Bjork

Volta - 2007

‘Volta’ is Bjork's sixth official studio album, if one doesn’t include her recent soundtrack album ‘Drawing Restraint 9’, and her real debut solo album which was released when she was 11 back in 1977. It is very much Bjork at her best.

She has been away for a few years giving birth and making a film where she plays a dolphin, which is very Bjork indeed. I personally feel the world would be a much worse place to live in without talents such as hers.

‘Volta’ kicks off with the recent single ‘Earth Intruders’. The single was an album edit, so here it is a lot longer, with boats hooting into the outro, which flow into the second track, ‘Wanderlust’. This has a narrative feel to it, and, backed by lots of brass and electronica which make it very cinematic in tone, has an earth searching vocal.

‘Dull Flame of Desire’ again features brass and is very heartwarming. It is a true love song sung by Bjork as a duet with Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons fame, whom has come along way since touring as Lou Reed's backing vocalist on his 2003 ‘The Raven’ tour. Both Bjork and Antony's voices just marry into each other. This is a song that would have sat nicely on her ‘Selmasongs’, the album which accompanied her film ‘Dancer in the Dark’.

‘Innocence’ is faster in pace and more erratic with big break beats, and broken electro patterns. “I See Who You Are’ is Chinese in feel and, slow in motion, uses soft flowing water as a musical instrument. It is another piece made for cinema with Bjork speaking directly to your heart.

‘Vertebrae by Vertebrae’ sounds like the soundtrack to a black and white 1950's thriller, with jazzy drum beats and brass filling in its landscape.

‘Pneumonia’, is another brass number. A track full of sorrow, it is sung in a lovable and heartwarming way. ‘Hope’once more sounds Chinese, and has an odd drum pattern.

‘Declare Independence’ again has hooting boats. It is very electronica-based, and has massive beats. It is an acquired taste, not really pop, more like something off her 1997 ‘Homogenic’ album,.

‘My Juvenile’ is slowcore Bjork, and again sung as a duet with Antony. The last track here is a Mark Bell mix and a UK bonus track, ‘I See You Are’ which is slow and elegant and sung very softly.

This is another fine album from Bjork in which as always she pushes against convention. Even the packaging is different,. It is a pity though that you destroy the cover just by opening it to play the CD.

Bjork - Volta track list

Earth Intruders

Wanderlust

Dull Flame Of Desire

Innocence

I See Who You Are

Vertebrae By Vertebrae

Pneumonia

Hope

Declare Independence

My Juvenile

I See Who You Are [Mark Bell Mix]