Customer Reviews

Homogenic (Digipak+Poster)

5 star:		(260)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Bjork was angry, that was for sure. After a dismal break-up with Tricky and other unpleasant occurances in her life, Bjork's follow-up of the eclectic, trip-hop-like, post-techno "Post" was to be a minimal, dark album that few were perpared to drink down with a single listening. It's an album that's hard on the ears, on the soul, and will probably collect dust in your closet for about a year or so before you begin to realize its majesty in modern music.

For starters, "Homogenic" is the complete opposite of the Euro-friendly, house-filled "Debut," which found Bjork bringing fire on the dancefloor at four in the morning. Instead, we find her as the hunter, looking for the next kill, or as the screaming numbed soul excusing herself for being about to explode. Complete with wavy beats and minimalist industrial crunch fading in and out throughout the whole album, this is a difficult heart-renching listen that's filled with everything that is Bjork: beauty, love, despair, loneliness, and finally defeat with hope.

The minimalist beginning of "Hunter" sets the mode to the album, which is a stark, echoing jurney through emotion and time, while "Joga," being one of the album's stand-outs, is as vivid as the cold Icelandic landscape where she comes from.

Despite the hopeful yet ultimately longing "Bachelorette," the mood the album still doesn't change, with the tempo of the electronics and Bjork's singing still in sour modes. It changes briefly in the awakening "Alarm Call," which shows the mood change briefly into a barrage of Zen ("I'm no fucking Buddhist, but this is enlightenment").

It doesn't last for long, on the other hand, with the full frontal assault of "Pluto," a numbing song where Bjork finally releases every bit of anger she's been holding onto throughout the album and releases it onto the listener. Yet the album ends peacefully on "All is Full of Love," where still, despite all that's happened, there is still hope for love somewhere out there, even if it's not in her heart for the moment.

By all means, "Homogenic" is a difficult album to get into. It's assured that the first few listenings to it will leave you saying to yourself, "Why did I even get this?" But with time, let it grow on you. Bjork's like a tasty French wine: She gets better with age.

The first time I listened to Homogenic, I was a little disappointed. I missed the eclectic sounds of Bjork's previous album, Post. To me Homogenic 'all sounded the same'. Then I listened a few more times, and it was only then that I really heard and appreciated the music. Now I consider it to be Bjork's best yet.

A strange but effective mixture of hard techno beats and string octet performances is the 10 song backdrop for Bjork's unique voice. The album starts with 'Hunter', a searching, determined track. It moves through songs of loneliness, desire, and passion. Track 9, Pluto, is the album's intense climax. The sheer energy in this track is astonishing (and you simply cannot turn the volume up enough, in my opinion). Homogenic closes with the soft, peaceful 'All Is Full Of Love', a song so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.

You don't have this album? What are you still reading this for? Go out and experience it for yourself - I promise you won't be disappointed.

Take a close look at the cover of Bjork's "Homogenic." Go on, do it. What you'll notice are outrageous alien-like hair buns, long silver finger nails, an elongated neck, slit-like eyes, tight skin, microscopic lips and an oversized kimono wrapped around the genius. It's almost scary in a wonderful way, representing a cold and distant Bjork at the time of the album's release. Bjork has created totally new genres of music that were unheard of until she hit the block big time back in 1993 with her debut album "Debut." This concept was taken further with 1995's "Post" as the acclaim and praise continued to overwhelm her. However, Bjork's shining creativity and musical genius cannot be seen better in any of her records more so than in Homogenic.

Released in 1997, Homogenic was Bjork's third studio album and saw the artist in a tumultuous state of mind. She was angry at certain people in her life, and this is reflected in the harsh and primal nature of this album. Homogenic is the kind of album that you will not like straight away, but need to give a few listens before you can truly appreciate it. The same can be said for probably most of Bjork's music, but you don't get as much satisfaction after persisting with them than you do in Homogenic.

"Hunter" opens the album in magnificent style. With supersonic beats sliding all over the arrangement and gentle sighing, it's clear from the first few seconds that this is a manic and eccentric song. The paranoid drums and aching violins work in excellent contrast with Bjork's soft vocals. She begins by singing, "If travel is searching, and home what's been found. I'm not stopping, I'm going hunting. I'm the hunter. I'll bring back the goods, but I don't know when." She sounds here like a wild animal, searching for food in the middle of the night. The lyrics here are so primal and out of control it's unreal. "Joga" manages to succeed in being one of Bjork's greatest ever songs. An old Russian violin opens the song in a depressing tone, before Bjork starts singing. The verses and choruses rise and fall to the actual sounds of Iceland's volcanoes, which Bjork recorded especially for this album. It's amazing - you get all this fresh and natural music on one song, instead of manufactured garbage. As the fourth minute approaches, Bjork starts wailing as her voice echoes before singing, "Emergency...Is where I want to be." Then she starts giggling, as if in awe of the masterpiece she's just created. Genius.

"Unravel" is one of the most heartbreaking songs of Bjork's career and a definite album highlight here. She sings a song of lost love, "While you are away my heart comes undone. Slowly unravels in a ball of yarn. The Devil collects it with a grin. Our love in a ball of yarn. He'll never return it. So when you come back we will have to make new love." Bjork's voice is so packed with emotion and this leads perfectly into the album's true masterpiece, "Bachelorette." This is easily the finest song that Bjork has ever had the pleasure to record. Beginning off with a simple violin, it spirals down and the song begins with a grand piano playing in the song. The majestic beats work so well with Bjork's euphoric voice and the strings that come in after two minutes are just complete genius overload. "All Neon Like" has a strong thumping beat like a heartbeat all the way through. The lyrics are amazing, and the way Bjork totally evolves human art into music can be seen here.

"5 Years" has an interesting beginning with a synthesizer, before beats that sound like stomping feet gradually come to the forefront. Bjork's voice is brilliantly careless and she seems a little angry and vengeful. "Immature" seems to be a little bit of relief from the last two tracks which are completely alien and strange. The song starts off with Bjork humming to her own tune, before she scolds herself for being so immature. She questions her actions and offers her most simplistic answer, "How extremely lazy of me!" "Alarm Call" is one of the more mainstream tracks on the album. It works well with the rest of the songs, however. The beat on this song is just pure joy as Bjork sings about how she wants to go on a mountain-top with a radio and good batteries and play a joyous tune. Then there's the harsh realism when she sings, "I'm no f**king Buddhist, but this is enlightenment!"

"Pluto" is the song that follows and is definitely the most challenging song Bjork has ever recorded. This song has so much energy that it could finish you off for good - the racing beat and grating rhythm is forced into Bjork's angry vocals as she sings, "Excuse me but I just have to explode. Explode this body off me." She then starts screaming at the top of her voice around the second minute, grunting, groaning, wailing, shrieking and crying her way through her torture and pain. It's unlike anything I've ever heard, and you know what? I like it. This works as a complete juxtaposition with the album's final track, "All Is Full Of Love." It finally starts after 30 seconds with some swirling strings. Bjork's voice goes from left to right on this song, and her lyrics are so emotional it will bring a tear to anyone's eyes.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

Homogenic is my favourite Bjork album because of the way she presents herself on this album. She just opens herself up and isn't afraid to experiment. There are only 10 songs on this album, but Bjork likes to keep things short and sweet and in this case it most definitely works. If you own Bjork's first two albums but not this one and are planning on buying it, be prepared for a shock! This is Bjork's most inaccessible album of her career. It's hard, frigid and primal on the outside, but if you can break the shell, on the inside you'll find your place at home with the warmth and emotion that Bjork conveys in every single song here.

After two very eclectic albums filled with experiments in sound and vocals, Bjork bounced back with this perfect gem, `Homogenic'. The saying `third times the charm' is entirely true; this is the first Bjork album with a definitive musical style, which carries throughout. Gone are the upbeat techno beats of `Debut' and the flair of `Post'. `Homogenic' is very dark, raw, powerful and completely timeless. Touching on universal issues of life, love, revelations and hurt, Bjork delves deeper than ever before. Again, Bjork is experimenting, but it's obvious she feels at home here. The music is very creative; it's like she took her native hymns and songs and added techno beats. It's very modern, and lovely.

This is probably my favorite Bjork album as a whole. All of them are wonderful, but `Homogenic' seems to flow the best. There are light moments, but they are few and far between. Get ready for a whole lot of pain and power to get thrown at you; Bjork's voice is gorgeous as she sings, growls and teases with enthusiasm.

Hunter: At first, I wasn't excited about this. But after a while, this track seems to grow on you. Subtly aggressive, Bjork sings as if she's searching for answers, and she won't give up until she finds them. I'm always inspired to push myself more after hearing this. The drum rolls give the song a marching feel filled with persistence, and the constant `ooohs' and `ahhhs' are enchanting. One of Bjork's best lyrics is in this song: `I thought I could organize freedom, how Scandinavian of me'. I admire Bjork's courage to throw an accordion in, and the organization of this song is fantastic! (5/5)

Joga: The first time I heard this song, I was completely blown away. It opens with a gorgeous string arrangement, joined by Bjork's tender vocals (yes, she actually sings sweeter here). Later, warped drumbeats join the warm strings. The lyrical arrangement here is spectacular; it's wonderful to sing! I'm not entirely sure what this song is about. Regardless, it subtly rips your heart out hearing it (which is, as all true Bjork fans know, an awesome feeling with her music). The end is one of her most beautiful moments; her vocals fade out into what seems like another dimension of floating music. The strings begin to echo beyond all boundaries of time and space and her Icelandic vocals soar. The time signature changes in the chorus are innovative and impressive. (6/5) <- this is valid for Bjork songs :)

Unravel: I was captivated while listening to this. Bjork is waiting for her lover to return, and while she's waiting, she's going through a whole range of emotions, perfectly portrayed here. The soft saxophones and gentle drumbeats are spellbinding, and the playful electronic piano slides add a hint of optimism. Toward the end, a church organ takes over the chord progressions. This song almost brings me to tears: it's like Bjork is reaching out with all the strength she has left to get her love back. This is simply fantastic! (6/5)

Bachelorette: The power here is breathtaking! Right off the bat, the song opens with soaring strings (clearly her main instrument of choice on this album) and a demanding drumbeat. I absolutely love the piano; it's not often she uses it in any of her work, and it's a nice arrangement here. The lyrics are phenomenal and thought provoking. Amazingly, it took me a few listens to really enjoy this song, but I have grown to adore it. It's almost joyfully depressing, which of course doesn't make sense, but this is Bjork, so it works (and Bjork fans know what exactly what I mean). (6/5)

All Neon Like: I've been trying to decipher this song for weeks now. My thought is that it's about being born. It's very odd, very drawn out and altogether gorgeous. The glossy chords make me think of a room full of glass. It's very melodic and dreamlike. There isn't much to this song musically; the glass-like echoes, a simple beat and several electronic blips. Bjork creates the effect of random explosions well here (which she strives to do for the whole album). (5/5)

5 Years: Okay, several other listeners haven't been too impressed with this. I can't seem to get enough of it! It's completely catchy, and it just hooks you. The playful chords, the syncopated beats (just awesome here!) and the heavenly strings which come in later; it's divine! Bjork's vocals are filled with so much aggression and power. Every time she sings the refrain, she pours out more emotion and drama. Whether or not she overdid it here doesn't matter; this is a fantastic song! It's a real stress reducer in a way, and makes you feel like you've got the power in a relationship. The strings build higher and higher until the end, and it's just breathtaking. (6/5)

Immature: `5 Years' ends abruptly, and right away this takes over. It's very seductive in a way, warm and quiet. Once in a while, Bjork belts out some very clear notes, adding emotional flavor. Similar to `Unravel', there's an echoing chord sound that glides through the whole song, which I just can't describe. It's very captivating! This is a revelation for Bjork; she's realized how silly she was to think a guy could change her world. It's so typical of most of us, and I think she portrays it beautifully here. (5/5)

Alarm Call: I love it, I love it! This reminds me of some of Bjork's older tunes; it's very danceable, it has an infectious beat, and it's definitely the most upbeat and positive song on the album. There's almost a jazzy feel here, and it's very enjoyable. The baseline in particular is real fun! Throughout the song, you hear the recording of Bjork singing `it doesn't scare me at all'. She's trying to save the world with music, and I love that idea. This is a very likable song, and probably the most accessible on `Homogenic': it would appeal to a wide range of listeners. The `beep, beeps' toward the end are so awesome! I just love the catchiness here! (6/5)

Pluto: I won't lie; you have to be in a particular mood to like this song. I love it sometimes, and can't stand it other times. It's very much an electronic tune; it doesn't have any melodies in it to speak of, and it's a whole lot of noise. Regardless, it's the climax of the album. It's like all of Bjork's emotions have been amplified ten times and played back with a ton of distortion. Her lyrics `I just have to explode now' fit perfectly. She does a lot of screaming here, so if you can't stand loud yelling, you might want to skip this. I get a spooky feeling listening to this; it's like I'm being watched or something. It's a neat sensation, as all emotions are when listening to Bjork. (4/5)

All Is Full Of Love: This is one of Bjork's best songs ever! I can't stress that enough. Though the video version is much better than this, there's a charm and a lightheartedness here that is profound and absolutely stunning. What makes this song so fantastic is it's like the sun after a rainstorm: after `Pluto' it's nice to have such a beautiful tune playing. With no percussion, amplified gentle sweep effects, a gorgeous sitar and a playful clarinet, this song puts you in a trance. This is one of the most sensual songs I've ever heard by any artist (although the video version is much more sensual than this). It just makes you feel affectionate, warm, fuzzy and lovable! (6/5)

This is the most complete collection of songs Bjork ever put together. What's disappointing is that there are only 10 tracks on the album. That's my one complaint. I would have loved to hear more of Bjork's rendition of Icelandic-techno-pop. She outdid herself in every possible way as an artist here. Though the songs are more often than not heartbreaking and pessimistic, there's an incredible amount of hope. I adore this album! Bjork's emotional conviction is best displayed here. If you have any of her other albums and you find them enjoyable, I highly recommend this! However, beware: this album is very unique, and if you haven't heard any Bjork before, this probably isn't the best choice to ease into her style (`Post' is the perfect Bjork beginner's album). But, if you're adventurous and just waiting for something awesome and powerful to enter your ears, you might as well get `Homogenic'.

If someone put a gun to my head and said, "You can only keep one Icelander in a cage to sing songs for you on command - who do you pick?" Well, duh, I mean c'mon! Homogenic lands in my top fifty Bjork albums of all time, and she looks creepy on the cover, like that chick with all the detachable heads in "Return to Oz", or (if you squint your eyes) that rat in "Sorceror's Apprentice". 43:35.

Bjork belongs to people like Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Happy Rhodes, Radiohead and David Byrne. Why?, because she mixes honest, dramatic lyrics with sonic experimentation that works.

With Homogenic, her most recent and original album, Bjork not only goes in experimentation where few people have gone but also she creates a sibling for such different-in-their- respective-concepts albums as Peter Gabriel's Us, Happy Rhodes' Many Worlds Are Born Tonight, Radiohead's OK Computer and P.J. Harvey's Is This Desire?, just mentioning a few of them.

Most of these songs are about love, loss and paranoia, though hope is noticeable in themes such as Alarm Call and All Neon Like. The combination of twisted beats and the soft sound of strings make this album interesting. In my opinion, this is her most daring project. It's much better than Debut, and is the record that the "alternative press" really should put among the greatest albums of the 90's.

Homogenic is certainly a dark album, but not to the point of being unlisteanable, if you have "educated ears". This is a really worthy record that shows how far Bjork's talent can go.

The first word that comes to mind when I think of "Homogenic" is WOW. Bjork has never been exactly mainstream, but on this album she delves into experimental sounds like never before - and succeeds. The second word that comes to mind is weird, but it's a very good weird.

First of all, look at the cover. Look at it carefully. On "Debut" and "Post", Bjork appeared as her normal, quirky self. But on the cover of "Homogenic", she adopts a cold alien-geisha identity. The result - with the enormous, space-age hair buns, the strange nails and dress, and the inhuman eyes - creates a profoundly disturbing image. But it reflects the album, for this was a turning point in her career. It showed her maturity as an artist, gave insight into her personal feelings, and definitely revealed her true weirdness.

Hunter - The album opens with the eerie drumming of "Hunter", as well as the haunting strings and simplistic vocals by Bjork. It's a very stark, very cold opening, but it is beautiful, like being stranded in the middle of the Arctic tundra.

Joga - Easily the best song on the album, Bjork's masterpiece. The lush strings and the rhythms of the drum machine make this a song full of emotion. The complex rhythms are accented with Bjork's vocals, which have never sounded so good.

Unravel - Beautiful. This is a slower song that, after "Joga", is nice. The synthesizers are beautiful, the lyrics simplistic, and the melody is gorgeous. It conveys a feeling of both sadness and love.

Bachelorette - Another excellent song. Many people say it sounds like a movie soundtrack, which (if you mean by its epic scale and fantastic vocals) it does. The lyrics here start to get a little strange ("I'm a fountain of blood in the shape of a girl"), but nevertheless are wonderful.

All Neon Like - I cannot for the life of me understand the lyrics of this song, but its strangeness makes it clearly not mainstream. It's probably one of the strangest on the album, Bjork's voice accompanied by wine glasses and a pumping, hypnotic drum machine.

5 Years - The beginning is very interesting, with a synthesizer playing a very simplistic rhythm, but then static crunches are added to give a distinctive, almost danceable beat.

Immature - Immature is a more mainstream song than the two that come before it; in it she scolds herself for being so "immature to think he could replace the missing elements in me." It's a good song, but not the best.

Alarm Call - The most mainstream song of the album, with a danceable beat, likeable lyrics ("I want to be on a mountaintop with a radio and good batteries), and wonderful beats.

Pluto - Without a doubt the most cathartic, intense, and weirdest song on the album. A little intense to listen to if you're in a good mood, but when you're sad or angry, there's no better song to scream - literally - to. It gives the feeling of being trapped in a chaotic tunnel with no way out; All the anger, pain, and frustration Bjork has been alluding to in the previous songs comes out full-force.

All Is Full Of Love - "Pluto" stops abruptly, leaving the listener still ready to scream, and then the faint synthesizers of "All of Is Full of Love" come in. Whereas "Pluto" tore open your inner wounds, this song heals them. One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, Bjork's melodious lyrics are accompanied by a Japanese string instrument and a synthesizer.

It seems that the album "Homogenic" is characterized by two aspects of music: simplicity and intense beats. The stark simplicity of "Hunter", "All Neon Like", "5 Years", "All Is Full of Love", and even "Pluto" give the album a cold feeling - which actually works. This is the most personal and least accessible of Bjork's albums to date, so I suggest if you're new to her music you start with "Debut" and then work your way chronologically...you'll see why when you listen.

This is the album that shattered her quirky Icelandic pixie image and signaled her maturity as an artist. Though it is truly great, it is not for everyone. Listen to the samples (you'll need to a couple of times...these songs take time getting used to) and see for yourself. Undoubtedly "Homogenic" is - and will always be - Bjork's greatest album.

--- There is no other album like Homogenic. Its certainly a product of the late 1990's. All the typical elements of that time's avant-pop are there: jungle and trip hop influenced beats, esoteric instrumentation, a consciously post-modern splicing of musical genres, diva vocals, etc. Yet even as this type of music has reached the point of tiresome cliche', Homogenic remains a fully rewarding listen half a decade after its release.
--- The synergy between Mark Bell's (of LFO) production, and Bjork's singing is nothing less than perfect. Imagine having an out of body experience in a mythical city of ice ,the eerie glow of the Northern Lights above, and you may have an idea of Homogenic's atmosphere. Unlike Bjork's most recent album 'Vespertine,' the instrumentation here is never too precious or maudlin. Icy string sections create an aura of austerity. The beats are organic rather than clubby, functioning as heartbeats and evidence of life. Yet it is an ethereal form of life that straddles the edge of human familiarity, and the glassy, chrystalline synthesized tones affirm this. Bjork is at her best here. Her songwriting is intimate, but also provacatively open ended. The unifying theme is love in its many manifestations: romantic, possesive, life giving, hypocritical, and the mystical revelatory (or on E) love of the ecstacic 'All is Full of Love.' Its true that if you've been raised on top 40 pop, Bjork's unique singing style may take some getting used to. If you enjoy good music though, her otherworldly, heartfelt, and somewhat quirky delivery will eventually win you over.
--- The word 'dark' seems to be prolific amongst the reviews here. To clarify, Homogenic is not dark in the mopy nihilistic vein of P.J. Harvey and Radiohead, as one reviewer maintained. The darkness here is the kind that shadows someone who recognizes its existence but is seeking something greater. Songs like 'Unravel', and 'All Neon Like', have a rare urgent beauty that is simply overwhelming, almost healing. I can't reccommend this album enough.

On Homogenic, Björk's third offering in her self-defined post-Sugarcubes era, Björk takes a turn into industrial distortion. At first, I found this distortion offputting and wondered what she could have been thinking. The precision and clarity of the beautiful electronica in her previous albums was now awash in overdrive(!) But, I'm finding that with material such as this, which doesn't quite agree with me on the first listen, if I allow it time to grow on me, I develop an intense fondness for it. That's certainly the case with Homogenic. This is my favorite Björk album to date. This is Out There, no doubt. I believe it is this album that has taught us all to expect Björk to be Out There, inhabiting that magical imaginary place she must spend most of her mental time. But she is our narrator, the David Attenborough of the pop avant garde, instilling some order in the midst of that musically chaotic world which she delights in bringing to us. Amid the classical string arrangements bristling with distorted techno and industrial beats, there's that...voice. Shrill, soaring, shrieking, whispering. Björk's voice is pure emotion, and she lays into these songs with all she's got, more than that tiny frame should be able to produce. At the same time, it's her voice that is able to subdue all that incongruity and bring some sense to it all. It's that voice that allowed me to overcome the distortion and the strangeness, and find the emotion of each song, which is really where Björk excels. And she excels on Homogenic. "Hunter" was the big single on this album, showing up on the X-Files movie soundtrack. It's a stong song, but nowhere near as complex and rich as such songs as "Unravel", which deals with the subject of love and separation, and "5 Years", in which she taunts a departing lover. I have a particular fondness for "All is Full of Love", which seems to be a love song to a baby growing into a child -- the song begins with a heart monitor, and degenerates into the echoes of bugs on a child's summer day free of responsibilities. In fact, that is a great note on which to end the album -- freedom. If anything, Björk seems free on Homogenic, from the first song (in "Hunter", she sings about organizing freedom) to the last (the freedom of a child). She has certainly remained free to experiment musically. Your enjoyment of Homogenic is going to be up to you. If you're looking for more of what you've already got too much of on the radio, you're going to hate this album. But if you're open-minded, and looking for something a bit deeper, you should make yourself free to experience this masterpiece. In these days of overhyped empty pop, it's nice to hear an artist being completely free and creative. For all of us, I hope Homogenic marks the beginnings of a new creative musical era. I look forward to it.

Please don't compare Bjork to Tori Amos. In all seriousness, Bjork is one of the most underrated musicians of our time. Yes, her music is an acquired taste, as most quality artists' work is. She truly pushes the bounds of what a pop song is meant to be. But, why compare her to Tori Amos? Because they're both women? I wouldn't compare Iggy Pop to Michael Bolton - they exemplify two completely different genres.However, it may be true that Homogenic is not the place to start your Bjork collection. If you don't like abrasive background noise or possibly disorienting vocals you may have to work up to this one. Debut is probably still the safest bet then. But, Homogenic is the real deal: Bjork has said that the first 2 albums were an act of clearing her mind of her own musical backlog. Well, her clean slate approach worked: Homogenic is amazing experiental music.If you already have a taste for the adventurous, then definately start here. Some artists have one definative piece that forms a sort of looking glass by which to judge all their works. Homogenic is really that for Bjork, at present at least, it is by far her most focused and intense work. If you don't like it its probably outside of your range of appreciation, but please don't give it a mediocre review because of that. This is not easy listening, it's a groundbreaking work of art.