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Björk - Debut CD (album) cover

DEBUT

Björk

 

Crossover Prog

3.60 | 181 ratings

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Chris S
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars This is not a prog album, maybe one or two hints of eccentricity and the odd curveball song as " The Aeroplane" and " The Anchorman" but essentially this album is all about energy, dance, great vocals and at the time, such a novelty of sounds that it boded very well for the rest of the 90's as far as Bjork was concerned. " Human Behaviour " kicks the album off with a trippy beat and in your face lyrics, self explanatory really, but very engaging and Bjork's voice is solid. Some nice keyboards introduced during an offbeat chorus. " Crying" is an absolute gem, with a quirky out of tune beghinning, interesting base and beats before a brilliant chorus and Bjork gets to grips with testing her vocal upper limits. " Venus As A Boy" is a pleasant laid back song with great strings and some sensitive lyrics. " There's More To Life Than This" has the artist really getting into dance groove mode reminiscent of the 90's band Soul To Soul, as she parades around a harbour at the crack of dawn with her ghettoblaster ( Remember them?)

The second half of the album introduces a cabaret like number, largely throwaway piece called " Like Someone In Love" with some overplayed harp hanging over it. " Big Time Sensuality" brings you down to earth with some more dance orientated beats but the next song is definitely the highlight, " One Day" which encompasses all that is good about Bjork even to this present day. It sits nicely on any prog album, with some great percussion, layered musical builds all beautifully wrapped by Bjork's unique voice. She is really enjoying herself here and her passion shows through the song. The last two songs not mentioned yet are the laid back " Come To Me" and the incredible " Violently Happy". If you have not seen this video on YT, go to it. Bjork's message is clear cut maxmizing the moment with great trippy grooves, a few remixes have been done of this song as it became a famous club number. Anyone heard of New Order:-)? Anyhow contrary as the title suggests this is not her first album released, perhaps her most serious album to date hence a new beginning as a solo artist. This is by far a highly commercial album, with some wonderful pieces of music and just in case your music collection defies true prog territory, this comes highly recommended but more as an album to explore after her more progressive works.

Chris S | 4/5 |

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