Track Listing

1. Human behaviour
2. Crying
3. Venus as a boy
4. There's more to life than this
5. Like someone in love
6. Big time sensuality
7. One day
8. Aeroplane
9. Come to me
10. Violently happy
11. The anchor song
12. Play dead

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5244 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Her first album following the break-up of the Sugarcubes, Debut is Icelandic trickster Björk's statement of purpose: bringing curious experimentalism to the dance floor and putting her startling, expressive voice front and centre. Her perspective is a little alien--it's no accident that the first song talks about "getting close to a human"--but her levelling of genre distinctions has some wonderful results, especially the eroticised easy-listening reggae sway of "Venus As a Boy". Paired with producer Nellee Hooper (of Soul II Soul), she comes up with a series of invitingly artificial settings for her pipes, built from late-night beats and peculiar timbres, and sings like she's overwhelmed with joy from all her senses. --Douglas Wolk

CD Description
With DEBUT, the Icelandic thrush Bjork Godmundsdottir (lateof the Sugarcubes) brings her knowing innocence and quirky voice to bear on an engaging program of renegade pop tunes. The unusual instrumental textures on songs such as "Human Behavior", fleshed out with timpani, small percussion instruments, vibraphones and harps, suggests a post-modern version of Phil Spector.
As a singer, Bjork's swooping octave leaps and guttural cries betray the elemental contradictions in her music. She projects the girlish innocence and barely constrained sensuality of a wise child, old beyond her years (the techno-reggae romanticism of "Venus As A Boy", the bouncyhouse changes of "Big Time Sensuality" and "Violently Happy"), and sometimes she sounds like she's trying to rediscoverhow such doe-eyed love might actually feel, as if for the first time (the mysterious groove of "One Day" and the jazzy standard "Like Someone In Love", with its spare harp accompaniment).
There's a pronounced techno feel to DEBUT, with its airy synthesizers and spacious, uncluttered mixes, but without the cool, mechanised detachment of that genre. On "Aeroplane" Bjork combines a saxophone quartet with Middle Eastern-flavoured percussion to steer her tale of obsessive lovejust outside of the pop mainstream, while the unusual saxophone harmonies of "The Anchor Song" lend a folkish colour toher extended metaphors on home and erotic immersion. It's precisely Bjork's sense of adventure that gives DEBUT such a cool exotic flavour.

Customer Reviews

Amazing!
This is a truly amazing album, any fan of Bjork should have this. I've had it years and even when I was ten I was still stunned by her beautiful voice. I love it even more now, I really love the way it is so creative and different. This was a brilliant album to kick off her solo career, and I'm so pleased she's still going now. Some people think Bjork is quite weird, but I think she's cool, and this album proves it. This goes beyond the usual pop music, its something so different and thrilling, it works brilliantly with some slow songs and some upbeat, and all unique. Daring to be so creative has payed off so well as everyone appreciates this so much. This album is also now very high up on so many peoples' lists of favourite albums. She has practicaly created a genre of her own.

"Human Behaviour" never ceases to amaze me, I love the bassline and beat and her voice works with it so well, I loved it even more when I saw the video- also great and very creative. "There's more to life than this" is a good one to dance to, and will be sure to put you in good form. "Like someone in love" is thrilling. The harp and her voice work like electricity. It sends a million shivers down my spine, I love the way she sings with so much feeling, it still amazes me everytime, and I can't get enough of it. "Big time sensuality" is another dancey one, again not ordinary, but with her own stamp on it. Billiant!

"The anchor song" is great as well, some people may be a little disappointed with it, but it really is fantastic. Again changing direction, with brass instruments, like the harp- in "like someone in love" these also compliment her voice. The words of the song are great as well, saying how she loves where she lives, and in a great way, shows her identity. Those who have the album with the bonus song are so lucky. "Play dead" is an extra suprise when you thought there couldn't possibly be anymore, and is a great one to finish off the album. It like her anthem; powerful and so catchy, and needless to say there's the amazing voice.

This album also surely must have inpired herself, and the likes of Moloko and Portishead; a fantastic new style, and one to be proud of. Its about my 6th favourite album, and without a doubt,(apart from radiohead) the album of the nineties.

The beginning of a ride of a Musical Genius
I had been avoiding Bjork's music over the years, fearing her eccentricity, her weirdness, I'd always felt she was a 'human alien'. It was until a few months ago, while I was looking for cassettes to buy on a record store, I found Debut.
And I thought to myself 'Why not pick up this one?'. So I did [though reluctantly].

Before I bought this album , I had known some of the titles. And I was frightened. You know titles like 'Violently Happy' or 'The Anchor Song' used to freak me out [silly, I know]. But that day, I decided to let go of my fear and give this record a try.

And when I bought it..I realised that I was completely wong!
This record, along with Post and Homogenic, ranks up to be one of the best records ever released.
And what surprised me more is that the lyrics, are actually relatable.
The lyrics aren't as 'outer-spacey' or as 'larger than life' than I thought.

Like on 'Come to Me', 'Aeroplane' and 'One Day'. The lyrics are talking about love, about feeling affection, desire, longing for a loved one or 'Crying' and 'Violently Happy' which are about feeling lost and longing towards someone you deeply care about.


So I was blown away.

Let's not forget songs like 'Human Behaviour' with its jungl-ish sound, hard-hitting percussion beat and spicy guitar sounds near the end of the song, it's just breath-taking. And the lyrics are also genius: "If you ever get close to a human/A human behaviour/Be ready, be ready to get confused/There's definitely, definitely no logic/In human behaviour"... Simply a classic.

'Venus as a Boy' and 'Big Time Sensuality' are talking about sexuality and attraction [most notably the former]. Whereas 'There's More to Life than This' can simply be a dance anthem, with its ecstatic beat.

'Like Someone in Love', a cover of an old jazz tune, is performed incredibly and beautifully by Bjork. Only with the accompaniment of harp, Bjork's voice soars low then high, with such emotion and heartfeltness, which makes this song so beautiful, dreamy and hypnotic.

'The Anchor Song', a short song about Bjork's life in Iceland. Here, Bjork is only accompanied by a group of brass players..and it makes this song so unique and reflective...it really captures the sense of loneliness, the solitude of the sea.

And then 'Play Dead' closes the record. Although I believe The Anchor Song would close the album better, this is a great song. Starts by Bjork screaming to the peak of the song, it's just breathtaking.

All that being said, this is absolutely a creative, artsy, innovative record that will surely impress you. It might take some getting used to... but this record is only a beginning of a ride of a Musical Genius,an ever-changing, groundbreaking artist named Bjork. Enjoy!

Debut as light and depth - from a long term fan.
The article below is mistaken. This album is far from nonsense bland pop! Although her later work is perhaps more obviously produced and more expense has been given to samples, the apparent rawness of Debut always leave a sparkle of freshness and youth. The sound is dancy, poppy, brooding at times but there is always her stunning vocals mixed with passion and her lightness and depth of being shine through. An excellent album for chilling out, thinking, getting high - her career was not born here in humble beginnings, she just allows us to see her for what she is.