Ranking Björk’s album Homogenic

Björk Guðmundsdóttir is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, and actress. Over her four-decade career, she has produced nine studio albums, one of them being Homogenic. Released September 20th, 1997, this is my ranking of her third studio album.

10.  “All Is Full of Love”

The closing track of Homogenic, “All Is Full of Love,” was written while Björk was in living in the mountains for six months. The song ended up being written and produced in half a day. In keeping with Homogenic‘s theme as a tribute to Björk’s native Iceland, the track was inspired by Icelandic mythology. The song is essentially about believing in love and how love isn’t just about two people, but it’s all around. I believe this song is a great ending to the album, but it’s just not my favorite lyric-wise.

Favorite Lyric: “Twist your head around/It’s all around you/All is full of love/All around you”

9. “All Neon Like”

With a length of five minutes and 55 seconds, “All Neon Like” is Homogenic‘s longest track. The subject matter of the song seems to be suffering and Björk needing to “heal” her lover. The ambient and drum-and-bass rhythms followed by her soothing vocals on this song are extremely comforting.

Favorite Lyric: “Not ’til you halo all over me/I’ll come over/Not ’til it shimmers ’round your skull/I’ll be yours”

8. “Unravel”

In “Unravel,” Björk uses a traditional Icelandic choir singing technique, which is a combination of speaking and singing. This song seems to be about infidelity and when two lovers are separate from each other, their love for each other starts to unravel. the song is made up of a slowly sweeping melody, saxophones, and distant-sounding electronic beats.

Favorite Lyric: “While you are away my heart comes undone/It slowly unravels in a ball of yarn/Devil collects it with a grin/Our love in a ball of yarn”

7. “Pluto”

“Pluto”, the ninth song on the album, is for sure powerful, explosive, and full of anger. It perfectly encapsulates that angry feeling we all have felt with a strong electronic beat and Björk’s almost scary singing of some of the lyrics, and the crescendo of repeated “oohs” with shrieks and screams is the perfect thing to listen to when in need of releasing emotions. While intimidating at first,  it is easy to come to appreciate the sheer intensity of the song and allows for an interesting segue into the last track of the album.  

Favorite Lyric: “Excuse me, but I just have to explode/Explode this body off me”

6. “5 Years”

The sixth track on Homogenic, “5 Years” is about someone Björk loved and wanted a relationship with, but it was never reciprocated. Through this song she explains that the person isn’t afraid of the relationship, but that they simply can’t love someone else. 

Favorite Lyric: “I’m so bored of cowards/That say they want/Then they can’t handle”

5. “Immature”

In “Immature,” Björk repeats the same stanza with, at times, soothing vocals but then at other times a yell/belt, which really emphasizes the songs meaning. Anyone who has gone through relationship issues can easily relate with the transparency Björk communicates with. This is another song that showcases the landscape and feeling of Iceland through sound and music.

Favorite Lyric: “How could I be so immature/To think he could replace/The missing elements in me”

4. “Alarm Call”

As the fourth single of the album, “Alarm Call” mainly speaks of re-awakening through music. Björk wanted to show how music has the power to change so many things, and although it may seem that things will never get better, there is still a glimmer of hope and nothing is as bad as it seems. The line “It doesn’t scare me at all” repeats throughout the entire song, creating confidence in the listener.

Favorite Lyric: “The less room you give me/The more space I’ve got/It doesn’t scare me at all”

3. “Hunter”

Homogenic’s opening track, “Hunter” is mainly about how Björk feels obligated to produce music. Because of her success from her previous albums, she felt pressured as she began to notice how her creative output directly affected the life of those around her. The song is dark and eerie, which perfectly encapsulates the feeling of having a target on someone’s back. This track impressively establishes the setting and sound of this album well.

Favorite Lyric: “I thought I could organize freedom/How Scandinavian of me”

2. “Jóga”

“Jóga” is the lead single on this album and is dedicated and named after both Björk’s best friend and Iceland as a whole.  It is easily a fan favorite for many Björk listeners and for good reason, too. It’s emotional, it’s fierce, and yet another intense but enjoyable listen. The strings are back for this song, but they are still as beautiful and compelling. This is a great song for new listeners to hear what Björk is all about.

Favorite Lyric: “Emotional landscapes/They puzzle me/Then the riddle gets solved/And you push me up to this/State of emergency”

1.“Bachelorette” 

This song paints a scene in the listener’s head, along with feeling the intensity of the strings and beats colliding with her powerful vocals. It is an epic song with lyrics that are truly up for interpretation, which makes it even better. Emotionally charged and theatrical, “Bachelorette” really makes the listener feel something.

Favorite Lyric: “I’m a path of cinders/Burning under your feet/You’re the one who walks me/I’m your one-way street”