-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
OMG! THE NEW Björk ALBUM!
- Thread starter Star Power
- Start date
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
ZootedGranny
Member
I've been listening to it for several hours, and it's traditionally "Bjork." After a few listens, I really dig 7 of the tracks. Not, "they're pretty good and easily listenable" but "these are awesome."
Especially "Who Is It." It's odd that it's the closest thing to a mainstream pop single on the album, but it's not dumbed down. Should it be released as a single with a video, it's not going to storm the world, but I think it'd create fans.
Production wise, most beats at first listen aren't easily recognizable as man made, unless you're specifically listening to the sounds themselves. They really have been tweaked into Bolivian, as my man Tyson would say. That said, there are a few songs where you can tell what is what. For example, in "Where is the Line" Rahzel's bass kicks and noises stick out to make an almost marching corps drum pattern.
Again, one thing that aggravates me is Tagaq's appearance on a track, in which after the midpoint of the track, I wanted someone to put a muzzle on her. Thankfully, it's just one track that she sticks out with her "talents."
Vocally, it's what a Bjork fan would expect, though the vocals are very raw in contrast to the beats. If anyone has heard Aurora from the Vespertine promo, and how her vocals were left untouched for the most part, that's what many of the songs sound like on Medulla. Almost sometimes sounding like first takes, which in this case isn't bad at all.
Overall, and this is just after several listens (considering it took me a little under a year to appreciate Vespertine to the point that I do now), she hasn't disappointed. After hearing a few snippets early on, and watching a bootleg concert in which she performed a couple songs, I was wondering if she was going to deliver. I think she certainly did.
Especially "Who Is It." It's odd that it's the closest thing to a mainstream pop single on the album, but it's not dumbed down. Should it be released as a single with a video, it's not going to storm the world, but I think it'd create fans.
Production wise, most beats at first listen aren't easily recognizable as man made, unless you're specifically listening to the sounds themselves. They really have been tweaked into Bolivian, as my man Tyson would say. That said, there are a few songs where you can tell what is what. For example, in "Where is the Line" Rahzel's bass kicks and noises stick out to make an almost marching corps drum pattern.
Again, one thing that aggravates me is Tagaq's appearance on a track, in which after the midpoint of the track, I wanted someone to put a muzzle on her. Thankfully, it's just one track that she sticks out with her "talents."
Vocally, it's what a Bjork fan would expect, though the vocals are very raw in contrast to the beats. If anyone has heard Aurora from the Vespertine promo, and how her vocals were left untouched for the most part, that's what many of the songs sound like on Medulla. Almost sometimes sounding like first takes, which in this case isn't bad at all.
Overall, and this is just after several listens (considering it took me a little under a year to appreciate Vespertine to the point that I do now), she hasn't disappointed. After hearing a few snippets early on, and watching a bootleg concert in which she performed a couple songs, I was wondering if she was going to deliver. I think she certainly did.
clipunderground
Member
ZootedGranny said:I've been listening to it for several hours, and it's traditionally "Bjork." After a few listens, I really dig 7 of the tracks. Not, "they're pretty good and easily listenable" but "these are awesome."
Especially "Who Is It." It's odd that it's the closest thing to a mainstream pop single on the album, but it's not dumbed down. Should it be released as a single with a video, it's not going to storm the world, but I think it'd create fans.
Production wise, most beats at first listen aren't easily recognizable as man made, unless you're specifically listening to the sounds themselves. They really have been tweaked into Bolivian, as my man Tyson would say. That said, there are a few songs where you can tell what is what. For example, in "Where is the Line" Rahzel's bass kicks and noises stick out to make an almost marching corps drum pattern.
Again, one thing that aggravates me is Tagaq's appearance on a track, in which after the midpoint of the track, I wanted someone to put a muzzle on her. Thankfully, it's just one track that she sticks out with her "talents."
Vocally, it's what a Bjork fan would expect, though the vocals are very raw in contrast to the beats. If anyone has heard Aurora from the Vespertine promo, and how her vocals were left untouched for the most part, that's what many of the songs sound like on Medulla. Almost sometimes sounding like first takes, which in this case isn't bad at all.
Overall, and this is just after several listens (considering it took me a little under a year to appreciate Vespertine to the point that I do now), she hasn't disappointed. After hearing a few snippets early on, and watching a bootleg concert in which she performed a couple songs, I was wondering if she was going to deliver. I think she certainly did.
Awesome! Thanks for the min review. Can't wait!
mightynine
Member
Star Power said:Rahzel of the Roots - known as "the Human Beatbox"
*DING* Instantly interested.
Semjaza Azazel
Member
I have to admit I'm not a huge Bjork fan. Her voice generally just irks me.
However, I'm really liking what I've heard of this album. A lot of the sound has obviously been tweaked to the point that you can barely attribute it to a human voice... but at the same time, very little of it seems mechancial. It's feels organic, especially when compared to the methods that might normally have been used to reach this sound. That in addition to the more traditional sounds really make it come together. I'm pretty impressed.
However, I'm really liking what I've heard of this album. A lot of the sound has obviously been tweaked to the point that you can barely attribute it to a human voice... but at the same time, very little of it seems mechancial. It's feels organic, especially when compared to the methods that might normally have been used to reach this sound. That in addition to the more traditional sounds really make it come together. I'm pretty impressed.
kitchenmotors
Banned
Yes, it's a very organic album. It's really raw though, much more than anything Bjork has ever done. Who Is It and Oceania are filled with lovely sounds that fill your ears, but most of the album is very subtle and low key. Can't say I love low key Bjork, but it's not exactly a bad thing.
This album will be spun when I'm in a certain mood.
This album will be spun when I'm in a certain mood.
Looks like bjork finally recorded herself having sex on one of the tracks.......well, not really but it sure does sound like it.
The album's doing nothing for me at the moment. Kinda boring, too. Semjaza Azazel's pretty accurate in desribing the album's organic feel. I found myself waiting for some of the songs to pick up with some beats but got a whole lot of nothingness. Makes it seem like a bunch of incomplete demos in comparision to her earlier work. Hope the follow up album she's making now is more interesting.
The album's doing nothing for me at the moment. Kinda boring, too. Semjaza Azazel's pretty accurate in desribing the album's organic feel. I found myself waiting for some of the songs to pick up with some beats but got a whole lot of nothingness. Makes it seem like a bunch of incomplete demos in comparision to her earlier work. Hope the follow up album she's making now is more interesting.
ZootedGranny
Member
I've found that I enjoy this album the more I listen to it. I definitely am warming up to it faster than I did with Vespertine. I will say that I'm not digging the almost vocal only tracks like Vokuro and Submarine...and the disaster known as Ancestors, but I think that half of the album is fantastic.
As a side note, a couple of interesting things I heard in an interview with Bjork about Medulla:
"Desired Constellation" came from a track Olivier Alary of Ensemble had made for Bjork, experimental stuff for her to sing over, before she had even decided on her new album. A while later, when she decided the entire album would be made of vocals, she went back and tried to recreate the original track, with a choir and other techniques. She eventually gave up, and called up Alary telling him that she would use the original song anyways. It turns out that Alary had actually made the beat using a single vocal line from Hidden Place.
Also, the drum beat on "Where is the Line" was done by Rahzel all in one take.
As a side note, a couple of interesting things I heard in an interview with Bjork about Medulla:
"Desired Constellation" came from a track Olivier Alary of Ensemble had made for Bjork, experimental stuff for her to sing over, before she had even decided on her new album. A while later, when she decided the entire album would be made of vocals, she went back and tried to recreate the original track, with a choir and other techniques. She eventually gave up, and called up Alary telling him that she would use the original song anyways. It turns out that Alary had actually made the beat using a single vocal line from Hidden Place.
Also, the drum beat on "Where is the Line" was done by Rahzel all in one take.
ZootedGranny
Member
teiresias said:Wait, is the actual album in stores yet, or are people just listening to leaked rips? If it's not actually released yet when does it come out?
It's not in stores, but you can buy it directly from her UK label One Little Indian. Mine's on the way, but right now I'm listening to a leak. It hits the US the 31st.
ourumov said:Can sombody recommend me some Björk tracks to start with ? Never heard anything from her...
Not to swamp you with stuff to listen to, but considering she has a pretty wide range of sounds, here's a list:
Human Behaviour
Army Of Me
Hyper-Ballad
Possibly Maybe
Hunter
Joga
All Is Full of Love (either the string version, or the video version)
Hidden Place
Pagan Poetry
Aurora
An Echo, A Stain
That's a little bit of everything, save her really dancy tracks.
The album comes out on the 31st.
As for track recommendations, you can't really go wrong with what's on her greatest hits album.
all is full of love
hyperballad
human behaviour
joga
bachelorette
army of me
pagan poetry
big time sensuality
venus as a boy
hunter
hidden place
isobel
possibly maybe
play dead
it's in our hands
As for track recommendations, you can't really go wrong with what's on her greatest hits album.
all is full of love
hyperballad
human behaviour
joga
bachelorette
army of me
pagan poetry
big time sensuality
venus as a boy
hunter
hidden place
isobel
possibly maybe
play dead
it's in our hands
- Status
- Not open for further replies.