News about the upcoming Björk album Volta.

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"Earth Intruders" is yoga flame. u r all teh sux

― The Reverend, Monday, 16 April 2007 21:46 (seventeen years ago) link

"but timbos identity is all over it. its not just that he contributed to it subtly, the whole track is basically built around one of his beats and it sounds like it. its not as integrated as her interview on PFM made it sound. i thought it was going to be something like timbalands beat being ripped to its skeleton and bjork and co kinda rebuilding it to make it more melodic or song-y or something, but its basically like timbaland beat+bjork+ a bit of musicianly adornment. im dissapointed, personally. "

I always find this critical line a bit amusing - if Bjork went to all the trouble to commission a Timbaland beat only to have it "ripped to its skeleton", why bother getting Timbaland in the first place? There's only so much you can really do to someone else's groove until it gets to the point where you may as well have just started from scratch by yourself. Why wouldn't a Bjork + Timbaland collaboration sound like... Bjork + Timbaland?

As it is it does sound very different to any other Timbaland based single, it's very rare that one of his beats will be so buried in the mix. It could have been, e.g. "Say It Right" with Bjork singing on top.

― Tim F, Monday, 16 April 2007 22:24 (seventeen years ago) link

because, timmy, that would mean it wouldnt be the typical 'timbaland exerting his person all over the track' and would simply be a contributor rather than the over dominant super producer whos ego is so great he has to dwarf the vocalists on his productions.

― titchyschneiderMk2, Monday, 16 April 2007 22:57 (seventeen years ago) link

i think it's just a difference of

it could have sounded like bjork featuring timbaland

or it could have sounded like bjork with a dash of timbaland to kick things up.

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 00:30 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm honestly just surprised she didn't have anything more interesting to show us as a first single, timbaland or not.

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 00:37 (seventeen years ago) link

See, I think it already sounds like the second of those (x-post)

Or, if you tried to decrease the amount of Timbaland in there it would no longer be noticeable at all - it's just a drum loop as it is! Unless a clearer mix will suddenly reveal some beatboxing as well...

Discounting Medulla, which I've only heard fleetingly, I don't think Bjork has ever really collaborated with producers in such a way that their imprint wasn't clearly etched and immediately obvious - if anything i'd say her work with Mark Bell sounds more obviously like Mark Bell than "Earth Intruders" sounds like Timbaland. If this is less true for, say, Tricky, it's only because at that stage in his career Tricky's own sound wasn't quite as immediately identifiable as Timbaland's is - but tell me "Enjoy" wouldn't have fit easily onto Maxinquaye...

The main exception to this is Nellee Hooper circa Post, perhaps because he and Bjork were clearly trying to gel with the other "dominant super producer egos" in the mix - Tricky, Graham Massey... The Hooper tracks on Post generally sound like a halfway house between Debut and the non-Hooper Post tracks (this is not a criticism btw, those tracks generally sound amazing) - and more generally because Hooper by the mid-nineties was more of a chronicler of developments external to himself (a Scott Storch if you will) rather than the generator of them. You can argue that it would have been better for Timbaland to take a Scott Storch role, but then if that's what would have worked Bjork should have gone straight to Scott Storch.

― Tim F, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 00:46 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm sorry, before i read the rest of your post tim, i'd like to say i think it sounds like the second of those as well. i just think the two of them together could hav come up with something more mindblowing. i'm onna keep reading now.

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 00:50 (seventeen years ago) link

It seems that the detractors are complaining about lack of subtleties, but really, this song is all about brute force and does brute force well.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 03:18 (seventeen years ago) link

ok, fair play tim, thats true enough. like surmounter though, i too "just think the two of them together could hav come up with something more mindblowing."

cant wait to hear the album though. hope bjork sounds a bit more interested/interesting on there.

― titchyschneiderMk2, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 08:50 (seventeen years ago) link

I just heard "Innocence" on myspace. Hey-- is that the grunt from Scott Walker's "Clara", when the meat gets whacked?

― Rich Smörgasbord, Friday, 20 April 2007 03:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Ugh. I never want to listen to "Innocence" ever again.

― Turangalila, Friday, 20 April 2007 04:44 (seventeen years ago) link

(It's Alarm Call's more evil twin.)

― Turangalila, Friday, 20 April 2007 04:48 (seventeen years ago) link

Bjork on this week's SNL, guys. (ScarJo host)

― marmotwolof, Friday, 20 April 2007 05:01 (seventeen years ago) link

(oops curmudgeon already said that)

― marmotwolof, Friday, 20 April 2007 05:03 (seventeen years ago) link

weird.

http://unit.bjork.com/innocence/bjork.jpg
http://unit.bjork.com/innocence/bjork2.jpg
http://unit.bjork.com/innocence/bjork4.jpg

(from the Innocence video contest page )

― StanM, Friday, 20 April 2007 07:44 (seventeen years ago) link

so, it's a giant christmas tree ornament?

― funny farm, Friday, 20 April 2007 07:50 (seventeen years ago) link

I can recognize the grunt, but not only that.. I'm sure that the silencer sound from Counter Strike(USP) is in it. That or some other game. Liked Innocence better than Earth Intruders

― MRZBW, Friday, 20 April 2007 10:07 (seventeen years ago) link

the odd thing about the much-vaunted bjork/timba meeting-of-genius is that timba may as well not be there for 2 of his 3 tracks - 'innocence' is v v much like a slightly more focused 'alarm call', the 'earth intruders' beat wouldn't have made me think of him if i hadn't known he was on it (it's a bit 'human behaviour' actually!). it's the relatively subtle 'hope' which actually seems like an equal collaboration - have now pinned down what the beat reminds me of, it's like a very laidback 'southern hospitality'

― lex pretend, Friday, 20 April 2007 10:39 (seventeen years ago) link

Wow, "Innocence" is so... awful.

― The Brainwasher, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:39 (seventeen years ago) link

And totally lacking any sort of tune whatsoever.

― The Brainwasher, Friday, 20 April 2007 17:40 (seventeen years ago) link

the odd thing about the much-vaunted bjork/timba meeting-of-genius is that timba may as well not be there for 2 of his 3 tracks

OTM. That's exactly what I meant upthread when I asked why hire Konono and Timba (and CORSANO for that matter) if they didn't really need to be there for these songs to exist.

The only track I'm looking forward to is "Wanderlust," which I think Nico Muhly made the brass arrangements for and sounds lovely so far!

― Turangalila, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:24 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah "Waqnderlust" sounds great, also I think "Hope" is going to be a fave of mine.

― The Brainwasher, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:47 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuhRlhaKX_0&NR=1

'Earth Intruders' video. Not that good.

― o-ess, Sunday, 22 April 2007 00:02 (seventeen years ago) link

So, some posters are saying Timbaland egotistically dominates his tracks and others say he may as well not be there, and both are using this to criticise the songs...

― Tim F, Sunday, 22 April 2007 00:44 (seventeen years ago) link

I thought she was pretty good on SNL tonight

― Michael F Gill, Sunday, 22 April 2007 05:03 (seventeen years ago) link

"Wanderlust" is incredible.

― The Brainwasher, Sunday, 22 April 2007 05:08 (seventeen years ago) link

who the hell was backing her up on SNL? i don't think i've ever seen so many people onstage and not been able to hear half of them. the first song was pretty good.

― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Sunday, 22 April 2007 11:43 (seventeen years ago) link

Corsano was in the band last night...I don't know who the other people were. Based on those two songs, I'm not really looking forward to this record as much as I was initially. I'm coming to the conclusion that for me anyway, Björk records are always better in theory than practice.

― unperson, Sunday, 22 April 2007 14:41 (seventeen years ago) link

I know, the Timbaland critique is muddled - I think there are other more significant flaws to bring up.

Oh geez, I could never make that kindof statement about Bjork albums. I think most of them have held up in practice.

― Surmounter, Sunday, 22 April 2007 15:02 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ9qQ4MRHg4

(meh)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHe7rFLQh74

(great!)

― MRZBW, Sunday, 22 April 2007 23:15 (seventeen years ago) link

What do people think of her Female Icelandic Brass Choir? I'm all for them. They have the energy I think she needs for these songs. I miss the Inuit Choir though....'a choir from Greeeeenlahnd!'

― o-ess, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:04 (seventeen years ago) link

Geir's true identity revealed.

― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:12 (seventeen years ago) link

That review is dreadful... like really amateur. It reads like something pulled off amazon.com/rateyourmusic/some fanzine.

― fandango, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:23 (seventeen years ago) link

They just can't get the staff these days.

― Marcello Carlin, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:25 (seventeen years ago) link

But the third Timbaland tune, 'Hope', sounds like an explosion at the BBC World Music Awards - an unfortunate image

.. that I just made up.

― Matthew H, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:40 (seventeen years ago) link

another odd OMM 4-star review which reads like a 2-star one!

its martial robo-stomp lent much-needed soul by experimental Congolese band Konono No 1 (no, me neither)

uh? a) even i have heard of konono no 1, b) not having heard of people is fine but if you're reviewing the album and are going to mention them, maybe then you could look them up first?

― lex pretend, Monday, 23 April 2007 11:47 (seventeen years ago) link

For unknown reasons at midnight on Monday, April 23rd, the UK iTunes store released Volta. This information is under speculation as to whether the album was officially leaked or not. Audio previews of the tracks were available, but it is still unknown as to whether or not the downloads were truly available. This error was corrected within a few hours of the mistake.

(or so says wikipedia )

― StanM, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 08:37 (seventeen years ago) link

uh? a) even i have heard of konono no 1, b) not having heard of people is fine but if you're reviewing the album and are going to mention them, maybe then you could look them up first?

Seriously, OMM were all over Konono No.1, in their most shameless attempt to colonise an act as theirs since Camille. As far as I recall.

― I know, right?, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:44 (seventeen years ago) link

The album has leaked! I can't wait to get home and check it out.

― Finefinemusic, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 18:12 (seventeen years ago) link

i agree with the lex but i also think it a bit cheeky eh wot wot for him to be telling other people to look stuff up

― strongohulkington, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 18:18 (seventeen years ago) link

The album has leaked! I can't wait to get home and check it out.

where?
for some reason, oink just isn't working right now.

― funny farm, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 19:34 (seventeen years ago) link

It's not on OiNK. It's a bad rip full of drop-outs and skips.

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 19:36 (seventeen years ago) link

oh. that sucks.

― funny farm, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 19:38 (seventeen years ago) link

if it helps i still can't get INTO it, embrace it 100%. i dunno i'm not ready to dismiss it, it is v impressive, but there's as much that makes me go hmmm as there is which makes me go mmmm. i want to discuss this!

i agree with the lex but i also think it a bit cheeky eh wot wot for him to be telling other people to look stuff up

i look stuff up when i have to review it! ilx doesn't merit quite that commitment.

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 19:47 (seventeen years ago) link

Which brings us to Antony 'and the Johnsons' Hegarty, aka 'Supplier of Pissed-Up Pub Singer Theatricality'

...what kind of pubs is this man hanging out in?

― Telephone thing, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 19:51 (seventeen years ago) link

Can I post a URL? I don't know how to delete my comment if that is bad business. I have it on Sendspace.

― Finefinemusic, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 20:39 (seventeen years ago) link

Perhaps people can "webmail" for more information.

― Finefinemusic, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 20:40 (seventeen years ago) link

who produced "declare independence"?

― toby, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 21:40 (seventeen years ago) link

i don't know but it's fucking awesome. this album is better than i expected. "declare independence" is one of my favorite ever bjork tracks.

― ^@^, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Declare Independence apparently originated from Mark Bell(LFO), she's sung over a couple of his tracks before on b-sides (and rightly B-sides imo, I never liked 'I Go Humble' or 'Nature is Ancient' much) but never on an album. Although that's barely relevant as he did give a great deal to Homogenic already in some form or other production wise.

I'm waiting for the CD ^__^

― fandango, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:46 (seventeen years ago) link

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