Post and Telegraph established Icelandic singer Bjørk as an
innovative international pop artist who didn't compromise her
artistic expression. Blending her unique vocals with pop-ish techno
and jazz rhythms and a industrial sound. Well her latest album is as
uncompromisable as those before, but much of the album tips over as
unaccessible to most listeners, including this writer.
On this album she has sheded everything except for the human voice
which is partly live and partly samples used as instruments, as
interesting as it sounds it is hard on the listener. It takes time to
get used to it and even then you really have to make an effort when
listening. It feels almost like an acid trip.
One honest, bold, and beautiful exception is the icelandic
language song Vökuró which feels like a melancholic-like
lullaby featuring just Björk's voice and a choir.
The most accessible if any the most potential “hit”-song
is Who Is It (carry my joy on the left carry my pain on the right)
which has great lyrics with a catchy melody and chorus. The beat are
upbeat and pretty standard trip hop-like, but original due to it's
human-beatbox samples. Also the last track quite catchy Triumph of a Heard
I'm sure the club dj's going to have a ball re-mixing the songs on
this album, and for die hard Björk fans looking for progression
this album delivers. I'm also positively sure it's going to raise
praise from some “high-cultural” critics. For those who
looking for a challenge this album could grow on you it's no doubt
that it is unique and has many layers to discover, but it needs time
and it demands its attention from it's listeners. It is not to
recommend if you just heard a few Björk tracks, then you should
first check out the first two albums I mentioned, if you like to
discover this artist. She has a unique voice that combines subtle and
fragile with an extreme power. There are pearls on it in between all
the acid.
It's hard to give this album a verdict it probably deserves an 7
or 8 of 10 when it has grown on one, but given it's hard to get and
demanding sound I bound to give it a 6/10 - it has yet to grow on me.
Mind this is not another way of saying it sucks, I really think
the album has potential, and I do honestly expect it to grow on me, It already started
while writing this review - one hint: start with programing your cd player for the tracks:
Who is it, and Triumph of a heart.
