Coming on 25 years since its release, ‘Vespertine’ is a triumph of unbridled passion and love. If there was ever a time for intimacy as rebellion from digital overstimulation and normalised ‘non-chalance’, this would be the soundtrack.
For an album as laced with romance as ‘Vespertine’, it’s incredibly intimate and understated. The emotional core of the record is Bjork’s devotion to her partner, Matthew Barney. And as far as an audible love letter, this is a creative peak.
Quiet, beautiful, mysterious, as it is direct. You can hear Björk’s blooming love of IDM in the hidden tones and textures buried in the mix.
The making of the record is an odyssey in itself. The use of music boxes, the making of the album on a laptop, or the near-dozen studios. This is the modern incarnation of Chamber music, with its immaculate orchestrations and chimes contrasting with subdued drones and patterns.
There are only a few other records that induce as much bliss as this one. Maybe Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Emotion’ or Father John Misty’s ‘I Love You, Honeybear’.
This is the best Bjork record. It is the culminating effort of the incredible releases prior, ‘Homogenic’ and ‘Post’, and would set the tone for the rest of her career.
Essential listening.
’Vespertine’ is available in the Store now.
#vinyl #vespertine
Bjork | Feature Artist
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