BJORK レコード& CD

Review: Depending on which reviews you read, Utopia is either Bjork's most impressive album for a long time, or an interesting but flawed one. Co-produced by Mute and XL artist Arca with occasional studio contributions from Rabit, the set was designed to be positive and dream-like in tone, with Bjork delivering some of her most romantic lyrics to date. Musically, it's every bit as bonkers and brilliant as you'd expect, with pastoral and classical instrumentation nestling side by side with 8-bit electronics, bowel-bothering sub-bass, folksy textures and wildlife field recordings. It should perhaps be seen as a partner piece to the notably dystopian Vulcinara (2015), offering a more blissful counterpoint to that album's bleak and intense mood.

Review: Following from the success of this year's Vulnicura LP, Iceland's Bjork has decided to release an acoustic companion made up of string-only reinterpretations; a more abstract and pensive piece, if you will. One Little Indian is the label, of course, but this time there are strictly no beats, and the only concrete sounds within it are the subtle and placid wails of Bjork's own voice. While it isn't truly a pop album, there is enough playfulness and charm to render it playable not only as a solitary piece of music, but also alongside other pieces...in an explorative DJ set, perhaps.

Review: And so Bjork's majestic remix collection continues to trickle onto our shelves and into your eardrums. The legendary leftfield pop singer / producer gives up her "Lionsong" tune for remix action from none other than Juliana Huxtable; the newcomer has only got a couple of cameo appearances to their name, but she's coming through string with this one. In essence, it's a techno tune - driven by fire kick drums and minimal sonics - but her soulful twists of vocals render it to be much more than that in the end. It's a soothing, delicate techno massage with a powerful energy.