Björk-"Homogenic" Review

1995's "Post" saw Björk working with darker, more industrial sounds, more complex thematic elements, and was a marked step forward for the "Icelandic Pixie" that she had been pigeonholed as during the first half of the 90s. Still, the sheer scope of the artistic leap that Björk made from "Post" to 1997's "Homogenic" is incredible. It certainly couldn't have been predicted just two years earlier that she would strip nearly all of the jazzy dance-pop and experimental electronica from her music, instead favoring lush string arrangements and volcanic beats taken from her native homeland. What resulted was perhaps one of the most expansive alt-pop albums of the decade, infusing real, organic sounds with ambient synths, for the most part, anyway. While much of "Homogenic" is grounded in electro-orchestral drama, there are a few moments when Björk breaks that mold and recalls her earlier work:  "Pluto" is all synthesizer and beats, while the new-age "All Neon Like" capitalizes on Björk's minimalist leanings with a vocoded drum pattern backing a sparkling assortment of glass harmonica and keyboard effects. Unsurprinsingly, both of these songs are found later in the album, with Björk front-loading "Homogenic" with a quartet of imaginative and progressive statements: "Joga" interrupts its string arrangement with a dense club interlude, while the sweeping and spawling "Bachelorette" similarly combines dance elements with a quasi-symphonic backdrop. Its this aesthetic that binds "Homogenic", and it certainly provides the consistency is promises. Obviously, Björk doesn't highlight all aspects of her music here, nor does she seem all that concerned with consolidating the strengths of her first two albums. Rather, she digs further into her bag of tricks and properly showcases her unique and masterful talent. As "All is Full of Love" closes with a chorus of Björk's swirling and interloping the song title, there is no doubt that "Homogenic" is her best and most cohesive work. Even if she would later amplify her ambition in the new millennium make further innovations, she never surpassed this artistic and musical peak.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Hunter                    2. Joga                       3. Unravel
4. Bachelorette          5. All Neon Like         6. 5 Years
7. Immature               8. Alarm Call           9. Pluto
10. All is Full of Love