Vespertine | Björk’s Romantic Microcosm Turns 24

During the 1990s, Icelandic artist Björk managed to create three iconic albums that would establish her as a symbol of the alternative and trip hop scene. Vespertine, released on August 27, 2001, proved that even in the new millennium her experimentation knew no limits, while her sound became increasingly refined.

The record’s central theme is the search for connection and the tender coexistence of sex, intimacy, and deep love, sketching her relationship with Matthew Barney from their first meeting to the moment they fully invest in one another. At the same time, it highlights the creation of a personal sanctuary in the process of self-discovery, as well as the value of surrender and new beginnings when reaching a dead end.

"Through the warmthest cord of care, Your love was sent to me. I'm not sure what to do with it."

For the first time, around 1998, the musician attempted to compose an album entirely on her own laptop. It was the moment she freed herself from the studio and claimed complete independence, paving the way for more women musicians to become producers of their own work. At that time, when the internet and digital music were not yet widespread, Napster appeared—the forerunner of torrents—allowing users to download music for free. While most opposed it, Björk’s pioneering spirit chose to use it to her advantage.

For the composition of her new album, she made use of instruments that would not lose their quality when her songs were downloaded from the internet and played through computer speakers, such as strings, celesta, harp, music boxes, and choirs. Musically, it is an album with multidimensional influences: glitch, atmospheric, trip hop, and art pop are just some of them.

Its predecessor, Homogenic (1997), was an extroverted album built around heavy electronic beats that mimicked the sounds of Icelandic volcanoes and geysers. In stark contrast, Vespertine captures the introspective and shy character of the experimental artist, crafted to be enjoyed at home with a cup of cocoa. Every moment of the album is a precious microcosm of emotions and sounds, with her distinctive voice accompanied at times by repeating loops, at times by enchanting choirs, and at times by strings or ASMR-like sounds.

"Fill the mouth with snow, The way it melts I wish to melt into you"

Each song can consist of up to thirty tiny beats, the composition of which she worked on for three years. Most of them were created at home, recording effects such as ice breaking, shuffling playing cards, lip movements, and blooming flowers, with the help of the electronic duo Matmos. She then magnified these sounds, transforming them into a unique sonic ecosystem.

Some of these unconventional practices are showcased during live performances, with the musician walking on ice while the Matmos duo either shuffles playing cards or gently caresses each other with amber, generating static electricity. She also enlisted a women’s choir from Greenland to add even more emotional depth.

The album’s aesthetics and videos move away from excess and take a more minimalist path. In “Hidden Place”, she appears without makeup, with fluids running from her eyes to her nostrils, depicting a loop of emotions that characterize a first encounter with someone, when no one knows where it will lead. “Pagan Poetry”, a love prayer to her partner, was banned by MTV for showing covered sexual scenes with Matthew and herself piercing an entire Alexander McQueen wedding dress onto her body. It is a visual masterpiece, directed by Nick Knight, that makes even the most awkward moments feel intimate.

"But he makes me want to hand myself over"

Overall, Vespertine is a shy masterpiece in which Björk celebrates love, sometimes in a pure and other times in a more sensual way. It is not a mundane collection of love songs, but an atmospheric journey into the psyche of a musician in love. It is the deification of love and sex, to the point that it resembles a cult or pagan worship.

"He's the beautifullest, fragilest, Still strong. Dark and divine"

The emotions become even more intense when we realize that fifteen years later, in the place of the pearls that adorned her chest, a huge wound would open, marking the end of this idyllic relationship. Vulnicura (2015) serves as a chronicle of the death of a once paradisiacal love, narrating its painful journey toward healing. That said, Vespertine remains so timeless that it could have been released just this year, and although 2001 feels far away, its lyrics are so human that anyone can relate. If it teaches us anything, it is that love is worth being vulnerable for, even if we don’t know where it will lead 🦢.