Voltaic (Limited Edition) (2CD/2DVD) [Box set, Enhanced, Limited Edition, Live]

Björk | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 30, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Enhanced, Limited Edition, Live
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B0028P4WCC
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,152 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Wanderlust

2. Hunter

3. The Pleasure is All Mine

4. Innocence

5. Army of Me

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Earth Intruders (xxxchange remix)

2. Innocence (simian mobile disco remix)

3. Declare Independence (Matthew Herbert remix)

4. Wanderlust (ratatat remix)

5. The Dull Flame of Desire (modeselektor remix for girls)

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Brennid Pid Vitar (DVD)

2. Earth Intruders (DVD)

3. Hunter (DVD)

4. Immature (DVD)

5. Jóga (DVD)

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Earth Intruders (Multimedia Track)

2. Declare Independence (Multimedia Track)

3. Innocence (Version 1 (Winner))

4. Wanderlust (Multimedia Track)

5. Dull Flame of Desire (Multimedia Track)

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

'This relentless restlessness liberates me,' Björk declares on 'Wanderlust' from her 2007 studio album, Volta, which is also the dramatic concluding track of her new Voltaïc live CD. 'I feel at home whenever the unknown surrounds me.' Volta had been designed, Björk has said, as a journey, with the sound of fog horns and clanging bells linking individual tracks and artists from around the world making guest appearances, including Congolese band Konono No. 1, Malian kora player Toumani Diabaté, pipa virtuoso Wu Man, beat-master Timbaland, Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale and sublime chanteur Antony Hegarty. The New York Times called it 'a 21st-century assemblage of the computerized and the handmade, the personal and the global.' Voltaïc, then, is a remarkable, multi-media document of what happened after the record was completed, a journey of a different
sort as the ever-evolving singer assembled her live band, made a collection of typically amazing videos and one-step-ahead remixes, and toured the world for two years, making headline appearances at diverse venues and large festivals, including Glastonbury, Coachella and even Harlem s Apollo Theatre. She recorded the Voltaïc live CD in one take at Olympic Studio in London
with her new band, prior to her 2007 Glastonbury appearance, presenting the set she would play on tour songs from Volta and new arrangements of such older material as 'Pagan Poetry,' 'All Is Full Of Love' and a thunderous version of 'Army Of Me.' It's a stunning performance, featuring cutting-edge computer technology, an old-school horn section and a female, flag-toting Icelandic choir -'bursting with raw life,' to paraphrase The Independent's description of Volta.
The Voltaïc DVD contains highlights of Björk's visually dazzling Volta tour, full of on-your-feet moments, filmed in Paris and Reykjavik. Deluxe editions of Voltaïc also include a CD of remixes of Volta album tracks by such fellow travelers as Spank Rock,
Simian Mobile Disco, Ratatat and Modeselektor, plus a DVD of Volta video clips, including Michel Gondry s take on 'Declare Independence,' set in a drab factory, that manages to reach a colorful, hopeful conclusion-a revolution meant to be televised.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Content, Questionable Packaging June 30, 2009

By Thomas Raven

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The content for this release is unquestionably good. For those of us who didn't get to see Ms. Gudmundsdottir on the Volta tour the concert DVD included in this set is the next best thing. The addition of the remixed tracks, the "live" studio recordings and the disc of Volta videos is just icing on the cake that make the set well worth the money.

Where the set falls apart is in its "innovative" packaging. The outer case is cardboard that is held closed by a sticker (the colored teardrop you see in the pic is a sticker). Once this sticker is removed to access the discs, it cannot be replaced so the outer box cannot be closed again. In fact, removing the sticker removed some of the gloss coat on my package ruining the outer sleeve. Not what one expects at this price point. The interior of the package is cool but the discs themselves are held in flimsy paper sleeves (not cardboard or paperboard but plain paper) that will inevitably get torn with all but the most careful handling. While the artistic intention of the packaging is interesting it's pretty much worthless as a way to store this wonderful set. I'm planning on transplanting my discs to jewel boxes.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Worst Packaging Ever? Possibly Maybe . . . July 3, 2009

By Patrick Murphy

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The half-baked idea that became the packaging for this four-disc set can not be over stressed. Listen to the other reviews: There is a definite theme appearing. The content is pure Björk, fantastic. The presentation, however, is akin to a kindergartner's mother's day art project (no offence to five-year-olds). To ensure my set will endure the years, I have transferred the four discs to a multi-disc DVD case. Ironically, I have now created more packaging and more plastic waste to protect my set. This is, I am sure, counter-intuitive to Björk's "green" packaging (and by "green" I mean "self-destructing"). I will leave a few extra lights on just in protest to this as I enjoy Voltaic ad infinitum. Ultimately, I give it five stars for pure content, but minus one star for green lighting (no pun intended) this blasphemous mass of cardboard and paper (yes, paper).

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A slight let down July 10, 2009

By S. Hughes

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bjork's box set is pretty good for the most part but really could have been better in many regards. First you could have the choice of buying the CDs separate but what I really wanted was the DVD concert and then Volta video DVD so you have to buy the whole box set for the highlight of the set.

Disc One Volta Live Recording
is pretty good and some of the songs sound better than the originals, All is full of love, which she sung in the beginning of her tour sounds really good with the brass touch. Declare Independence has her later voice-coder effect which was added towards the end the tour and this version sounds better than the original. But Vertebrae by Vertebrae added on this CD is just as boring as the original, that could have been forgiven if more tracks where added, what about Pluto?

CD two Live in Paris & Reykjavik
Is the highlight of the whole box set no questions ask.
Live in Paris is great and a very interesting set list like songs like "Where is the Line", which was sung first at Radio City Music Hall which sounded completely different and dropped until the very end of her tour in England and France, but other rare songs like "Who is it", and "Bachelorette", but for some reason "Pagan Poetry" was dropped but was sung at this concert and host of about three other songs including "Triumph of a Heart" rarity was dropped from DVD. I would have like to see the whole concert on here. Live in Reykjavik, I hate to say this but was a little boring. This was her last concert of the Volta Tour and seems like the production of this was rushed. It looks like BBC mid 90's quality and bjork didn't look quite that good compared to all her other shows. It might have been the no makeup and funky Medulla hair style that didn't edge well with the poor cameras.... Besides that, be prepared to listen to her ballads and her decision to cut some of the songs out for the DVD as well that were sung at the concert like "It's Oh so Quiet".
If I had my choice I would have love to see a something like two live concerts back to back, maybe like the beginning of the tour and near the end of the tour with the full concert list, and a 25 min documentary of the show. Oh well I'm still hoping to see Greatest Hits Tour Released.

DVD two The Volta Video
Really her only really good music video is "Wanderlust" the rest are just okay. No 3D video included!! Why not?? It's nice to have them but they are nothing like her "homogenic videos". I don't know if it's me but "Earth Intruders" seems to be in poor quasi internet quality?

CD 4 Mixes
Most Bjork fans must already have most of these tunes from Itunes or Amazon but having them on one CD plus the one extra mix not released before, which is really horrible, was okay I guess. I would have like to see a few more remixes from different Mixes. Besides that Wanderlust and Dull Flame of Desire have the best mixes and Declare Independence has the worst mixes. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Love the artwork, hate the packaging July 18, 2009

By C. Castaneda

Format:Audio CD

I've always loved bjork's intrinsic nature to be experimental and innovative in everything she does. As lovely as the music and images are on this box set, I have to say that the poor packaging is the worst I've ever seen for any artist's box sets. The music and videos will stand the test of time unlike the packaging which has not only come apart along the edge of the outside box, but I have had to return two box sets because of damaged CDs and DVDs. I understand that the first 20,000 copies of Voltaic were destroyed by the record company because of poor production. I'm assuming at this point that I got stuck with two that escaped that endeavor. Nonetheless, the live sessions of Voltaic are amazing and the mixes are a treat. A must have for hardcore bjork fans!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Worst packaging of a CD/DVD product I've ever purchased. July 10, 2009

By Deep83

Format:Audio CD

As with another reviewer, as soon as I carefully peeled back the sticker (which I was planning to stick onto one side of the cover as I did with my Volta CD to preserve it), some of the shiny gloss from the cover came with it, instantly ruining it. Now it looks bad. Thus, the "gloss" now covers the sticky back part of the sticker so now I can't even stick the sticker on the cover. Whoever designed this: You receive my award for dumbest concept of the year.
Otherwise, the set is great. Bjork is amazing.