Vespertine
| Bjork
Vespertine
Vespertine is the fourth studio album by Icelandic recording artist Bjork. It was released on 27 August 2001 in the United Kingdom by One Little Indian Records and in the United States by Elektra Records. Production on the album began during the filming of Dancer in the Dark, which was characterized by conflict between the singer and director Lars von Trier. Vespertine's sound reflected Bjork's newly found interest in the music of artists such as Opiate and Console, who were also enlisted as producers. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
While undeniably beautiful, Vespertine fails to give electronic music the forward push it received on Björk's preceding albums. Rather than designing sounds never before imagined, the album merely sounds current, relying on the technology of standard studio software and the explorations of the Powerbook elite.
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Rolling Stone
Vespertine is a particle beam in comparison, as weightless as light but concentrated with direction. There is nothing remotely close to drumming on any of the album’s twelve tracks. The flurry of rhythm at the start of “Cocoon” has the gravity of a spider scurrying across linoleum.
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NME
The great bits of ‘Vespertine’ make you feel totally sensual and emotionally intoxicated. The annoying bits, mind you, manage to be both cloying and absurdly mannered. Thankfully, enchanting splendour is the only overriding rule in the otherwise lawless queendom of Bjorkonia. ‘Vespertine’ is way, way off the beaten track. But give it time and you’ll love it there.
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Slant Magazine
Björk’s fourth solo effort, Vespertine, is no exception, elevating her artistry to a breathtaking level of sonic and lyrical sophistication.
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Music OMH
Vespertine is a romantic, atmospheric album – and it won’t be something you’ll hear in nightclubs. It sounds like Björk has grown up, however child-like the glockenspiels sound; while that would be a pity, it is also fascinating for anyone who loves her music. She is a legend in her time.
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A.V. Club Music
By this point, it's become almost a cliché to describe Björk's music as ethereal, but Vespertine suggests even loftier terms. It sounds closer to heaven than the ether below.
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Tiny Mix Tapes
Of all the albums released this year, Vespertine is one of the most impressive and cohesive.
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BBC Music
The effect throughout is unapologetically beautiful, totally immersive.
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All Music
Vespertine isn't merely lovely; it proves that in Björk's hands, intimacy can be just as compelling as louder emotions.
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Sputnik Music
This album is best heard when you're listening to your favorite tracks of it, or within a Bjork playlist. But aside from that, this album's lush sounds and vocals are extremely recommended to anyone willing to calm down and have an intimate meeting with Bjork.
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Opus
If Björk wants to lose herself in her own little world, who can blame her? If it’s even a bit as beautiful as Vespertine makes it out to be, this invitation to join her is truly something to treasure.
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Pop Matters
Björk combines her own form of femininity with the usually masculine world of electronica. She is both conceptual and technical. She creates the trends instead of following them. And, finally, no one can imitate her, they can just follow behind.
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Mr. Miniike's Tea-Sipping Reviews
The ways in which this album works are so alien that they’re difficult to pin down, but rest assured it has everything to do with the powerful sounds and emotions at play here. I liked it alright when I first listened to it, now it’s my favorite album by one of my favorite artists. Keep on truckin’ Björk, you’re doing the Lord’s work.
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Treble Zine
While I adore the lavish sounds of Homogenic, I believe that Vespertine is a more apt description of Björk as a person.
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The Tech
All in all, Vespertine may not be the immediate favorite or the undisputed masterpiece of Bjork’s four albums, but listeners will be compelled to return to it again and again to revel in the Icelandic musician’s gorgeous night world.
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Music Banter
What really floors me [with Vespertine] is the high-register harp sounds, the incredible way they swirl, soar, dive, dance . . . Pay close attention to this as you listen, I recommend reconnecting to the YouTube links I posted to all these songs, esp "The Big Four".
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Alltime Records
Vespertine is a fully cohesive work, back to the beautiful ambition of Homogenic yet without losing track of melody.
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Entertainment
Probably her most low-key and uncommercial album yet, it's still got more than enough moments of delicate magic to keep her fans happy.
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DVD Talk
With Vespertine her sound hasn't changed much. Like her last album, Homogenic, her music combines electronic tracks with classical instruments. The electronic tracks, bass, sound loops, and beats, either have a pleasant distortion or a smooth brightness, while the string and more traditional instrument (like vibes) arrangements provide an atonal backdrop or a lilting, lifting melodies.
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W.L. Swarts Reviews The Universe
The best track, if it could be said to be one (given how it blends), is the purely instrumental "Frosti." Everything else on the album could be considered one, long, mundane, inferior track.
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LinkedIn
The entire album is comprised of a body phenomenal music of work by fifteen willful string players, male and female and indubitable savvy staffs. This temporary anecdote serves to explain that music is now preparing Bjork herself, however, she needs this kind of support to acquire the entire splendid dimension and that is "Vespertine".
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SA-CD.net
If you are a fan of Björk... this is one SACD that you've no doubt been waiting for. If you want to experience what a good pop multichannel mastering can do for your set up... this SACD should be on the top of your list! 5/5 stars.
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Silent Uproar
I pity those who will never be able to appreciate Vespertine. I think music is just like finding your true love, you only get one perfect match your entire life. I own other Björk albums, but Vespertine is my perfect match.
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RTE
For those willing to spend time, money and a whole lot more, 'Vespertine' is genius of the gentlest kind.
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Almost Cool Music Review
Vespertine is simply content to sweep along in a beautiful, lush way and wrap you up in its gauzy warmth.
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Paragraph Album Reviews
Vespertine is an album that deserves to be listened to properly, preferably somewhere safe and warm, with the lights down low. In my eyes, it is simply one of the most intimate and beautiful albums ever made.
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Adrian's Album Reviews
'Vespertine' is a fully cohesive work, back to the beautiful ambition of 'Homogenic' yet without losing track of melody.
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Telegraph
Bjork has once again crafted a work of outrageous originality. Far from being a classicist, Bjork makes music that sounds as if the future has already arrived.
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Irish Times
Intoxicating and infectious in the strangest possible ways, Vespertine was where Björk went deep within herself to provide the ballast for these great, honest, fragile songs. Full of intrigue and wild possibilities.
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Austin Chronicle
A musical tourniquet for a terribly wounded world, this is breathtaking, life-affirming music with the power to heal and restore. It's that beautiful.
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Robert Christgau
The atmospherics, glitch techno, harps, glockenspiels, and shades of Hilmar Om Hilmarsson float free sometimes, and when she gets all soprano on your ass you could accuse her of spirituality. But with somebody this freaky you could get used to that. English lyrics provided, most of them dirty if you want.
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Hotpress
Right from the start there was something otherworldly about Björk’s music, from that astonishing first Sugarcubes’ single onwards. And what you can say, amongst other things, about Vespertine is that it is… well… very Björk.
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A.V. Rev
Bjork’s Vespertine is a tasteful blend of poetry, modern electronic music, acoustic sounds and the work of a talented female vocalist. It might be worth your attention on DVD-Audio.
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Ghettoblaster
Vespertine is so quiet and mysterious. It’s a completely different side to Bjork than a lot of her music which can be very aggressive. I think the fact that this record contrasts so strongly to her other records makes me pay more attention than I would have if all of her records were calm and beautiful.
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Entertainment Weekly
Bjork remains an eccentric creature. On Vespertine, her lyrics occasionally dive into the deep end (”threading the glacier head”?), and her voice is at times stiff, as if the Iceland-born singer is working her way through the lyrics phonetically.
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WTMD
“Vespertine” is indeed powerful. It is a rich landscape of an album.
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