"Volta" stands as Björk's most gutsy and challenging effort yet.
On her sixth studio album, the quirky Icelandic songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pumps out a visceral musical response to our hyper-modern times, tackling the current twin savagery of nature (global warming) and humans (war) and offering up the unique perspective for which she's come to be universally known.
Having first made waves in Europe and America in the late '80s as the lead singer of the Sugarcubes, Björk cultivated a loyal fan base, which has come to expect and enjoy that each new album emerges appreciably different from its predecessors. True to form, "Volta" represents a highly-charged sonic opposite to her last album "Medulla." While "Medulla" was comprised almost entirely of sounds made by voices, "Volta" utilizes a 10-piece female Icelandic brass band, a Congolese experimental group, an American hip-hop hitmaker, a Chinese pipa player and two live drummers.
Two songs best communicate her concern for both the planet and its people: Lead single "Earth Intruders" features beats by Timbaland and sounds like an alien space jam, but it was written after Björk witnessed the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami first-hand. If there's any doubt which way she might weigh in on international affairs, her "Declare Independence" is the ultimate anthem for freedom anywhere in the world, returning the artist to her shouty punk roots over a drilling beat.
Her efforts here promise that Björk—a star in her homeland since she was 11—will continue to grab equal attention for her prodigious musical talents as well as her unquestionably unique (swan dress) sartorial splendor.
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