BJÖRK
Volta
Atlantic
· Collaborators on this album include Timbaland, Antony Hegarty, Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt, Konono nº1, and more.
There are so many guests on Björk’s latest album that it might have been a cause for concern – would she be overwhelmed by them all and lose her unique, individual vision? Fortunately, fans can take a breath as Volta demonstrates that even Timbaland can’t transform Björk into a commercial pop princess. It is true that the two tracks produced by Timbaland and his under-recognized protégé, Danjahandz, are more commercially appealing than anything she has done in the past few years, but yet, Björk’s input and fingerprints are still very evident. The strong tribal beat of opener and lead single "Earth Intruders" sounds very much like Timbaland at the helm, but the electric likembes, courtesy of Konono nº1, that punctuate every beat of the song impart an organic quality that is pure Björk. Her songwriting remains as eccentric as ever.
If her collaborators on Volta are responsible for anything major, it is her new approach. Starting with Homogenic, Björk’s music became more fragile and lost the liveliness that made her first two albums such a joy to listen to. On Volta, we find a loosened-up Björk. However, it is not a throwback to her first two albums. The earnest attitude is no longer there. She has definitely grown up. Instead of the liveliness coming through her songwriting, it is mostly through her music, whether through the two Timbaland-produced tracks or on songs such as "Declare Independence." Here Björk sounds as angry as she’s ever been, ranting against globalization and neo-colonialism. Co-produced by Mark Bell of LFO, whom she has worked with since Homogenic, the song takes cues from industrial punk with its distorted synth line and its loud, intrusive beat. Although the rest of Volta is not nearly as angry, loud or direct, it still shows the lengths that Björk has gone to change direction. Volta shows that the term "mature" doesn’t have to connote an insipid, coffeeshop soundtrack.
|
Copyright ©2007 FFWD. All rights reserved.