Track Listing

1. Hunter
2. Joga
3. Unravel
4. Bachelorette
5. All Neon Like
6. 5 Years
7. Immature
8. Alarm Call
9. Pluto
10. All Is Full Of Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4017 in Music
• Released on: 1997-09-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Headline-grabbing personal upheavals turn into introspective surges on Homogenic, the third album by Icelandic singer Björk. Driven inward after a bizarre year accented by a much publicised mail bomb, airport cat fight and brawl between ex-lovers Tricky and Goldie, Björk gets lost in a wash of strings and minimalist techno patterns on her latest outing. The eccentricity and stylistic schizophrenia of Debut and Post have been cast away in favour of darker, more sublime edginess. Filled with songs about paranoia, heartbreak and lost faith, Homogenic not only showcases more mature themes, but a more uniform mood. Notch that up to Björk's decision to produce the album herself. Aside from a few nominal collaborations with Mark Bell of obscure techno outfit LFO and the Icelandic String Octet, this is the purest representation of the artist's vision. Little did we know that such a quirky personality would have such a bleak world view. Homogenic is almost too heavy to take in sitting, and songs, like the grating "Pluto", are downright unlistenable. But there are moments of inspiration that burn through the dark clouds, particularly on the contemplative "Joga" and the uplifting "Bachelorette". --Aidin Vaziri

CD Description
As one of modern music's most enigmatic and consistently entertaining personalities, Bjork has never shied away from the edge. Whether making straight ahead dance music, exploratory modern rock, or even show-tune-calibre drama, her vision has always remained innovative and original. Her voice jumps, in the space of a syllable, from a kitten-like purr to a banshee's howl, and is never anything less than captivating. HOMOGENIC, her latest musical endeavor, finds her plunging headlong into electronica, a form well-suited to her intense,offbeat phrasing and tone.
From the skittering breakbeats and ghostly wails of the opening "Hunter" to the all-out electronic crash that is "Pluto", HOMOGENIC explores the melding of human and machine. The drama of "Bachlorette" finds alush, rich string section following a tripping electronic beat, giving way to the Icelandic wonder's trademark wail. The juxtaposition of thoroughly modern sounds with conventional elements, such as symphonic arrangements, pipe organ, and accordion, form a central theme, to which HOMOGENIC's title undoubtedly refers. On HOMOGENIC, the traditional and the technological find their meeting point in Bjork's soaring, otherworldly voice.

Customer Reviews

Her Opus....
Much like the previous reviewer, I had neglected Bjork for so many (too many) years. I always (naively) considered her eccentricity to verge on self-indulgence. I was wrong. She is simply an artist of immense originality and intensity. With an obvious talent for utilising great producers such as Black Dog and Mark Bell, her vocals and lyrics are probably the most unique around, and to have matched this with some level of popularity is phenomenal. And she gets no better than on Homogenic.

The album opens with the hypnotic and twisting rhythms of Hunter; in itself a wonderful song, but more is to come. The deep beauty of Joga and Unravel, and then moves onto her greatest effort: Bachelorette. This is a song without comparison; sweeping strings, intense vocals and pure sublimity. In this movement, she manages to captivate all that is great about music: melody, harmony, rhythm, intensity, beauty. By this, the fourth track, you may feel a little bewildered by it all, but it simply continues, with the downtempo All Neon Like and the melodic pleading of Immature. She ups the tempo and energy somewhat with the funky Alarm Call, which should sound out of place, but as the title of the album suggests, merely heightens the eclectic powers of the album. Finally, she manages to finish on the pure driving and uplifting beauty of All is Full of Love. Simply stunning.

As with all Bjork albums, it is perhaps too eclectic, and I have found Pluto to be a little overstated and harsh, but it is still a worthy contribution.

Quite simply, this is a perfect album, filled with treasures and sublime production and vocals. Her lyrics constantly astound, and they are no better than here. You cannot neglect this woman.

A daring work of originality and genius!!!!!!
For many years I avoided Bjork at all costs. I think it was a combination of her heavily publicised eccentricity and my own personal fear of music that dared to break out from the realms of convention. I'm glad to say that this was all in my uneducated early teens when I went along with the crowds.
Now I listen to a more eclectic set of music with particular interests in underground dance and singer/songwriters. My first experience with Bjork was in the film 'Dancer in the Dark' and I have since collected all her albums. 'Homogenic' has become a particular favourite of mine as I feel it is the most emotionally wrought of all her work. Despite the heavy use of electronic and synthesised instrumentation, the music feels completely naturalistic and lyrical.
It would be hard to name my favourite tracks but I have a particular soft spot for 'Hunter', the first track, which feels so intensely personal that the listener is instantly drawn onto Bjork's wavelength. My other favourite is 'Pluto' which is possibly the most daring and audacious compositions I have heard for a long time. The harsh, electronic noises that are used will not instantly be to all tastes (apart from perhaps Aphex Twin fans). However, trust me you will grow to treasure it, even if you only reserve it for angry days.
Sometimes thrilling, occasionally disturbing, always refreshing, Bjork's third solo studio album is a rewarding and continually surprising work of genius. Miss at your peril!!!!

Still as important four years later....... stunning
As Homogenic is still one of my most listened albums in 2001, it must have some staying power, especially for someone as fickle as myself.

The album, a mix of electronica, strings and industrial rhythms is unique for its genre. The immaculate Joga, through to the harsh techno punk of Pluto, each song is complex, not to be listened but to be explored. Highlights include Joga, 5 years and the simple 6-note-scales-hook of Immature. Ending with all is All is full of love, possibly not as good as the video version, as it does free-fall but still enlightening all the same......

Excellent album - would recommend but take into account that it is quite 'heavy'. But still, an absolute classic.....

From the sounds of Bjork's recent New York gig in a church environment, featuring choirs, harps and harpischords, it looks like the next album Vespertine might be almost as excellent.