seems like she's intent on continuing utopia's impenetrable tunelessness, very much not for me
― ufo, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 11:14 (two years ago) link
What imago said, maybe. Totally into Bjork with reeds and brass and stuff myself, but that rhythm track is less than brilliant.
I still think that Utopia is at least 2/3 great, so slippery melodies are not necessarily a turnoff here. Just getting to end of a third listen as I type and it's sounding vaguely hooky anyway!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 12:27 (two years ago) link
I haven’t heard a single note of Bjork since Medulla so I’m missing a lot of context but this new song absolutely rules in my opinion and will probably send me back to check out all of the in between
― zacata, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 12:53 (two years ago) link
I actually don’t mind the rhythm track, it’s the Jon Brion Eternal Sunshine soundtrack-ass clarinet melody that’s taking me out
ugh
― Murgatroid, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 12:57 (two years ago) link
prob not a clarinet but my point remains
― Murgatroid, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 13:00 (two years ago) link
I kind of like it. Don't get the tunelessness criticisim, I've had the melody stuck in my head after just two listens. Excited to hear the rest of the album.
― ˈʌglɪɪst preɪ, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 14:49 (two years ago) link
Yeah I'm into it, the thing I have mixed feelings about is the lyrics.
― death generator (lukas), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:18 (two years ago) link
I'm liking it, but I'm hoping the album is nowhere near as long as Utopia.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:28 (two years ago) link
xpost yeah I don’t mind the track at all but I hate the lyrics, I just have no patience with that “why can’t we all just get along?” messaging
― Roz, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:31 (two years ago) link
Reminds me of Aksak Maboul in a strange way, which can be no bad thing.Lyrics are best ignored on the whole so didn't listen to them.
― born on the bayeux (Matt #2), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:34 (two years ago) link
unfortunately the lyrics are right there in the video, a bit hard to ignore on my first listen :/
― Roz, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:36 (two years ago) link
agreed about the lyrics, sounds like a "we forced an AI to listen to 10,000 hours of Bjork" kinda thing
― frogbs, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:49 (two years ago) link
Third listen I'm really loving those reeds
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 15:52 (two years ago) link
listened to it off my phone this morning (i know) and now listening to it at work on headphones, somehow even worse on 2nd listen
― Murgatroid, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 16:10 (two years ago) link
I like the textures, and I like how easily Bjork moves through the terrain the arrangement creates. We just take it for granted because she's been singing over crazy shit for decades now.
― death generator (lukas), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 16:14 (two years ago) link
I guess the last minute or so exemplifies the album's apparent gabber angle
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 16:15 (two years ago) link
I like all of the musical elements, and hard distorted beats + low woodwinds sound like a good idea (like hard distorted beats + strings on Homogenic), but this is probably going to be another Bjork album that I only listen to once. :(
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 17:56 (two years ago) link
annoying that I like this musically more than expected and then the lyrics are offensively dim
― rob, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 21:18 (two years ago) link
With video off, lyrics off, and amp in the red, it’s a beast. Visceral, and more tuneful than expected. (“expected” meaning Utopia.)The combination of big drums and bass woodwinds is great, but it’s also very These New Puritans Hidden. Do I mind? Not at all!
― Xgau Murder Spa (nikola), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 21:51 (two years ago) link
I'm glad I listened to it first without the video.
New music aside, the podcast has definitely sent me into my annual Bjork phase. Finally I know who did which beats on Homogenic (answer: Markus Dravs did all the distorted "volcanic" beats, Mark Bell did all the 909 and dancier beats)!
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 22:00 (two years ago) link
feel like the Bjork alignment ever shifts and we’ve got more pronouncement-voiced yet churning european bits this time
― mh, Wednesday, 7 September 2022 04:58 (two years ago) link
Resident Advisor sez: 'Lyrically, "Atopos" is beautiful. Musically, it doesn't cohere as well as anything off of Vulnicura or Utopia.'
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
― death generator (lukas), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 19:08 (two years ago) link
Wasn't there once a theatre group who banged on bins and the like? But not in a good way.
― djh, Wednesday, 7 September 2022 19:24 (two years ago) link
I assume you mean STOMP
― i cannot help if you made yourself not funny (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 20:03 (two years ago) link
Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mystic_Knights_of_the_Oingo_Boingo
― change display name (Jordan), Wednesday, 7 September 2022 20:06 (two years ago) link
Vulnicura was magnificent, Utopia was mostly unlistenable, so I was hoping this would pivot back to Good Björk, but no... this is horrible.
― raven, Friday, 9 September 2022 07:37 (two years ago) link
Alsemanche e e
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 10 September 2022 16:26 (two years ago) link
Vulnicura was magnificent, Utopia was mostly unlistenable
Agree with this but I kinda like the new song! I just wish it progressed a little more, it stays in one gear
― Vinnie, Sunday, 11 September 2022 01:52 (two years ago) link
Atopos is a little industrial-dancy and reminds me mostly of Volta (Earth Intruders / Wanderlust) and Vulnicura (scary emotionality), which are connections I like.I hope there are some long songs. I am not expecting real "singles" from Björk anymore.
― Nabozo, Monday, 12 September 2022 07:11 (two years ago) link
I really like it. Most exciting thing I've heard her do in years, and I quite liked the last one
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Monday, 12 September 2022 11:56 (two years ago) link
I like how it starts as this sort of broken reggaeton track and ends in industrial dance mayhem
I'm also enjoying the section in the middle where it's just her singing over a deep subbass hum - makes me think of latter day Scott Walker
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Monday, 12 September 2022 12:02 (two years ago) link
Shameless spam but I interviewed Björk, plus Siggi Sugarcube, Meredith Monk and Emilie Nicolas among others, for this month's Uncut, on sale next week...
https://✧✧✧.un✧✧✧.c✧.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Bjork-cover-with✧✧✧@1400x1✧✧✧.j✧✧
― Piedie Gimbel, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 14:08 (two years ago) link
Link here! https://www.uncut.co.uk/publications/magazines/uncut-november-2022-140037/
― Piedie Gimbel, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 14:09 (two years ago) link
^ Thanks! Is there a way to buy a digital issue for non-UK folks?
― ˈʌglɪɪst preɪ, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 16:21 (two years ago) link
Yep - info here https://www.uncut.co.uk/digital-editions/
― Piedie Gimbel, Tuesday, 13 September 2022 16:57 (two years ago) link
Ok “ovule” is way better.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 14 September 2022 11:35 (two years ago) link
Björk and Nick Knight reunited: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPr_D-b5v2Q
― Xgau Murder Spa (nikola), Wednesday, 14 September 2022 12:23 (two years ago) link
This could be on Medulla, somehow connects to her previous career, hooks are relatively simple and direct, I really like it although I feel like I have heard her do this song before.
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 14 September 2022 12:50 (two years ago) link
The way she fuses with that groove towards the end
― Nabozo, Wednesday, 14 September 2022 12:57 (two years ago) link
I love everything about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QRIgD1bAjI
― ˈʌglɪɪst preɪ, Friday, 23 September 2022 18:10 (one year ago) link
yea I like this song a lot
― frogbs, Sunday, 25 September 2022 19:35 (one year ago) link
this appears to be the podcast series where she talks about all her albums except without needing to subscribe to anything
https://mailchimp.com/presents/podcast/sonic-symbolism/post/
― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 25 September 2022 21:52 (one year ago) link
Working on a mix of Bjork's more minimalist, non-beat-oriented tracks from across her oeuvre, as a different lens through which to see her music. It's remarkable how in that mode, her work feels of a piece from the beginning.
Most of my favorite of Bjork's tracks generally are not so minimalist. But interestingly it's helping me rediscover some achingly beautiful gems from her post-'Medula' work, albums which have tended not to hit home for me as much as the first five (with 'Homogenic' probably my favorite album all-time by anyone).
Won't be able to publicly share it--Mixcloud doesn't allow single-artist mixes. But I'll post the tracklist when it's done.
― Soundslike, Monday, 26 September 2022 02:42 (one year ago) link
Somewhat inspired by this piece she did on minimalism in 1997 for BBC (I think)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOoqLhNqXDw
― Soundslike, Monday, 26 September 2022 02:57 (one year ago) link
none of the new tracks are doing anything for me at all, kinda bummed out about it
― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 29 September 2022 15:42 (one year ago) link
The 'Volta' podcast episode made it sound pretty good, gonna have to revisit that one.
I've listened to everything through Medulla countless times, and everything after only a few times each.
― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 29 September 2022 15:45 (one year ago) link
Volta is just perpetually sitting there, ready for re-evaluation
― Bait Kush (Eric H.), Thursday, 29 September 2022 15:46 (one year ago) link
feeling strongly this is shaping up to be her best work since biophilia (though i may have the most skewed vision of the björk discography ever now that i'm reading that sentence back to myself)
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 29 September 2022 15:47 (one year ago) link
I've liked all the new songs, each more than the last, and feel like each has clarified the previous ones a bit. Also the title track got instantly stuck in my head.
― sloop johnnin' skater (geoffreyess), Thursday, 29 September 2022 16:18 (one year ago) link