Like everyone else at the beginning of the new year, I decided I wanted to change myself, make self improvements, and do something to make 2020 stand out from any other year.

In 2020, I would like to change “my sound” and introduce myself to new artists that I’ve never really given thought to. An artist  I’ve started listening to is Icelandic singer/songwriter, Björk. I chose Björk out of pure curiosity, mainly because I had never heard of her until a few months ago. I never gave any thought to her, because she sounded different and unusual from any other artist that I knew.

The album I chose to review was her 1995 album, Post. I will admit, the cover art for Post is what drew me into the album. It’s vivid and bright with Björk standing smack center. What I began to listen to was electric. It almost felt like being in a trance-like state. The songs may have been long, but it felt as soon as I began to play the song, it was over. “Enjoy” especially captured that state of mind for me. It may have been 3 minutes 57 seconds long, but it felt like it was over as soon as it started.

“It’s Oh So Quiet” is actually a cover version of a song of the same name. It’s a simple song, with it beginning, quite literally, quiet, but as soon as the chorus arrives the song bursts out loud with beautiful, simplistic, jazzy music. The jazz sound that it holds makes it different from the rest of the songs on Post. 

I’m not a fan of slow songs. However, Björk was able to change my mind with “Possibly Maybe,” where she sings about moving on from one of her past lovers, who happened to direct the music video for the song. In “Possibly Maybe”, she talks about how she is able to be herself again and how she doesn’t have to anticipate the unnecessary comments from her former lover. 

Post was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1996. The video for “It’s Oh So Quiet” was nominated six times at the MTV’s Video Music Awards, winning for Best Choreography in a Video. 

Post is one of Björk’s albums that many of her fans look back on positively. Post may sound strange to someone who has never even listened to it before. I almost turned myself away from it, but I decided to give it a chance. In doing so, I find that I’ve come to “Enjoy“ Post; I “Possibly Maybe“ even love the album. With the world being a chaotic mess lately, it’s nice to get away from “The Modern Things,” lie in bed with my “Headphones” on and listen to Björk sing “Hyperballad.”