Björk
Volta

THE REVIEW

Bjork has always shuffled the deck, always disturbed, always overwhelmed with her melodies. She has shown the public that she can also act; in her masterpiece "Medúlla," she dared to include the ugliest song she has ever created ("Ancestors") and has experimented with all the world's music. And now, having done everything, combined everything, experimented everywhere... what can one do to reinvent themselves? She couldn't have answered better than with "Volta," the most adrenaline-fueled and daring album of her career, an album that's hard to describe because it's a mishmash of different sounds and colors, a cauldron of magic and beauty.
It's impossible not to mention all the tracks: the dances open with "Earth Intruders," the first, powerful single, where Miss Gudmundsdottir rules the scene on an Afro rhythm all tam-tam, with Timbaland and Khonnor 1 behind the beats, and you can hear it... then "Wanderlust," a wonderful ballad that recalls masterpieces like "Jòga" or "Hyper-Ballad." Bjork whispers, screams in a track that gives chills on a rhythm that seems to have been created by the electronic genius Aphex Twin, then "The Dull Flame Of The Desire," the best love song ever written by the Icelandic artist, paired with the moving voice of the singer-drag Antony, which together with Bjork's beautiful and sensual voice manages to move us. Next is "Innocence," the second single, supported by frantic rhythms and Bjork’s stunning voice going wild. Danceable.

"Vertebrae By Vertebrae," a Wagnerian manifesto that moves in the opposite direction of the previous songs, focusing on experimentation: it's a masterpiece, Bjork frightens and enthralls on intimidating strings. "I See Who You Are,” an extraordinary zen song based on glitch electronics, Chinese flute, and Bjork's always indispensable and splendid voice. "Pneumonia" is the most experimental piece but the least successful, yet not disdainful and still enchanting. "Hope," a charming Caribbean melody with sharp rhythms for lyrics singing of pacifism, a theme that also appears in the following track "Declare Independence," murderous grace for Bjork’s only hardcore track: it exudes power and it's impossible not to dance to this soundtrack. The masterpiece closes with the beautiful "My Juvenile," a second duet with Antony, hypnotic and radiant with just harp and voices.

The spell of the album is unique: listening to it for the two-hundredth time feels like the first, there is the same euphoria and passion as when you first bought and unwrapped it, Bjork is capable of doing everything without making mistakes... and this is proof of it...