VOLTA

'Volta' is the seventh studio album by Icelandic experimental musician Bjork.

Bjork is one of those musicians that really can't be placed under any one genre of music. She has combined rock, jazz, trip-hop, ambient, techno, industrial, and who knows what else. Because of this, I've always seen her as avant-garde or experimental. I grew up listening to her albums 'Debut', 'Post', and 'Homogenic', but I didn't get this album until about a year ago. With that, I must say this is one eclectic release.

The album opens with the pulsing tribal beats of 'Earth Intruders'. I love the atmosphere of this song, there is a lot of different experimentation with the electronics here. From droning to menacing effects, the electronics are very strong. Bjork's vocals are also very strong on this track. The song ends with boat horns and other noises, ending the song on a pretty odd note. 'Innocence' is another highlight, which begins with what sounds like a guy getting punched in the face. The beats in this song feel like a punch in the face, pulsing throughout. 'Vertebrae by Vertebrae' is an interesting song, starting out feeling like a film score. Later some electronic sounds come in, making it sound a bit different. 'Hope' is a unique track, containing tribal drumming and a clavichord into a surprisingly good mix. My favorite on the album is undeniably the droning 'Declare Independence' This song uses distortion perfectly, it soon developing a melody to it. Once the pounding beats come in, it immediately becomes a real headbanger. Bjork's vocals are very raw and it's awesome when she screams 'Declare Independence, Don't let them do that to you'. I love the lyrics on this one too.

Those are the highlights, but I like most of the songs on the album. The only songs I don't like are 'The Dull Flame of Desire' and 'My Juvenile', not only do I not usually like ballads, but I really don't like Antony Hegarty's vocals. He sounds like a lounge singer, making these duets sound incredibly cheesy.

Overall, I find this to be one of Bjork's best albums along with 'Homogenic' and 'Debut'. I highly recommend this album for anyone who wants something different and something that is very eclectic.

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