Homogenic
493390
225740984
2008-07-15T04:40:57Z
Mrperfect125
6866971
{{Infobox Album
|Name = Homogenic
|Type = [[Album]]
|Artist = [[Björk]]
|Cover = Bjork_-_Homogenic_album_cover.jpg
|Released = [[23 September]] [[1997]]
|Recorded = El Cortijo Studios, [[Spain]]<br>August 1996–August 1997
|Genre = [[Electronica]], [[ambient music|ambient]], [[trip hop]], [[techno]], [[Intelligent Dance Music|IDM]], [[alternative rock]], [[Dance music|Dance]]
|Length = 43:58
|Label = [[One Little Indian]]<br />[[Elektra Records]]<br />[[Polydor Records]]
|Producer = Björk<br>[[Mark Bell (LFO)|Mark Bell]]<br>[[Guy Sigsworth]]<br>[[Howard Bernstein|Howie B]]
|Reviews =
*[[Allmusic]] {{Rating-5|5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rbxuakjkjm3x link]
*''[[New Musical Express|NME]]'' {{Rating-5|4.5}} September 1997 (p. 54)
*''[[The A.V. Club]]'' (Mixed) [http://avclub.com/content/node/9375 2002]
*[[Pitchfork Media]] (9.9/10) [http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15467/Bj%C3%B6rk_Homogenic 1997]
*''[[Rolling Stone]]'' {{Rating-5|4}} [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/160171 1997]
*''[[Slant Magazine]]'' {{Rating-5|5}} [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=243 2007]
*''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' {{Rating-5|4.5}} October 1997 (p. 135)
|Last album = ''[[Telegram (album)|Telegram]]''<br>(1997)
|This album = '''''Homogenic'''''<br>(1997)
|Next album = ''[[Selmasongs: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack Dancer in the Dark|Selmasongs]]''<br>(2000)
|Misc = {{Singles
| Name = Homogenic
| Type = album
| single 1 = [[Jóga]]
| single 1 date = September [[1997]]
| single 2 = [[Bachelorette (song)|Bachelorette]]
| single 2 date = December [[1997]]
| single 3 = [[Hunter (Björk song)|Hunter]]
| single 3 date = March [[1998]]
| single 4 = [[Alarm Call]]
| single 4 date = October [[1998]]
| single 5 = [[All Is Full of Love]]
| single 5 date = June [[1999]]
}}}}
'''''Homogenic''''' is the fourth album by [[Iceland]]ic [[singer-songwriter]] and [[musician]] [[Björk]], released on [[23 September]] [[1997]] by [[One Little Indian]] and [[Elektra Records]]. It was written in collaboration with producer [[Mark Bell (British musician)|Mark Bell]] of [[LFO (band)|LFO]]. It has sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide. It peaked at number four on the [[UK Albums Chart]]. It was also nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album|Best Alternative Album]] at the [[Grammy Awards of 1998|1998]] [[Grammy Award]]s while "[[All Is Full Of Love]]" was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video|Best Music Video]]. The album was re-released in 2006 as a [[DualDisc]] including new [[Digital Theater System|DTS]] 96/24 5.1-channel surround sound mixes. The DualDisc also formed part of the ''[[( surrounded):|(____surrounded):]]'' box set.
==Album concept==
Björk continually describes ''Homogenic'' as an extension of her personal feelings. In interviews, she called the album her "most me yet"<ref name="her">[http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/homogenic/ Homogenic being the most "her" yet] ''Homogenic official site'' Retrieved [[2008-01-27]]</ref> and "emotionally confrontational."<ref name="vs">[http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/homogenic/ Homogenic vs Vespertine] ''Homogenic official site'' Retrieved [[2008-01-27]]</ref> Claiming that there are no surprises on ''Homogenic'',<ref name="her"/> Björk wanted to make a minimalist album with few tools: a string orchestra, vocals, and synthetic beats.<ref name="toys">[http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/homogenic/ Little toys] ''Homogenic official site'' Retrieved [[2008-01-27]]</ref> She has revealed that the album's name stems from the fact that all of the tracks are relatively similar<ref name="name">[http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/homogenic/ The title "Homogenic"] ''Homogenic official site'' Retrieved [[2008-01-27]]</ref> and did not realise that "homogenic" is not actually an [[English language|English]] word, referencing English as her second language.<ref name="name"/> In an interview for [[Muziekkrant_OOR|Oor]], Björk said:<ref name="contra">[http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/homogenic/ Icelandic techno] ''Homogenic official site'' Retrieved [[2008-01-27]]</ref>
{{cquote|I wanted to make it an honest record. Me, here, myself, at home. I asked myself if there is such a thing as Icelandic techno, and how it could sound. Well, in Iceland, everything revolves around nature, 24 hours a day. Earthquakes, snowstorms, rain, ice, volcanic eruptions, geysers... Very elementary and uncontrollable. But at the other hand, Iceland is incredibly modern; everything is hi-tech. The number of people owning a computer is as high as nowhere else in the world. That contradiction is also on Homogenic. The electronic beats are the rhythm, the heartbeat. The violins create the old-fashioned atmosphere, the colouring. Homogenic is Iceland, my native country, my home.}}
==Track listing==
All tracks by Björk and Mark Bell, unless otherwise noted.
#"[[Hunter (Björk song)|Hunter]]" – 4:15
#"[[Jóga]]" (Björk/[[Sjón]]) – 5:05
#"[[Unravel]]" (Björk/[[Guy Sigsworth]]) – 3:17
#"[[Bachelorette (song)|Bachelorette]]" (Björk/Sjón) – 5:16
#"All Neon Like" – 5:53
#"5 Years" – 4:29
#"Immature" – 3:06
#"[[Alarm Call]]" – 4:19
#"Pluto" – 3:19
#"[[All Is Full of Love]]" – 4:32
===Japanese special edition===
#<li value=11>"Jóga" (Howie B. Main Mix) – 5:00
#"Sod Off" – 2:54
#"Immature" (Björk's version) – 2:48
#"So Broken" – 5:59
#"Nature Is Ancient" – 3:39
#"Jóga" (Alec Empire Remix) – 8:44
On the Spanish edition a second [[Compact Disc|CD]] with "So Broken" was included.
==Critical reception==
''Homogenic'' was extremely well received by critics and the general public alike. [[Allmusic]]'s Heather Phares gave the record a perfect five-out-of-five star rating, citing it as more emotionally deep than any of her previous work and a "seamless fusion of chilly strings, stuttering, abstract beats, and unique touches like an accordion and glass harmonica."<ref name="amg">[http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rbxuakjkjm3x Homogenic] ''Allmusic'' Retrieved [[2008-01-27]]</ref> Writing a review of the album for [[Pitchfork Media]], a website known for its harsh reviews, Ryan Schrieber graded ''Homogenic'' as an extremely rare 9.9-out-of-10, boldly claiming that Björk has started to re-define what music actually is rather than its sound.<ref name="fork">[http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15467-homogenic Record reviews - Homogenic] ''Pitchfork Media'' [[2008-01-27]]</ref> Like most critics, [[Rolling Stone]] praised the juxtaposition and contradiction of live strings and synthesised beats, eventually naming it one of the boldest albums of [[1997]].<ref name="stone">[http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/160171 Bjork - Homogenic] ''Rolling Stone'' Retrieved [[2008-01-28]]</ref>
==Samples==
{{multi-listen start}}
{{multi-listen item|filename=Hunter.ogg|title="Hunter"|description="Hunter" by Björk|format=[[Ogg]]}}
{{multi-listen end}}
==Charts and certifications==
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Country
!align="left"|Peak position
!align="left"|Certification
!align="left"|Sales
|-
|align="left"|Australia
|align="center"|6
|align="center"|Gold
|align="center"|35,000
|-
|align="left"|Austria
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|-
|align="left"|Canada
|align="center"|20
|align="center"|Gold
|align="center"|50,000+ <ref name="Canadian Recording Industry Association">[http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php Homogenic charts] ''CRIA'' Retrieved [[2007-09-16]]</ref>
|-
|align="left"|Finland
|align="center"|10
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|-
|align="left"|France
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|2x Platinum
|align="center"|556,500+
|-
|align="left"|Norway
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|-
|align="left"|Sweden
|align="center"|5
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|-
|align="left"|Switzerland
|align="center"|13
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|-
|align="left"|UK
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|Gold
|align="center"|100,000+
|-
|align="left"|U.S.
|align="center"|28
|align="center"|Gold
|align="center"|500,000+ <ref name="Recording Industry Association of America">[http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH RIAA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
|-
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/homogenic/ ''Homogenic'' mini-site]
{{Bjork}}
[[Category:Björk albums]]
[[Category:1997 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Mark Bell]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Howie B]]
[[de:Homogenic]]
[[es:Homogenic]]
[[fr:Homogenic]]
[[is:Homogenic]]
[[it:Homogenic]]
[[he:Homogenic]]
[[nl:Homogenic]]
[[pl:Homogenic]]
[[pt:Homogenic]]
[[ru:Homogenic]]
[[fi:Homogenic]]
[[sv:Homogenic]]
[[tr:Homogenic]]