The tiny beats and samples your hearing were coined the name "Microbeats" by Björk herself and she wanted Vespertine to be built upon small beautiful sounds
Her best album imo (with Homogenic). And Pagan Poetry must be the greatest song on her whole career, it's so dramatic, intriguing, lovely and heartbreaking at the same time.
First time I heard Vespertine was almost 7 years ago (I was 12, lol), and it really defined my way to understand my self, my identity and my emotional and sexual world throghout the years. I ended up understanding "It's Not Up To You" to be an anthem and/or a tale about autonomy on pleasure and masturbation to go through the feelings of emptiness and pressure we might have because of the way our live is set. When "the day feels broken", sometimes the thing we do is to "tilt your head and try to get an angle" (as in, an angle to, you know, self pleasure for a woman); and sometimes it feels like a claim on autonomy and conduction of pleasure with a partner ("I can decide what I give but it's not up to me what I get given"). There's a sort of climax (orgasm?) to the song before the end, and right after she gives us this really tight, closed, even shameful outro talking about "clinging" and "pressure", as in, right after this wonderful feeling of intense pleasure, she's back to the pressure and this avalanche of emptiness she's describing at the beginning. That last line, I also understand it as a diagnose (maybe?) on the way women are taught to understand her pleasure: with shame, and according to the rules that patriarchy and men has set upon them. (Also, my first language is not english so I understood, for many years, "there's too much cleaning" instead of "clinging", so, well, after a good orgasm I guess it makes sense to have some cleaning to do hahaha). Of course, I didn't understand this the first time I listened, but I built this interpretation during the years and the experiences I've had on the way. Bjork has never been ashamed to put her sexual feelings on her music, and Vespertine is stated as a very erotic and intimate album, so it might as well make some sense too. I hope it makes some sense for you too hahah, as bjork says: love and warmth to you fern
Wow 😮 this I is brilliant . Thank you for writing all of this , I really enjoyed reading it and it really gave me a new way of listening to the song . Very powerful 💕
I find it fascinating how spot on your interpretations were for each song! The way you dissected the lyrics even before looking up their meanings was so interesting and I loved the way you highlighted the most unique vocal moments and explained what you liked about them! It really seems like youre fully immersing yourself into the music and picking up as much as you possibly can on a first listen! You show a lot of respect to the music and the artist behind it! Also I would love to see a reaction to Vulnicura! Edit: Harm of will, at first was probably my least favorite as well but now I realize that its such a beautiful and emotional song in the most subtle way. It's like not right on the nose what it's saying or what you're supposed to be feeling when listening to it but thats what makes it so complex to me, there are quiet moments, there are these huge buildups and then slightly haunting and very sad moments. It's like a small little world of sounds in itself and the lyrics are just vague enough that it leaves you clueless to what this song is really about.
Spellling's The Turning Wheel is a musssttt listen, specially during this time. It has this wintery, extremely mystical and magical vibe. ps loveeee your reaction videos queeen. Absolutely one of the best music reactors!
Fantano's most recent 10 just listened to it i fricking LOVE all of it except not really love the title track but i like it EDIT: I LOVE THE TITLE TRACK NOW
Mi álbum favorito de Björk! Al escucharlo te transmite ese sentimiento de intimidad invernal, de misticismo rodeado de líricas eróticas y poéticas, con clímax tan épicos como cinematográficos, a la vez mezclado con estos microosonidos que Björk impecablemente implementa. Definitivamente es un álbum hermoso de principio a fin y perfecto para escucharlo en invierno, obviamente. Debes reaccionar a Prioritise Pleasure de Self Esteem (para mi uno de los mejores álbumes del año; si no es el mejor) y amo tus reacciones! Todas son muy buenas!💖 desde Argentina
This album is so beautiful, sensual, and transcendental. Its my fav Bjork album, and one of my fav albums ever. Admittedly I didnt “get” all of it right away, but it has definitely grown on me immensely. Im hoping you can love and appreciate it as much as I do ^_^
I adore this album. Back in the days I saw her Vespertine-Tour in a small Operahouse in Lausanne Switzerland. It was everything. I will never ever forget this Concert. 🤗😂 I felt so blessed! I bought some tickets but I didn‘t realized that this were lounges. Absolutely hilarious. 🤣😍😎 I cried. 😅
Coming from Undo to Pagan Poetry evokes such different feelings! A journey of acceptance of love, being loved, being touched and desired. It still feels like a kind of release but different from the first, like, now that she's walking away from the struggle, how to give yourself entirely to someone? Undo feels so "holy", because endurance is sacred, to bear the pain and to release is sacred, but to let yourself be touched once you descend, it's a curse, it's unholy. its a descent to what's tainted and pagan in love... I love that, because it's so ironic considering how marriage is considered to be the sacred part of a relationship, to her, it's where the pagan commences.
You said that the whole "Hidden Place" sounds like "jungle, other planet". I am of of same opinion! I want to add that this song sounds like what people call "paradise", "heaven", choir that sings like angels and Björk is a goddess. I think it's a place that is kinda ethereal, that's why it's "hidden". I also imagine a beach with constant sunny weather, blue ocean, waves, and palms all around!
Vespertine (2001; 12/12) & Homogenic (1997; 10/10) are perfect albums from Bjork. I don't have to skip any songs. Also enjoy Selmasongs (2000; 7/7) her underrated soundtrack. Bjork was on a next-level creative tear from 1997-2001. Her zenith.
You should check out 'So Broken' by Bjork! It's one of her most unique songs with an incredibly emotional vocal performance. It's on a Homogenic B-side which includes one other unique non-album song called 'Sod Off' which I highly recommend too
aaaa cant believe im just finding this now. i just wanna quickly say you are soso awesome for reacting to more obscure and artsy artists such as fka, arca, bjork, etc! (albeit the more popular ones from the obscurity. music enthusiasts dont come for me) I think thats so cool and im so glad youre here. it sucks these artists arent as famous as they should be and thus the ad revenue/views is probably not so great but i can tell theres a genuine interest and enjoyment from u which makes it all the better xx also your makeup and hair is everything. keep doing you
Favorite album. I saw this live several times. I had front row in Oakland, CA and i saw her under the Bay Bridge at pier 30 in SF. So incredible. This album came out pre-Sept 11, but it has so many relevant lyrics that were healing like. It was as if she knew something before the rest of us. This is 2 decades old and still crushes it.
OMFG!!!! FINALLY IS HERE!! such a wonderful reaction, as a huge Björk fan I'm glad to see how people react to her music and you did it so perfect!!! Please react to BIOPHILIA and MEDULLA, well, react to all of them, it will be a great journey, I promise!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thank you!!!
Have you listened to drawing restraint 9 soundtrack by bjork I really recommend it Just found it last month it is def her weirdest most ominous project
Probably my second favorite album of all time behind TPAB, it’s impossible to describe the 56 minutes of heaven that is this experience. It’s Not Up to You is probably my fav Björk song but Undo & Unison are runner ups.
i love your english accent (i'm french). Also this album is iconic, one of my all time favorite, it really has a special unique feel to it and it touches my soul on a personnal deep level
you must see the music video for Pagan Poetry!!!!! it’s SO COOL! (tw body piercing. ) but there is this abstract stuff in the beginning and throughout it’s so cool.
I have "Undo" written on my arm using the album typography, it is a mantra when things are not well or when I'm doubting myself. 🥺 I Love her so much. If you asked me one artist to die hearing, it would definitely be Bjork.
I remember walking the halls of my high school listening to those first sounds in Its Not Up to You and just being like ooooooo this is so nifty and different. and I really love the “lean into the crack” part goes OFF
I'm giving a like for you doing this reaction at this time of year. For some reason, I've always felt this is a perfect Christmas/Winter album. You should hear the live version, it has a mystical quality that makes it one of my favorites of all time.
you mentioned nature boy in "an echo a stain". one of the producers of the moulin rouge soundtrack worked on this album. david bowie made a cover of nature boy for the film. i had goosebumps when you mentioned the song ✨
Omg STOP . Moulin rouge is my all time fav movie and I nearly said it . I didn’t because I talk about moulin rouge all the time and didn’t want to be annoying 😂😂😂 I’m so happy you told me this thank you 🙏
@@FernStone so happy you love moulin rouge!! I even consider it part of my personality, and to find that björk shares musical coordinates with it blew my mind too. lots of love 💕💕💕
I haven’t been here since Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, which I loved, that was a great reaction, and I’m so excited you covered this. I’m not gonna lie, I used to enjoy this album then smoked some devil’s lettuce and decided to listen on my headphones and now I swear by this album 😂 Seriously, all those clicks and noises come to the foreground and it’s magical. Just 💨 and 🎧 Also, in case you didn’t know, for this album, she got the second best harpist player in the world, an orchestra, an Icelandic female choir (which are the sound you think are strings in Hidden Place) and a duo from SF who added the click and gravels and electronic noises. They all got to your together. The concert is available somewhere out there. It’s a glorious thing to watch.
i’m sorry at this point i’ve left so many comments on this video 😭 but i love this album so much and i love seeing other people appreciate it in their own way
YESSS! I'm so so so excited to see you finally react to this album, I'm looking forward to you reacting to more Bjork albums as well, but specifically Medulla since I really love that one! Also the makeup is awesome and very beautiful! Reminds me of Elsa lol
came back to ur channel to find out youve reacted to my favourite bjork album, used to listen to this when i was a kid with my aunts, they have the best taste in music!
Omg this album is just so amazing. One of my favorite artists when I was a teen is a guy named Baths, and he takes a LOT of inspiration from this album. Maybe check out the Ocean Death EP if any of you guys are interested!!
If you like more Vulnicura and Utopia you will absolutely love Biophilia, such uniques songs and themes, Biophilia is about nature, cosmos, planets, black holes, micro and macro life, crystals.
I love that all the songs are so good that you'll hear a really wide variety of favorites from fans My own favorite is It's Not Up to You, but I can understand pretty much any favorite i've heard
that chopped up sample you liked at the beginning of hidden place was by matmos, who co-produced the track. they do that alot in their music, taking small snips of stuff and really making it "talk" to you.
I think if she listened to within the realm of a dying sun she’d see where Anna Von hausswolff drew some influence from…. An absolutely astounding album and I do wonder what she’d make of Lisa Gerard’s otherworldly vocals ….
