aaamusic | On 18, Nov 2012

Experimental artist Bjork is well established in Iceland as an electronica, worldbeat, drum & bass and rock musician. Her latest album gathers “the essence of the remixes” and she’s helped by the artists she loves: Death Grips, The Slips, 16-bit, Current Value, Hudson Mohawke, Alva Noto, Matthew Herbert, Omar Souleyman and These New Puritans.

Bastards, her third remix album, is released on 19th November, 2012 on One Little Indian records. These are remixes of tracks from her 8th studio album, Biophilia. They were previously released on The Crystalline Series and the Biophilia Remix Series and remastered by Mandy Parnell.

Omar Souleyman’s beautiful remix of Crystalline pulsates heavily and restlessly with synthesizers and a warm eastern rhythm. Soft but powerful Virus, remixed by Scotland’s Hudson Mohawke, changes a wind chime inspired original to something more ambitious and Sacrifice has eerie, unsettling sounds combined with broken vocals and strange arrangements. Solstice changes an ambient sounding original into dark, aggressive dub step.

These are colourful, eclectic mixes that are more personal, intimate and interesting than Biophilia’s scientifically themed music. Bjork’s new, original album is not too too unconventional or avant-garde to prevent it being accessible. She remains a stunning, talented artist with an international appeal.

Track list: 1. “Crystalline” (Omar Souleyman Remix) 2. “Virus” (Hudson Mohawke “Peaches and Guacamol” Rework) 3. “Sacrifice” (Death Grips Remix) 4. “Sacrifice” (Matthew Herbert’s Pins and Needles Mix) (edit) 5. “Mutual Core” (These New Puritans Remix) 6. “Hollow” (16-bit Remix) 7. “Mutual Core” (Matthew Herbert’s “Teutonic Plates” Mix) 8. “Thunderbolt” (Death Grips Remix) 9. “Dark Matter” (Alva Noto Remodel) 10. “Thunderbolt” (Omar Souleyman Remix) 11. “Solstice” (Current Value Remix) 12. “Moon” (The Slips Remix) 13. “Crystalline” (Matthew Herbert Remix).

★★★★★

Anthony Weightman