VULNICURA

Musically Vulnicura sounds like a sort of missing link between Homogenic and Vespertine. Instrumentally it links closer to the former, featuring mainly orchestral stings arranged by Bjork as well as electronics, with certain sections boasting abrasive and almost industrial sounding percussion. Composition-wise though, these songs tend to veer towards Vespertine with its intimate approach and deeply personal atmosphere.

What sets this album in its own league is its theme, which plays out somewhat like the foreshadowing of a relationship break-up, the fruition of this fear and its aftermath. I wouldn't say that Vulnicura is a complete drear- fest, but when certain songs hit, they hit hard on an emotional level, particularly in regards to the 10 minute "Black Lake", powerful number that pulls no punches in describing heartache and anguish both musically and lyrically.

The first half of this release contains many of the best tunes I've heard from her in over a decade. Despite the trauma and uncertainty in the storyline she conveys, these songs are quite memorable with lush instrumentation and magical vocal melodies. "Lionsong", in particular contains infectious melodies while retaining an unusual aura that is far removed from anything resembling typical pop music. It's really not a pop album at all, with numerous extended song lengths and strong digressions from 'safe' musical formats. Yet despite the experimental approach, it's still as enjoyable as it is adventurous. The latter half is where things get even more interesting musically, with forays into avant-garde territory and more bizarre electronic percussion melding into the overall sound. "Mouth Mantra" is one such number that offers some real surprises such as that vicious booming low bass that kicks in for a spell during its latter half that's practically 'metallic' in nature.

The first time I heard this album it was practically a heart-wrenching experience in a way, as Bjork carries her well written lyrics with an emotional punch I haven't heard from her in quite some time. So well does she convey the theme, that I only started noticing certain music tracks on subsequent listens, so involved in this work as a whole as I was initially. While it doesn't reach the stratospheric booming heights of Homogenic or the celestial euphoria of Vespertine, it does have its own identity as a strong personal statement and I would rank it pretty close to her best work.

I think in many music discussions, Bjork is brought up quite a lot, and for a lot of great reasons. Her unique sound that fuses pop with chamber music, IDM, ambient, and many more atmospheric genres give her a unique avant- garde twist. At first I never really got her, but now I am a very big fan of her work. I do not think she has released any bad albums. My only issue with them is that they kinda take a while to set in, but after you sit down in Bjork's wild train of mysteries then any of her releases can become a very fun adventure through music that is very cutely Icelandic. I think, though, she reached her highest peak after releasing her 8th (12th if you count her child album, Gling-glo, and the OSTs) studio release, Vulnicura.

A little background for Vulnicura, this album was recorded after Bjork broke up with Matthew Barney, a contemporary artist from the USA. This album is the result of such a break up, and is meant to be an album that is to heal the wounds that the break up left Bjork. The outcome of it all: an incredible and personal album that is filled with heartache and misery.

Vulnicura is an album that isn't just personal, but one that can perfectly encapsulate the listener in the feeling of longing, and heartbreak. No longer do we have those wintery hills of Homogenic, or the warm breezes of Volta, but rather a more deep and meditative Bjork, that knows how to contort her songs in a way that she is no longer giving you grilled meat, but rather the raw elements off the bone. Front to back, the album has instrumentation that fits the moods Bjork feels. Sadness, bitter defeat, anger, loneliness, and emptiness to name a few. She creates these wonderful soundscapes that break down the listener bit by bit; taking them apart and putting them back together. These sounds skewer and mauls your heartstrings, much like what that breakup did to Bjork, and thus creating this amazingly well put together experience that always beats me up inside.

Not only is the instrumentation amazing, but Bjork's voice never sounded any better. I think her voice always sounded heavenly, but man, here she just sounds flat out angelic. I just love how she amplifies the already moody atmosphere into stuff that can rival even the best vocalists like Peter Gabriel and Devin Townsend. She puts a misty mystique on everything, from the profoundly beautiful Lionsong, to the electronically inclined Quicksand, and that mystique ALWAYS makes these songs so memorable to me, more than any other song off any other Bjork album. If I had one critique on her vocals, it's that I miss her occasional voice cracks during her younger days. I think they added a very big level of charm in her music, but I can see that as she got older she lost the ability to crack her voice, so I do not harp on Bjork for it. Either way, her voice is still so wonderful.

The vocals and instrumentation combined creates what I think is Bjork's best album. Yes, even better than Homogenic or Vespertine, I think it is just that good.

This very open and raw album is an essential listen for anyone who likes pretty much any genre, namely pop and electronic music fans. It is on par with some of the best pop records in the 21st century, hell, even the 20th century. This is one of the most beautifully crafted albums from 2015, and one that I think can open up anyone's eyes to how truly grand Bjork's works can be, even at her most miserable of moments. This isn't just a breakup album, it is a breakdown album, and one that I cannot help but fall in.