Even on its third full listen, Björk's "Biophilia" still turns up surprises. More so than any of her albums since "Homogenic" (1997), "Biophilia" is a nuanced, mysterious album that only divulges its secrets after multiple solid listens. The lush production of the record gives it a depth that defies initial impressions. Every aspect of Björk's varied sound is contained somewhere on this record: Her love of unusual acoustic instrumentation with improvised instruments, her meticulous usage of electronic elements and her keen ear for vocal harmonies are all evidenced in full.
The opener, "Moon," begins with a descending harp melody that persists through most of the song. Björk soon throws an ominous electronic bass drum into the mix, recalling the sparse juxtaposition of acoustic and synthesized sounds that characterized past Björk classics like "Joga" from "Homogenic." Even though the song dwells on a handful of musical elements, they are in constant flux, repeating different phrases in an elaborate pattern that mimics the phases of the moon itself.
Since "Vespertine" (2001), Björk's songwriting style has always favored free moving structures over more rigid verse/chorus forms. "Biophilia" is a testament to the strengths of this approach. The listener never knows where the song is headed. Björk's unusual sense of melody and harmony makes it impossible to predict the future of any of the tracks. This is not to say that expectations aren't fulfilled — they just rarely take the form one anticipated. One of the most satisfying things about "Biophilia" is how it plays with these expectations and subverts them to create an even richer musical experience.
No track exemplifies this principle more than "Crystalline." The song opens with a delicately rhythmic line on the "gameleste," a hybrid of a Javanese gamelan and a celeste, which Björk had built for the album. Though the song goes through several repeated cycles in its initial phases, its conclusion peaks with one of the most unexpected moments in recent musical history. What starts as a relatively dainty track breaks down with one of the most aggressive samplings of the fabled amen break ever. For just a few moments, Björk goes into the same territory as Squarepusher and other IDM legends, all before finishing the track up and moving on to the next one.
"Biophilia" had a strange release strategy. Björk first released songs from the album as iPhone and iPad apps, placing the tracks within the context of strange mini−games that influenced the audio in different ways. While many were skeptical about how such a release pattern would affect the album's conventional release, those fears can be safely put aside. Even though the songs may have been written with this interactive medium in mind, they are the most cohesive set of tracks Björk has released in years.
One of the most impressive achievements of the album is how utterly distinct each track is. Even after the first listen, the different moods and aesthetics of each song continue to stand out. Despite how unique each track is, they all coalesce beautifully, creating a unified album that is more than the sum of its parts. Part of this has to do with the brief silences that separate each song. Unlike previous albums, Björk wisely chooses to eschew the inter−track segues that permeated "Homogenic." The brief gaps between each song build anticipation and cleanse the listener's palette, making each song all the sweeter when it starts.
By the time "Biophilia" concludes, the listener has been legitimately taken on a journey, as cliched as that sounds. Listening to the album straight through is one of the most immersive musical experiences to be had this year. Grab a good set of headphones, turn out the lights and enjoy the album from its first second to its last — you won't regret it.
