This collaboration between the Dirty Projectors and Bjork has previously only been avaialable to download from www.mountwittenbergorca.com where all the proceeds benefit the National Geographic society's sustainable ocean program and has already raised over $40000 for that cause. Now I don't have the fancy vinyl version in front of me that will have a 12"by 12" three dimensional lenticular cover of Mount Wittenburg which I'm sure will appeal to the Bjork and Dirty Projectors collectors.
This is a mini album of 7 songs that last a total of 21 minutes that on listening seems a lot longer.
Ocean the opening track starts with a didgeridoo like hum and vocal stabs that are almost like they are singing scales and then Bjork sings about swimming in the ocean. It is very affecting and cool. On and Ever Onward has some very Oh Superman-style backing vocals over which Bjork sings with some back and forth emoting with the backing singers about swimming around an ocean like a whale.
When The World Comes to and End has Dave Longstreth taking the lead vocals over the female vocalising and a wicked guitar line that comes in towards the end, it makes some waves in the flotation tank enviroment we seem to be slipping into. Beautiful Mother combines handclaps with the Oh Superman backing vocals and a pulsing drum to good effect like one of those Swedish folk bands like Garmana or Groupa.
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Sharing Orb has a real "eh Oh" repetitive part at the start that makes it like listening to the Teletubbies while in a flotation tank - a bit disturbing at that. No Embrace has David Longstreth singing again, this time over an almost quiet jazz backing that almost breaks out into something a bit more lively towards the end.
Then on the closing song All we Are, Bjork sounds very fragile indeed and the song almost isn't there at all as she sings about going to infinity. In this case we will be floating there ever so slowly and mellow. This isn't what I was expecting at all and is all the better for that, but that said it will not appeal to anyone expecting the poppy end of Bjork's ouevre. This is more at the slightly bonkers and out there end of her scale!
Domino Records online
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