Song Of The Day: A Complex Acapella Masterpiece "Where Is The Line" by Björk

in recordpool •  7 years ago 

Björk linked up with a beatboxer named Rahzel, Gregory Purnhagen (baritone vocalist), Mike Patton (lead singer from Faith No More), and the Icelandic Choir to make one of the most intriguing, multi-layered records I've ever come across. Rahzel lays down a pounding, lush beat (and it always trips me out he's just using his mouth) while Bjork sings lead vocals backed by the incredibly uplifting and mood-stretching sounds of the Icelandic Choir.

The transitions in this song are fucking STUNNING to me. Long drawn out notes hop into staggered short ones. Lows jump up to highs and back down to lows like there's no structure at all and they're going wild. And somehow it works! The song gives me chills years after my first listen - and I love that. So many layers. So many conflicting parts that come together at the right time and feel like pure harmony.

Taken from her 2004 album Medúlla on One Little Indian Records and Elektra Records. Medulla was an even greater dip into the experimental/avant-garde pool than she'd previously attempted - and she already had been considered experimental in her career. When approaching production, Bjork wanted to move away from traditional instruments and electronic arrangements. Her solution was to make this album focused on the human voice alone as an instrument.

She remarked, "I wanted the record to be like muscle, blood, flesh. We could be in a cave somewhere and one person would start singing, and another person would sing a beat and then the next person sing a melody, and you could just kind of be really happy in your cave. It's quite rootsy"

It's the song that took my love for Björk up to a new level. I always loved her first album, Debut and still do. But "Where Is The Line" and Medulla in general made me really feel the power of acapella and choral arrangements. The voice as an instrument is so versatile. I like to see artists like her utilize the versatility of the voice to push boundaries past what we are comfortable hearing. Major fan of Bjork here. So if you are too let me know!

I think It's a very bold song. It might strike some people as really convoluted and chaotic at first, but I'll be happy if you grow to acquire a taste for its changing phases. The journey is worth it! If you get hooked on it, you're gonna be listening ten times in a row just like I did!

Björk - Where Is The Line?

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She is unique and powerful ... The best! I love her...

unique and powerful is right! no one else like her