Björk – Vespertine

And still, even though I was entirely ignorant to the strength there was here, I wish I could’ve recognized much sooner just how special Björk really is. One of the many things I love about music is how dynamic it really is and how people can go through different sets of passions for it. I think I like Björk a lot but it’s always great to talk to an even bigger fan so as to find a different view on it and also, to be humbled. And now I've recently gotten into a swoon for her music that has merely intensified with every passing listen. I heard Vespertine is her best one; emotions are often behind the best of the bests and she was definitely passionate during these sessions. It’s still fascinating reading her lyrics and falling for them, over and over: “This time I’m going to keep me all to myself (She loves him, she loves him) and he makes me want to hand myself over.”

Listening to “Aurora” now, its utter beauty continues to amaze. Her music has always been neatly categorized as something in the electronic field but Björk – like many other great artists – is too complicated to fit into any one category. Initially I hear the gorgeous choral arrangement, the harp in the background ("I wish to melt into you") and through the jagged beats and fuzz behind her, her voice always seems to rule soundwaves. Here’s an old video (can’t believe this is almost ten years old now) of her singing the song just a few months after its release:


I don’t even think that to this day, she gets the full praise she probably deserves. I mean, just please watch this amazing video to “Cocoon” and tell me how it’s not beautiful. And besides that, her story and scope is enormous on this one: she’s entirely unabashed, open and she’s sexually spectral. Sometimes I just sit and listen to her voice on headphones and catch all of the intricacies she’s pouring out. It also happens to have some of the most romantic words of the past decade, this block especially:

"He slides inside. Half awake, half asleep.
We faint back into sleephood…
When I wake up, the second time, in his arms
Gorgeousness…
He's still inside me."

- Bryan