# The recording of Bjork's Homogenic



## Pier (May 19, 2022)




----------



## KEM (May 19, 2022)

Incredible album, so far ahead of it’s time and still sound modern even to this day


----------



## mscp (May 19, 2022)

She's, to me, one of the best envelope pushers of all time. She's so far ahead, I cannot understand and enjoy her current music...only things prior to 2009. Time will tell. I hope it's not a "it's not you, it's me" kind of thing.


----------



## timprebble (May 19, 2022)

I remember buying Vespertine when it was released, in Barcelona while on holiday in 2001...
Took a few attempts pronouncing Bjork in my 'kiwi manglish' before they got what I was asking for 

She is a genius, both in her own work & the people she chooses to collaborate with - musically & visually (all the music videos from that era are simply brilliant, thanks to Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham etc)


----------



## KEM (May 19, 2022)

I’m a huge Arca fan so I have a soft spot for Vulnicura and the production on that is my favorite of her whole discography, but I think it’s safe to say Homogenic is her magnum opus


----------



## Pier (May 19, 2022)

mscp said:


> She's, to me, one of the best envelope pushers of all time. She's so far ahead, I cannot understand and enjoy her current music...only things prior to 2009. Time will tell. I hope it's not a "it's not you, it's me" kind of thing.


I'm a huge Bjork fan but I really don't get her last two albums (Utopia and Vulnicura).

I think Mark Bell from LFO might have had a bigger influence in the production and the final result than I had previously realized. He died in 2014 and the last collab with Bjork was Biophilia, which is the last record of her that I like.

Homogenic to me is still her best work.


----------



## mscp (May 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> I'm a huge Bjork fan but I really don't get her last two albums (Utopia and Vulnicura).
> 
> I think Mark Bell from LFO might have had a bigger influence in the production and the final result than I had previously realized. He died in 2014 and the last collab with Bjork was Biophilia, which is the last record of her that I like.
> 
> Homogenic to me is still her best work.


Because she's exponentially ahead of her time. Revisit her latest work in 5 years. See if it helps. 
If I could only bring one Bjork album to a desert island, I'd say Selma Songs. I can feel the pain of the character (Selma) through her music to the point I'd cry. And that percussion!! Masterpiece.

I do love all her discography until Volta. I haven't had the time to sit down and listen to her latest albums properly, but I will someday.


----------



## Pier (May 19, 2022)

mscp said:


> Because she's exponentially ahead of her time. Revisit her latest work in 5 years. See if it helps.


I've been listening to her stuff on release day since Vespertine and that has never happened to me 

Except with Utopia and Vulnicura... I think it's probably the influence of Arca. Unlike KEM here I don't like his (her?) stuff, at all.


----------



## KEM (May 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> I've been listening to her stuff on release day since Vespertine and that has never happened to me
> 
> Except with Utopia and Vulnicura... I think it's probably the influence of Arca. Unlike KEM here I don't like his (her?) stuff, at all.



The production on this track is insane:


----------



## Pier (May 19, 2022)

KEM said:


> The production on this track is insane:



It's very sophisticated but it just doesn't make me feel anything. I'm not saying it's bad or anything. It's just not for me.


----------



## KEM (May 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> It's very sophisticated but it just doesn't make me feel anything. I'm not saying it's bad or anything. It's just not for me.



I suppose it’s fair to say her older material is more emotion driven whereas her new stuff is more production focused, so yeah it just depends on what you’re into. I love both equally but Arca production definitely gives the new material an edge for me


----------



## mscp (May 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> I've been listening to her stuff on release day since Vespertine and that has never happened to me
> 
> Except with Utopia and Vulnicura... I think it's probably the influence of Arca. Unlike KEM here I don't like his (her?) stuff, at all.


Because you were younger and down with the OPP. haha. I was just joking before. And now too.

But yeah, I used to liked her stuff upon release day until Volta. I queued in front of Virgin Megastore for Vespertine's CD because I was the "I need it now" type of young adult.


----------



## oboemaroni (May 19, 2022)

I'm also in the pre-volta-is-best camp but still enjoy some of her later stuff. To me it felt like from 2010ish onwards the underlying songwriting became more meandering with less purpose and momentum to the melodies, and the result was less emotionally satisfying. I feel that happens with a lot of songwriters in middle age though (trying to avoid it myself lol).


----------



## KEM (May 19, 2022)

I can’t believe @Pier doesn’t like Arca though


----------



## AudioLoco (May 20, 2022)

What a fucking amazing album... Genius!
Great to see this video. Thanks for posting it.
I'm in a similar camp to others as I'm a super fan of the first 3 albums and then I kind of lost the connection with her music, it felt like she has been repeating herself a bit, especially in the vocal top line department.
I'm also not a fan of all the fancy dressing up and the "show-y" stuff, but that's my problem.

Now to the "I'm old, the world was better when I was young" part:
Kind of sad to see the old school record making record industry and realize how her super young face symbolizes this distant world. I guess the 90s were the last of that era.
After only one record, albeit very successful, the record company gave a nice budget, she could work in an inspiring place with a team of inspiring and talented musicians. "We will listen to it tomorrow" she says at one point. I can't imagine many "alternative" projects these days given so many resources and time.
In most case, you might get a few hours with strings players, get it on "tape" and feel lucky - maybe Melodyne a couple of things later on, or just be done with samples.
To be able to work with these guys, an engineer, producer, arranger for a long time is a thing of the past in 99% of the cases - especially for "weird" and not exactly mainstream music.
Modern mainstream music sometimes may have the budget, but who wants to (or knows how to) do all this when you can sample other records, sit in a studio with a couple of people and a computer, or mostly collaborate remotely, get it done, and everybody is happy.
Our music making world has become a more lonely affair with usually a one band person doing most of the heavy lifting.
I was lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to be a teaboy and an assistant engineer in those fading times and everyone involved was always on their tows and the excitement was infectious.

Without just being a sad old man we obviously have so much going on for us now, the tech is incredible and opens so many worlds. (I am surely excited about it, otherwise why would I even be ranting on these page?)
Still, are the results even half as emotional and gripping and timeless as in those days?
Is there a lot of music that will stand the test of time and will feel so incredible in 25 years time?
It's surely also a *taste thing* and others might feel the opposite, and there might be some amazing music being recorded and performed right now - I get that. (Although honestly IMHO away from the mainstream mostly, and rather in film music, where the envelope is more allowed and expected to be pushed then in mainstream "albums")
Opinions about the actual results are relative surely, and I respect that, as music is such a subjective thing.

What I'm surely missing, and what is the focus of my post, is the human interaction of a whole team, the *actual process*.



BTW, damn, those slurred legatos!


----------



## telecode101 (May 20, 2022)

I like the new Bjork releases a lot too. Arca is great. Very innovative electronic artist producer. His solo records are great as well.


----------



## creativeforge (May 20, 2022)

OT, I'm aware, but then there is Bjork in conversation over sound and minimalism... 
and meeting Avro Part...
▼


----------



## el-bo (May 20, 2022)

My love affair with Björk started back in the 80's with 'Birthday'. A friend had it 'on heavy rotation', and it was like nothing else I'd ever heard. Even now, after having been familiar with her for so long, this track is still so unique...and timeless.

She's a fantastic artist. But I lost touch with everything after Vespertine and Selma Songs. Tried to listen at some point, but felt no connection. Will probably try again


----------



## Pier (May 20, 2022)

KEM said:


> I can’t believe @Pier doesn’t like Arca though


I do like Arca's Mutant album, but not her more modern stuff or what she did with Bjork. Reminds me more of Alva Noto, Kangding Ray, and the rest of the Raster Noton gang.


----------



## Quantum Leap (May 21, 2022)

I was a massive Sugarcubes fan. Bjork is an incredible singer and one of the most original artists ever. Amazing!! I want to love her stuff, but I just can’t listen to her music. It feels like torture. I wish she would resolve from the dissonance to some hint of melody, but it doesn’t happen. It’s almost like she’s from a different planet and I am incapable of understanding.


----------



## SergeD (May 21, 2022)

A great artist, an explorer constantly looking beyond borders, totally devoted to her art.


----------

