bastards

In 2011 Björk released one of the finest albums of her career, the ambitious Biophilia.

The album was part of a multi-faceted project which saw Björk collaborating with musicians, app developers, scientists, writers, and instrument makers to create a multimedia exploration of the interconnectedness of all things.

So to put it simply, bastards is a Biophilia remix album. But this is Björk, and nothing is ever simple.

Given the wealth of material surrounding the Biophilia album (numerous remixes, artworks, videos, apps, educational programming, and installations) bastards serves as a good introduction to the mind-bending breadth of the Biophila project.

But it does more than just that. The tracks on bastards offer a kaleidoscopic perspective of Björk’s genius by colliding her work with such diverse artists as Omar Souleyman, Death Grips, and Alva Noto.

There are numerous highlights, particularly the Syrian dance-stylings of Omar Souleyman and the electro-Wagnerian grandeur of Hudson Mohawke’s “Virus”.

Dubstep duo 16bit offer a surprisingly tasteful rendition of “Hollow” ornamenting the avant-garde classicism of the original with twitchy beats that phase in and out like a swarm of insects.

Renowned German sound artist Alva Noto proves a stunning choice to reimagine the subtle “Dark Matter”, providing a textured and pulsating ambience through which Björk’s vocals writhe.

If there is a weakness it lies in The Death Grips’ claustrophobic beats, which smother the original tracks.

Björk means challenging listening, particularly for new consumers of her sound. In saying that, bastards is a fascinating companion-piece to Biophilia: a stunning prism through which to view a brilliant album.

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