Bjork has begun her crusade to unveil her new iPad-album-interactive-media-thing “Biophelia,” and the first song from the set has arrived.
“Crystalline” features all the jittery, time-challenging beats that her previous “Volta” reigned upon, her breathy Icelandic-accented and carefully-chose words floating above. And, as per usual, she plucks out the natural language and imagery, of crystal structures spreading out like fingers, under the rocks. And it sounds like a stoner anthem. Perhaps Bjork’s been chasing the dragon?
The five-minute, wide-eyed love-in thrives in its minimal and, um, “nebulous” language, narrative-free, as the druggy rhythm takes over with the help of a toy piano and then climaxes in a sparkling trip-hop summit. It reminded me vaguely of “Hyper-Ballad,” though that song crested back when the songwriter seemed still interested in penning A Big Chorus.
This track seems to be an introduction of her celebrations, of these weird “bio”-fueled anomalies in nature and in humans (and in “human nature,” perhaps).
And it appears there are many a’remixer who may get their greedy little hands on the tracks. Best Mustache contender Omar Souleyman is giving “Crystalline” a crack apparently, video below. Reduxes like these may just put some meat on the bones of this skeleton.
Each of “Biophelia’s” 10 songs/compositions will have “coordinated apps,” but no word what the feature will hold for “Crystalline.” The track will be available for purchase starting on June 30. Bjork will be performing new music from “Biophelia” — defined by the singer as “love of life or living systems” — during her three-week residency at art-centric Manchester International Festival starting Thursday (June 27) to July 16. Click here for all dates.