A thread on why "Medúlla" (2004), the fifth studio album by the Icelandic artist Björk, is one of her best works as well as my personal favourite (with background/explanation):

Not many people know it or at least they don't seem to talk about it, but Medúlla is a continuation of the domestic vibe showcased on Vespertine, with its main theme of motherhood (pregnancy, breastfeeding) and how it focuses on the human body and the way it works.

It was also a response to the happenings of the world at that time, especially 9/11. She wanted to return to the carefree life she led in her teens, away from world's noise, among her family and friends.

The album was almost fully composed from the instrument she knew the best - human voice. It was a return to the raw, primal nature of humans, to the very beginning of our existence, before any signs of the destructive civilization.

That's as well where the album's title comes from - "medulla" is a Latin medical term for bone marrow, the "core" of a human body. Björk desired to rewind the "stuff that has gone wrong", to return to the cave and erase the bad deeds of humanity, to forget nations and borders.

In fact, the original title for the album was "Ink", as in her mind it alluded to blood, something that has been inherited by us for centuries, the ancient spirit that keeps us going.

To sum up, Medúlla is the domestic altar built to protect the tribal essence of humanity from its own modern mistakes. The album cover portrays the themes perfectly, and it can be seen in all the little details.

The hair mask is supposed to represent the cocoon you wire yourself up in to protect your instincts; it symbolizes the domestic, familial feel of the record, while also keeping something eerie in itself. It was made by Shoplifter, another artist rooted in Iceland.

The necklace, on the other hand, seems to be made of little bone imitations. Björk wanted to remind the listener of what we are made of, hence the "bodily" material, referring to the fact that the album itself is made of human essence (voice) and speaks on it, too.

Various features from musicians around the world proved how universal the human nature and experience is, no matter any circumstances that would be a barrier in modern Western civilization.

The sound of the album might be quite primitive, even ominous at times. All the background melodies are sung by choirs and "human trombones", and the beat-driven tracks feature beatboxing - something that Björk would restrain from at first, saying that it seems to obvious for

a vocal album. However, hearing Rahzel's improvising, she thought he's one of a kind and "beyond any cliché", and therefore invited him to contribute. He's performing on the "domestic rave" tracks, such as "Who Is It" and "Triumph of a Heart".

Some tracks provide distorted or sampled vocals of Björk herself, even if they don't sound strictly like a human voice ("Mouth's Cradle", "Desired Constellation"). Only one track ("Ancestors") features a sound other than singing, that is piano.

1) PLEASURE IS ALL MINE, the opening track, talks about the pride Björk felt as a mother, being able to give life and provide all the things necessary for an infant to survive. She says "when in doubt, give", referring to how sometimes it's hard to read the intentions of a child,

but even if she isn't certain about her daughter's needs, she's still going to trust her gut and take care of her. The track is the first one on the album to feature the acclaimed Inuit throat singer, Tanya Tagaq.

2) SHOW ME FORGIVENESS is a sort of an acapella interlude, where the singer expresses shame for letting herself down due to outer circumstances. It might refer to the self-sacrifice she felt was needed after giving birth.

3) WHERE IS THE LINE presents frustration Björk felt with her brother after he was leaning on to her rather than working on his own. She highlights there is nothing wrong with seeking financial help in her, but way too many times has he crossed the line. The overall sound of this

song sums up her emotional instability and frustration, getting even more sinister as it progresses. The singer Mike Patton of the American band Faith No More contributed to the "evil" vocals, as Björk desired to "have a bit of rock" in there.

4) VÖKURÓ ("vigil") is a rendition of a traditional Icelandic lullaby, yet another highlight of the maternal side of Medúlla, where the narrative talks to a child about the surrounding nature and expresses will to protect them from danger.

5) ÖLL BIRTAN ("all the brightness") is an interlude made up from Björk's vocals only. She creates her own language - something she's been already known for. She said that it's a step back to how she'd composed her first songs as a teenager, being too shy to sing proper words.

6) WHO IS IT was the first single from the album. It's a beatbox-driven track, telling the story of a person who finds their happiness in others' support. It was originally written for Vespertine, but delayed as it felt "too physical" for the delicate-sounding 4th release.

Björk compares the function of a skeleton to the fortress construction, which she compares to the safety and stability given by her lover. She then encourages the listener to think themselves of such a person in their lives, saying that what goes around, comes around.

7) SUBMARINE was inspired by Björk's laziness and lack of inspiration in work during her pregnancy. She wishes to be woken up from "the heavy deep sleep", comparing her behaviour to how slowly a submarine moves under the water. It also might symbolize how a child feels in

mother's womb. English musician Robert Wyatt contributes to the song with his Viking-like background vocalizations, as well as singing the lead vocals along with Björk.

8) DESIRED CONSTELLATION's backbone is a delicate sample of the singer's voice off the song "Hidden Place", the opener track of Vespertine. The lyrics describe how a person might want to recompensate all the good deeds once directed towards them.

Continued here: https://twitter.com/whispertine_/status/1209155431299473408?s=19