WSJ Talks to Björk About "Voltaic," "Music That Melds Edgy Beats with Dreamlike Lyrics"

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Voltaic, the audio-visual celebration of Björk's Volta tour, is out now on Nonesuch. The Wall Street Journal spoke with the Icelandic songstress who "makes music that melds edgy beats with dreamlike lyrics," about the project. Nashville Scene points to its visual aspect, describing her concerts as "absolutely spellbinding marriages of ethereal sound and astonishing vision," and explaining, "As always, the singer's voice is simply unparalleled in its celestial beauty, her primal stage presence is captivating, the beats are club-stomping, and the visual spectacle of the show is stunning." All About Jazz sees her  "here she's near the top of her game."

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Voltaic, the audio-visual celebration of Björk's Volta tour, was released on Nonesuch late last month. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher John Farley spoke with the Icelandic songstress about the impetus for the project, the inspiration behind her music, and what inspiration that music might bring to others in trying times in her native country and around the world.

"The 43-year-old singer makes music that melds edgy beats with dreamlike lyrics," writes Farley, who recognizes her as an artist "known for her whimsical, sometimes provocative ideas."

Read the article and listen to clips of three songs off the new album—"Army of Me," "Declare Independence," and "Pagan Poetry"—at online.wsj.com.

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Nashville Scene's Adam Gold points to the visual aspect of the project, in particular its concert-film component. "Anyone who's ever seen Icelandic songstress Björk in concert will tell you that her shows are absolutely spellbinding marriages of ethereal sound and astonishing vision," says Gold.

On Voltaic, he writes, "As always, the singer's voice is simply unparalleled in its celestial beauty, her primal stage presence is captivating, the beats are club-stomping, and the visual spectacle of the show is stunning."

Read the complete review at nashvillescene.com.

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All About Jazz counts Björk "among the small handful of pop artists capable of deftly pairing crazy pageantry with clear-sighted musicianship, and here she's near the top of her game: strutting the stage in brilliant plumage, unleashing her voice in ways both conspiratorial and guttural." Read that review at allaboutjazz.com.

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Björk "Voltaic" standard [square cover]
  • Tuesday, July 14, 2009
    WSJ Talks to Björk About "Voltaic," "Music That Melds Edgy Beats with Dreamlike Lyrics"

    Voltaic, the audio-visual celebration of Björk's Volta tour, was released on Nonesuch late last month. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher John Farley spoke with the Icelandic songstress about the impetus for the project, the inspiration behind her music, and what inspiration that music might bring to others in trying times in her native country and around the world.

    "The 43-year-old singer makes music that melds edgy beats with dreamlike lyrics," writes Farley, who recognizes her as an artist "known for her whimsical, sometimes provocative ideas."

    Read the article and listen to clips of three songs off the new album—"Army of Me," "Declare Independence," and "Pagan Poetry"—at online.wsj.com.

    ---

    Nashville Scene's Adam Gold points to the visual aspect of the project, in particular its concert-film component. "Anyone who's ever seen Icelandic songstress Björk in concert will tell you that her shows are absolutely spellbinding marriages of ethereal sound and astonishing vision," says Gold.

    On Voltaic, he writes, "As always, the singer's voice is simply unparalleled in its celestial beauty, her primal stage presence is captivating, the beats are club-stomping, and the visual spectacle of the show is stunning."

    Read the complete review at nashvillescene.com.

    ---

    All About Jazz counts Björk "among the small handful of pop artists capable of deftly pairing crazy pageantry with clear-sighted musicianship, and here she's near the top of her game: strutting the stage in brilliant plumage, unleashing her voice in ways both conspiratorial and guttural." Read that review at allaboutjazz.com.

    Journal Articles:Reviews

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