White Witch (Vespertine - Björk)

Member Name: Pulsebeat

Product:	Vespertine - Björk
Date:	26/10/01 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely

Disadvantages: I don't like the word 'Pagan' and it features heavily in a song title

Its 2001, we're all walking around in our silver clothes, walking our android dogs and so we have to ask ourselves, do we really need another Bjork album?>>>>>>>>Well,no, not really, but its lovely to have her back.
Whilst 'Debut', 'Post' and 'Homogenic' were bold landmark releases, 'Vespertine' is hushed in its coy elegance>>>>>and this makes it her most beautiful album to date.

First single 'Hidden Place' is a little misleading>>>>>> it suffers for sounding a little Bjork by numbers and is her worst single by far. It is also much more raucous than the rest of the album, which is made up of delicate glitches and subtle textures. Bjork has claimed that this is her domestic album>>>>>>an album to make sandwiches to (probably roquet, mozzarella and sundried tomato ciabattas)>>>>>>it was going to be called 'Domestica'>>>>>but its not, its called 'Vespertine'.

The album's second track 'Cocoon' is perhaps it highlight, it sounds as though Bjork is sealed tight inside heavenly bliss with her lover>>>>>>>the track sounds remarkably like a cocoon (can anybody remember what happened in the film 'Cocoon II: The Return? because I can't for the life of me), a futuristic, comfortable shell created from lovely electronic burbles>>>>>it is quite simply lovely>>>>>>>>not sure about the line 'I wake up with him inside of me' though>>>>>>it's a little bit too much detail for my liking love.

The rest of the album follows this pattern>>>>>>>>>>at first it sounds good, but inessential, but its elegance finally endears itself to you after repeated listens. It seems to have a magical, altruistic air to it that makes it the perfect album to put on before you go to sleep>>>>it is like a bath of electronic, white, organic contentment that washes away all the troubles of the day and concentrates on the positive meanial things in life, like washing up the dishes.


Another standout track is (next single) 'Pagan Poetry', which highlights the themes of the album magnificently>>>>>>it shows how the microscopic beats and textures are all anally programmed and futuristic, yet the album remains warm and organic and even pastoral (it's kind of a whiter, female version of Boards of Canada's 'Music has the Right to Children'...but set in a trendy loft conversion in Hoxton rather than the bleak Scottish moors'). Ther lyrics address nature and the outside world, but contentment seems to lie inside>>>>>inside the house>>>>>>inside the mind and soul. It ends with a brutally emotional line 'a coded key card' which I think is a very good line>>>>>but I don't think 'Pagan Poetry' is a very good song title (it sounds like crusties with bagpipes and bongos)>>>>dooyoo?

'Vespertine' isn't an album that should really be broken down into different songs, instead it works as a whole statement>>>>>>quietly working its magic and enticing you back for more. It isn't quite as ground shatteringly awesome as 'Homogenic', brazenly commercial as 'Debut', or defiantly bold as 'Post', but it kind of a move leftfield to a more specialist audience, signified by collaborators Matmos who sampled plastic surgery on their latest album and too cool for school director Harmony Korine who contributed some lyrics (maybe that 'coded key card' lyric). Also Canadian-Pole electronica nutbar Bogdan Racynsky helped out but didn't make onto the album. So there you go>>>>>>>some interesting facts about 'Vespertine'. I've run out of them now, so I think I should stop.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>now.

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