Home-body Björk

Björk Homogenic Elektra

It has been a long wait, but Björk has at last come out with her third full-length album. Telegram does not count because it was another "trick" album, i.e., a bunch of existing remixes put together under the guise of a new album. (Notice how one had to purchase it to figure out what was on it.) But all is forgiven, because with the release of Homogenic, Björk has revealed a whole new side of herself that was well worth the wait.

The start of the first track, "Hunter," with its feverishly pulsating bass drum beats, ushers one into the album with a new sense of urgency that is curious and unexpected. It sets the stage for what is clearly going to be a different kind of Björk experience. The song proceeds with a steadfast grip, alternating between heavy G and A flat bass chords for its entirety with only a ten second chord progression at the center of the song for relief. And although she doesn't actually sing them, there are secret, parenthetical lyrics at the end of the song that read, "You just didn't know me!" Apparently not, the listener concludes, interests fully peaked.

If "Hunter" is the opening tease that lures the prey in, "J—ga," is the first track that really catches the listener completely. It opens with the deep, rich tones of string basses and cellos which give it an emotionally intense feel. The song is infused with suggestive strings that swirl around her voice like fireflies and drive the song further into its own, moody abyss. In fact, many of the songs on the album make use of strings, some melancholy and some militant. This is definitely a new trend, perhaps preceded only by her Brodsky Quartet remix of "Hyperballad."

Strings are not the only new thing going on here, though. As a whole, Homogenic has a noticeably different character to it. It feels more stripped down and serious. None of the songs could really be classified as happy except maybe "Alarm Call," which also happens to be the only danceable song on the album. It is as if we are getting a grown up, mature Björk. She has cut down on the extraneous squealing and screaming, and the cutesy playfulness of the past seems almost absent here. However, this does not mean Björk has lost her charm. She's still the same Björk we know and love. She's just evolving into something stronger and more confident.

Homogenic is strong throughout, with "Unravel" and "Immature" being the only mediocre tunes. There is a level of techno and drum 'n' bass influence that is detectable through much of the album. In this sense, the music does not sound as innovative and unique as it did on past albums. Still, the essence of the music is still distinctly Björk, full of life and imagination. Every song is evocative and engaging and a complete experience within itself.

The best song on the album is the one that seems to depart the most from the Björk of the past. "Pluto" begins with with a noisy, hyperactive techno riff that keeps reasserting itself like jolts of electricity. Enter the voice of Björk, distorted and restless, singing, "Excuse me...but I just have to explode." The song builds itself up into an angry, offensive wail that she unleashes repeatedly for a good 45 seconds. Good stuff. Of course, Björk could not stay that gritty and harsh for long. The next and last track is full ethereal keyboards and fluttering harpsicords, title and message of the song being "all is full of love."

And with such an ending, perhaps she is trying to reassure us that she still retains that enchanting sweetness and spontaneous spunk that is so characteristic of her. Remember giggly sugarcube who debuted by singing about giddy thrills of "big time sensuality?" Remember the imaginative sprite who sang about the sky caving in when you fall in love (zing, boom!)?" She is still there, but now she is singing with a new force and sense of presence.

This is what makes Homogenic truly post-Post. Any loyal fan of Björk can appreciate the proud direction she has taken, and people who formerly had a low tolerance for Björk can perhaps take a second listen. All in all, the album is neither a disappointment nor a triumph, but is just good enough to keep her status as one of the most fascinating and dynamic musical artists of this decade.