CORPORATE LINE: “With a palm full of stars/ I throw them like dice on the table/ Until the desired constellation appears”, …sings Björk on her new album, Medúlla. If you were seeking a metaphor for her extraordinary approach to music making, that lyric would serve nicely. Long adept at fashioning new sonic universes, Björk now returns with a record which is perhaps her most daring. “Instruments are so over”, she has said with a mischievous twinkle. The vast majority of Medúlla, you see, relies solely on the myriad textures and timbres of the human voice.
THE GREAT:
“Who Is It” – A beatbox percussion carries Bjork along for the records best track.
“Desire Constellation” and “Oceania” – Gorgeous. Bjork doesn’t find it necessary to fill every silence with her voice which makes both songs sound natural.
THE AVERAGE:
“Where Is The Line?” – Bjork sparks an urban twist that is both bitter and beautiful.
“Show Me Forgiveness” – A sweet little number.
“Mouth’s Cradle”
THE BAD:
Nothing.
FRANKLY: Bjork goes without instruments—brilliant or failure? Honestly it is neither. It’s a nice minimalist experiment but Bjork is at her best when she doesn’t have to fill every little silence. It’s a shame much of Medulla is out of reach. Singing accappella is a good idea on the surface, but if you have songs that need silences filled it can all go wrong.
+ Rae Gun
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.