar space (unique voice with lush orchestration), I'm struck with how incredible "Baby Birch", compared to anything on the Bjork album I just listened to. My rating: 3/5

Some really innovative music here. Also some nonsense. Does not riser to get best work.

Very Bjorky