"A heady swirl of hope for our anxious times," says Rolling Stone. "A knockout celebration of music, dance and song. "Byrne puts the central tenet of making contact with a world outside your mind into dynamic, sensory practice onstage." "Dazzling, rapturous and jubilant," exclaims the New York Times of the show. The two-CD version was released on November 15 the vinyl edition is due December 27. While “Utopia” certainly expands upon Björk’s historically strange and avant-garde sound, at the end of the day, it’s clear that she is sticking to the formula that’s worked for her throughout her decades-long career: utter weirdness.Nonesuch releases the cast album for the current critically acclaimed Broadway production of David Byrne’s American Utopia, with music and lyrics by David Byrne it is available digitally now. Vincent taking on a more pop style – it’s refreshing to hear an artist sticking to her roots. Although Björk doesn’t necessarily have the most powerful voice in the music industry, she manages to make do with what she’s got – a crisp and rich voice with a fascinatingly creaky, but by no means weak, texture.Īs musicians continue to experiment with different musical genres this year – Kesha switching over to a more country-folk sound, and St. On “Tabula Rasa,” Björk harmonizes with herself, going into a high head voice on one layer while loudly belting out phrases on another. The singer-songwriter balances soft and quiet vocals with loud and booming notes, creating a complex texture in each song. While the album’s lyrics are thought-provoking and the musical aesthetic is as pleasant as ever, the album would fall flat if it weren’t for Björk’s vocal chops. With its outdoorsy aesthetic and synthetic production, the album feels like the lovechild of Disney’s “Bambi” and FKA Twigs’ “LP1.” On the title track, she chants about purifying the air – a nod to climate change activism – while on “Arisen My Senses,” she sings about all of the cells in her body. The album feels like an ode to biology and the natural world – in addition to implementing bird sounds throughout the album, Björk frequently evokes the outdoor world in her lyrics. The birds give the album a pleasantly organic and unrefined feeling, as if the listener is hiking with Björk through the woods. “Paradisia” is composed entirely of bird’s chirping and flutes while the song “Saint” opens up with what sound like waterfowl and seagulls chanting. Just before Björk begins singing, the sound of footsteps running briskly through the grass sounds over an electronic beat, as if she’s performing the song in an extraterrestrial forest.ījörk uses the bird sounds as a musical device throughout the album. The album continues on to the title song, “Utopia,” with an intro that sounds like it’s taken straight out of the soundtrack from an old Disney movie, featuring an upbeat flute tune with birds singing in the background. The remaining five and a half minutes of the song integrate electronic beats and synthetic instruments, which lends the chorus and verses a spacey feel. The minute-long intro mimics the sound of a church choir, building up a sense of anticipation as it slowly transitions into the rest of the song. On the album’s third song “The Gate,” Björk sings out in Latin-esque gibberish with woodwinds playing faintly in the background. The music on “Utopia” doesn’t fit into a single genre – it encapsulates the innovative and cutting edge quality that is characteristic of Björk’s music, which frequently combines older classical and folk elements with modern electronic techniques. Listening to any song out of order, or in a playlist with other songs is somewhat jarring. The album plays much like a movie – it’s difficult to listen to in pieces. “Utopia” expands upon Björk’s infamous avant-garde sound, ultimately creating a rich and charming album. The Icelandic singer-songwriter’s first major release of new music since 2015’s “Vulnicura” combines a rustic aesthetic with a more modern, electronic element to create a complex yet overall harmonious album. Björk is back and weirder than ever with her latest release, “Utopia.”
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