Björk is back and Björkier than ever in her music video for The Gate.
The Icelandic singer-songwriter made the video in collaboration with Gucci’s Alessandro Michele and artist Andrew Thomas Huang.
“The Gate is essentially a love song, but I say ‘love’ in a more transcendent way. Vulnicura was about a very personal loss, and I think this new album is about a love that’s even greater,” notes Björk. “It’s about rediscovering love—but in a spiritual way, for lack of a better word.”
I find this deadly boring…she really lost the creative touch..
E x t r e m e l y B o r e e n g ! ! !
What is wrong with rhythm and melody?
i guess its too trendy when you “rediscover love”
If you do not like the melodies or rhythms of a particular piece of music, you should not feel threatened. Music with far less rhythm and melody than this has existed for millennia – does it all make you feel like there is something wrong with you?
No melody? She sings the same melody in every song .
Love the 90s futurism – reminds me of this “Mind’s Eye” videos!
He who cannot See creativity in this, cannot see.
I agree. This is stunningly beautiful and brilliant.
A person doesn’t have to like this, or “get it”, but I kinda feel sad for someone who is bored by this or thinks it isn’t creative. It is tempting to dismiss a work if the listener doesn’t appreciate it. (I probably do that all the time, but try not to be a jerk about it, … though sometimes, maybe, I am.)
Björk, Imogen Heap, Peter Gabriel, Todd Rundgren, Beatles, XTC, Thomas Dolby, Rubblebucket, all push the edge and make pretty lovely art. Boring to some, perhaps. Perhaps I’d be bored by what others find creative and exciting. I am pretty easily bored, but not by THIS!
I once had an ayahuasca journey that was like this
No disrespect to anyone.I listen to a very wide range of music from Drexciya, Wim Mertens, punk, Ambient Eno etc. Bjorks Homogenic contained such striking tracks with Mark Bell behind her.I heard Bjork when she was in KUKL, many years ago.I bought her last album and was left scratching my head .It is like buying an album by a pianist but that person plays a kazoo on the recording.
Love that voice.
A poignant but ultimately lazy composition. The video itself was more impressive in my opinion. Bjork is capable of so much better.
Amazing , mesmerising.
Certainly mesmerising. It’s her voice that is doing all the hard work and carrying the song. The music itself is definitely taking a back seat on this one and almost seems incidental. Basically, if she just had her voices sans the other instruments then it would have the same impact. Hence my criticism about the lazy composition. But maybe that was her intent.
You have a very specific definition of what composition is.
You wouldn’t like ‘Medúlla” then!
Au contraire my friend. I think that Medúlla nicely showcases her voice without all those pesky instruments interrupting…
This is the first of Bjork’s work I’ve enjoyed since Vespertine. I think I might like it more without the video, though.
Was fun to watch but the music left no lasting impression or desire to hear again.
I can’t imagine this piece of music without this video to help describe what it’s saying so visually. These are the first Bjork lyrics I’ve heard in ages that I really like and relate to, it’s a very honest and real description of “love” which western society has incorrectly mysticism do for the last century or three.. but the pace and structure of the song, I’d find hard to take without the visuals. They knit so well together and explain each other so perfectly, I’d say it was almost essential to the art for them to be together.
Is all a bit precious and over adorned for such a minimalist piece. I’m not big on CGI…but Bjork’s cool and can rest on her laurels…so I would say I am forgainst it.
I want to like this. At this point in the game however, it’s difficult. Bjork is trying to out do Bjork, but imho she’s not going about it in the right way. When the costumes and the special effects are better than your songs – it’s time to rethink. The problem I’m hearing is that Bjork keeps changing the carpet and the curtains, when it’s the furniture that needs changing the most. Different producers usually help give you different sonic textures. But you as an artist, if you write your own songs…have to think about different song structures, melodies, scales, keys, and as a vocalist – stylistic nuances and differences. This is where Bjork struggles. It’s the same kind of thing every time. She either used to be amazing, or she at least seemed fresh. Now it’s just costumes, and whatever a different producer can offer her.
It’s beautiful.
I don’t know what all the complaining is about, I thought this was fantastic. Then again, I completely understand where the imagery and sonic aesthetics/arrangement style is borne from. If you haven’t experienceD it, you Most likely will not undersTand it. The beginning was quite, erm, “vaginal”. I suppose that is what “The Gate” refers to.