Intuitive Music

“Med�lla” is a dark and deep album, full of textures where Bjork, like a witch from the Icelandic legends, has grounded in a ancient mortar, a mix of mud, hair, saliva, teeth, sage, feathers, volcanic stones, menstrual blood, lava, sweat, roots, fingernails, ashes, fish bones, tears, and sea salt.

The album opens with “Pleasure is all mine“, a little ode to maternity and the feeling of independence of the mother when she gets apart from her baby for the very first time, announcing the feminity and sensuality that characterizes the whole album. The track has the presence of singer Mike Patton (Faith No More) who also appears in “Where Is the Line“, a song with the collaboration from baritone Gregory Purnhagen -who has worked with Phillip Glass and Kronos Quartet- characterised by a meticulous vocal work, not just from the interpretative point of view, but because of the complex arrangements and harmonies and delicate combination of timbers of the song has.

“Show Me Forgiveness” is a pagan prayer for the self-compassion where Bjo�rk feels withdrawn in the intimacy of her naked voice, singing a beautiful melody with Irish tones.

“V�kur�“, one of the most beautiful moments of the album, is a version of a song by the Icelandic contemporary composer J�runn Vi�ar with the lyrics from the also Icelandic poet Jakobna Sigurdardottir. A beautiful Icelandic lullaby with a naturalist and “haikuian” lyric that talks about the feeling of being protected by the nature that surrounds one, and where Bjo�rk, in the company of the choir, shares another spiritual and intimate moment.

“Oll Birtan” and “Ancestors” are two tracks that show the most expressionist and experimental faces of the album. The first one was built upon minimalist repetitions in a set of vocal dissonances. The second one was built upon a piano chord sequence invaded by a restless atmosphere of dullness provoked by new vocal dissonances and the strange guttural sounds by Taqag.

With “Who Is It” comes the first pop break of the album in a pure Bjork style brand. It is the kind of song that has made her one of the most representative pop artists in the last decade. This song was written during the recording of the former “Vespertine” album, which is pretty noticeable, and has the collaboration in programming from Matmos, the electronic duo from San Francisco. The other pop highlight is “Triumph of a Heart“, which is supposed to be the only song in the album that some radio stations will dare play. It features a wonderful mix of beatboxing, pop, and hip hop.

“Submarine” is equal to Robert Wyatt. Wyatt , a true pioneer in the use of the voice as a multi-instrument, is one of the most personal and creative artists of our time. To talk about this song being sincere without falling in adulation is a hard task for me, due to the worship that I feel about all the work by this man since his days in Soft Machine. To be able to listen to Robert Wyatt and Bjork together is a heavenly gift to everyone who loves the music of either of the artists. Even more so when it comes in such a delicious way: a peculiar low sub-world weaved by the rich vocal harmonics and timbers from Robert Wyatt.

“Desired Constellation” is the track where Bjo�rk keeps her personal affair alive with the world of digital experimental music, singing a beautiful melody that talks about the feeling of not knowing how to correspond to the ones who did something on our behalf. The melody sails over a background of digital micro-loops in the Glitch aesthetic created by the French artist Olivier Alary, from the Ensemble duo (Rephlex, Sub-Rosa).

“Oceania” is the already celebrated song that Bjork wrote for her performance at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Athens. Another pop, sensual song, with a funny influence from the Jungle Exotica tunes from the 60�s Spaceage Pop era, and vocal arrangements that imitate the sea currents combined with the playing of the so called “Wyattron” (samples of Robert Wyatt’s vocals).

“Med�lla” is the work of an artist who has matured and evolved. An independent, risky, and honest artist, deeply compromised with her personal relationship with music. Compromised with her own spiritual growing, which she expresses with a sincerity and an overwhelming simplicity. This turns her into a modern heroin in a cultural moment where talking about spirituality is pretty much the same as looking like a fanatic or a grandpa.