Björk: that woman lets hits go

Ever since interviewing Björk in her Sugarcubes days, my partner’s been accusing me of the Icelandic siren being my fantasy-lesbian… I’ve been denying it, of course, but have to admit that of all the women I’ve interviewed/met – and that includes J-Lo, Elle, Madonna, Shania, Mariah, Alicia Keys, Pink, Britney, et al – there’s no woman like Björk. She radiates some inner sexuality no-one can resist and if you happen to be bisexual – you’re in double-trouble!

And you can talk with her crazy, intellectual, chat, goss… She’s an incredible person and artist. Thus, her ‘Greatest Hits’ is not only a certifiable gem due to there being no artisan of her ilk creating this kinda sonar spectrum but also reflecting so many of her facets, each as kookily charming as the next… Of course no compilation is perfect and there are always omissions – in this case, ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’, her greatest hit – but it’s her public to blame. (I didn’t register my choice, so there.)

Björk faithfuls picked the tracklisting via her Website and the actual order, I assume, is by number of votes cast because the album starts with last year’s ‘All Is Full Of Love’ followed by ‘Hyperballad’ from 1996. I was told to play the album loud (if you can’t -- use headphones) and, believe me, it gets really extra-good! It is a treat to hear again ‘Venus As A Boy’, sounding as fresh as in 1993, as well as ‘Big Time Sensuality’ (Remix). Perhaps, it is superfluous to point out non-dated trait because it implies that it reflected its era; Björk’s music has never been concerned with any time-frame but her own.

Her view’s always been askew, from a different angle, an individual perspective… The impression has always been that Björk becomes a character for a song’s duration and thus allows for the ‘part’’s snap- shot opportunity to surface. It gets spellbinding most of the time, but she also knows how to disturb well, alike on the haunting ‘Jòga’, the downright chilling is ‘Bachelorette’; ‘Play Dead’ is knockdown gorgeous. There is a new song, ‘It’s In Our Hands’, that is a pretty, little ditty but on a lighter side of her oeuvre. Interesting background noises, worthwhile sentiment but delivered a tad too straight.

Still, unchronological order affords (easy) comparing of different stages in her career and the ultimate question is whether she’s become tamer or weirder? Well, let’s repeat Alice In Wonderland’s conclusion that it was getting – ‘Curiouser and curiouser’.

Björk is one and so unique that even if we had few more like her, it wouldn’t devalue her preciousness. I’m off to Reykjavik.

9/10