Björk
Volta

THE REVIEW

I wondered, how is it possible that there's not even a single review of "Volta"? The album that saw the return in May of the quintessential Icelandic elf in a newly accessible guise; Bjork!

Premise: I have loved Bjork a lot, in the past and still do, and I am still convinced that there is a sort of genius in her, mixed with theatricality and originality that make her unique and special in the global music scene; in fact, I have often defended her like a mad watchdog when they said "Medulla" was a work of craft, with excessive experimentation; I tried to make it understood that "Drawing Restraint 9" could not be considered an album of songs, but had to be listened to exclusively with the film because that was its purpose, and I am still convinced that "Vespertine" is the album where all of Bjork's genius explodes and fills every tiny sonic space, almost more than in "Homogenic," the other towering masterpiece.

"Volta"? Quite disappointing... in the long term. As soon as I bought the CD; as soon as I listened to it, it seemed to me to be genius, intense, powerful, a return to the Bjork of her beginnings; it almost seemed that "Volta" was a newborn sister of "Post," because both works represent the journey, and the depiction of a global, rhythmic, and united world. Was I wrong in this impression? No, "Volta" is truly this, at its highest point, that is, in "Hope," Bjork's singing is extremely rejuvenated; with a free sound coming from North Africa, with those passionate jolts that Our one is a champion of, "Hope" is truly hope, it is a piece of infinite, powerful, and never cloying beauty.

But what is missing in "Volta"? The inspiration! Unfortunately, when someone said that Bjork was scraping the bottom of the empty bucket, they weren't wrong; in the long run, "Volta" tires, especially in the pieces where she revolutionizes herself too much as in "Innocence," genius at first listen but then heavy, pompous, useless, Timbaland? He remains an absolute clown even with Bjork. "Earth Intruders" not bad, but nothing so revolutionary and transcendental; the collaboration with Antony in "The Dull Flame Of Desire"? Pure craft, poetic, intellectualism, nothing more... nice but I had higher, more intense hopes.

Instead, I really like a track that seems weak overall, but hides a very strong soul, that is "Pneumonia," which has its vocal attraction as its strength, growing, exciting, alive; "Declare Independence" is also very successful, with its turmoil, its anthems, its revenge on noise, very energetic, captivating, to be listened to in the car.
"My Juvenile" sweet but boring; "Wanderlust" leaves no marks even if it is a well-done track; and "Vertebrae by Vertebrae" even becomes annoying, almost like "Unchestor" did in Medulla.

I still love Bjork, and "Volta" is not worse than "Medulla," but it doesn't even come close to the intensity of the first 4 albums, where Bjork played the part of the warrior, sometimes passionate ("Debut," "Post") other times fearless ("Homogenic") and finally grieved, sad but bright, extremely enveloping ("Vespertine"), in "Volta" there is the stubborn ambition to return to the revolutionary Bjork of yore (as it were), but without true inspiration, without a path.

I don't know, maybe it's just my impression, maybe it's just a slip of mine, maybe I was disappointed because I had excessive expectations, and "Volta" is a masterpiece, the tough judgment is yours.

Bye