Happy 25th Anniversary to Björk’s Telegram, originally released November 25, 1996.
Throughout her prolific career, the Icelandic artist Björk has always stood out for her talent, eclecticism, and innovative, visionary skills that propelled her to always push herself and her music out of mainstream schemes, paving the path for many artists to come.
Since her earliest years, Björk has exhibited her precocious talent, which helped her to sign her first record deal leading to her first album, the self-titled Björk released in 1977 when she was only 11 years old.
During her teenage and young adult years, the artist started seeking and molding her sound, experimenting with different genres and founding several bands, such as the all-girl punk group Spit and Snot, the jazz-fusion group Exodus, and the trio Tappi Tíkarrass which was later featured in the documentary Rock in Reykjavík.
While forming her next group Rokka Drum, Björk began to develop her blueprint vocal skills she is renowned for today—the howling and high-pitched screams.
In 1986, the artist, her former husband Þór (Thor) Eldon, and Bragi Ólafsson gave birth to The Sugarcubes, a psychedelic post-punk group reminiscent of Talking Heads’ whimsical lyrics and sounds.
In late 1987, the trio signed to One Little Indian, an independent British record label, which led to the release of their three albums Life’s Too Good (1988), Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! (1989) and Stick Around for Joy (1992).
The Sugarcubes’ second album did not turn out to be as successful as expected, prompting Björk to work on developing her solo career, which was initiated by her official debut album Debut (1993). Debut came to life as a tasteful art-pop project, exuding Björk’s joy in her newfound artistic identity. The playful, exquisite arrangements, the broad combination of genres, and the impeccable vocals were the first signs of the artist’s unique sense of innovation, striving to trailblaze new music horizons.
Her second album, the critically acclaimed Post (1995), reflects Björk’s life changes after she moved to London. The new project combines quirky beats with personal lyrics, aiming at integrating the experimentation of different genres into popular music while using a broad emotional palette. The outcome was a darker album than Debut, finding the artist delving deeper into introspective territory through her sense of restlessness, anger, strength, and instincts.
In late November 1996, Björk released Telegram. With her new album, the eclectic artist kept pioneering the post-rock scene with a stunning, more expansive sonic spectrum.
Many argue that Telegram is a mere remix record, however, the artist herself has suggested otherwise. “Telegram is really Post as well but all the elements of the songs are just exaggerated,” Björk explained in an interview shortly after the album’s release. “It's like the core of Post. That's why it's funny to call it a remix album, it's like the opposite.”
Although Telegram may indeed consist of remixed version of songs first heard on Post, the artistic efforts put into the new work are rather obvious. Telegram is not a heedless bunch of rejiggered renditions pieced together; on the contrary, Björk tirelessly reworked and re-elaborated these compositions, recording new vocals, layering new instrumentals, and collaborating with a thoughtfully selected group of artists from the avant-garde and electronic settings.
Telegram, hence, does not play like a remix album, as the diversity of sounds, arrangements, vocals, and instruments make the record unique in its genre and acutely dissimilar from Björk’s previous artistic output. Telegram spans a vast array of genres and styles, proof of the artist’s wide-ranging sonic experimentation.
The metallic-sounding trance and bass of the album-opening “Possibly Maybe” (Lucy Mix) adorned with hushed distorted gibberish vocals later inspired the artist’s peers, such as the French electronic duo Daft Punk, who extensively use the twisted voice element. Similarly, “Enjoy” (Further Over the Edge Mix) is a growling electric-industrial noise defined by its onslaught of clashing drums.
One of the best and most clever ideas on Telegram was to rework “Hyperballad” in a neo chamber baroque-pop key, adding a gorgeous set of strings courtesy of the Brodsky Quartet. The stunning vocals and the new arrangement make the song more incisive, emotional, and arguably more credible than the version found on Post.
The quirky “My Spine” is a collaboration with percussionist Evelyn Glennie. According to Glennie, Björk and she sought to experiment with percussions, and despite the enormous collection of percussive instruments, they decided to use homemade tuned car exhaust pipes which were played with four hands glockenspiel mallets, creating a gamelan-like sound in contrast to the sustenance of Björk’s voice.
“I Miss You” presents another collaboration with British hip-hop artist and producer Dobie, propelled by its alluring mid-tempo beat, jazz-flavored horns, and powerful hypnotic vocals showcasing Björk’s impressive vocal range. The lyrics and delivery perfectly express the gloom and yearning for the perfect future lover, as she sings “I miss you / But I haven't met you yet / You felt gorgeous / But I haven't met you yet / I remember / But it hasn't happened yet / So special / But it hasn't happened yet.”
The cinematic “Isobel” was arranged and produced by Bossa Nova master pianist and musician Eumir Deodato. The song boasts one of the most complex instrumentations on the whole album, consisting of a string set layering the main melody, congas, drums for the rhythm section and subtle acoustic guitar and bass lines. Like “Isobel,” “You’ve Been Flirting Again” displays a full orchestra setting, with a swirling string section again arranged by Deodato, spectral sound effects, and reverberating vocals.
“Cover Me” produced by Dillinja and “Army of Me” (Masseymix) have been innovatively and creatively deconstructed and reworked into electro-trance pieces forged on hypnotic clanging drum and bass collisions and muffled babble.
“Headphones” closes the album, setting a calm, peaceful atmosphere, perhaps depicting the moment of tranquility right before falling asleep. “Genius to fall asleep to your tape / last night,” Björk reflects. “Sounds go through the muscles / These abstract, wordless movements / They start off cells that haven't been touched before / Nothing will be the same / I like this resonance / It elevates me / I don't recognize myself (Sleep) / This is very interesting.”
To this day, Telegram still does not easily fit into the rigid confines of the “remix album” category, as the songs have been skillfully reinvigorated, lyrically, melodically, arrangement-wise, and stylistically, to the point that on the new record, there is not a single trace of Post. It would, therefore, be erroneous and a pity to reduce such a considerable body of work to a mere remix album, as it truly offers so much more.
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