- "Björk music"
- "Björk music"
- a good pop song / Michael Jackson
- À propos de sa façon de travailler
- À propos de sa musique
- À propos de son premier album sorti en 1977
- À propos du genre, du féminin et du masculin
- a statement against religion
- acoustic VS electronic
- acting
- acting for Michel Gondry
- acting your age
- acupuncture
- acupuncture
- age
- aging
- aging
- alcohol
- alcohol
- alcohol
- alternative careers
- always evolving
- always singing
- always singing
- always traveling
- always writing songs
- America
- America
- american culture
- American Idol
- animal rights
- animals
- Army Of Mixes
- arrangements for concerts
- art
- artistic freedom
- astrology, being a scorpio
- authority
- autographs
- Avoir un enfant jeune
- awards
- bad jokes
- Banda Aceh
- Bedtime Stories
- Bedtime Stories
- being a celebrated child star
- being a live singer
- being a musical scientist
- being a producer
- being a singer
- being ambitious before a tour
- being an artist and a producer
- being an exhibitionist
- being called a pixie
- being called a pixie
- being called a pixie
- being called an elf
- being called an elf
- being called an elf
- being called child-like
- being called different
- being called different
- being called mad
- being called strange
- being called weird
- being called weird
- being conservative
- being drunk
- being experimental
- being famous
- being famous in England
- being famous in Iceland
- being glamorous
- being happy
- being heckled while playing live
- being her
- being Icelandic
- being in control of your life
- being innocent
- being interviewed
- being like a warrior
- being lusted after by fans
- being macho
- being misunderstood
- being obsessed with the sea
- being organized
- being praised by other artists
- being pregnant
- being responsible
- being sulf-sufficient
- being the same
- being the same
- being tough
- being weird
- being with another artist
- being young and old
- best venues to perform at
- big cities
- boats
- books
- boredom
- boys
- boys
- boys
- boys
- boys
- Brazil
- Brazil
- bringing politics into music
- britpop
- buddhists
- budget restriction
- bureaucracy
- buying a houseboat
- buying an island
- buying an island
- buying an island
- Canada
- Canada
- cellphones & cameras
- challenging her fans
- changes
- character
- charity
- Charlies Angels
- cheesiest record she bought
- childhood
- childhood memories
- China
- chinese medicine
- choosing songs for an album
- chord sounds
- Christmas
- christmas in Iceland
- classical music
- club music
- clubbing
- collaborating
- collaborating
- collaborating
- collaborating
- collaborating
- collaborating
- collaborating
- collaborations
- collaborations
- collaborations
- collaborations
- collaborations
- collaborations
- comedy
- communicating
- communication
- Computers
- computers
- contemporary music
- coping with fame
- Credits
- crying
- cybersex
- dance music
- dance music vs pop music
- DAT machine
- Denmark
- Des influences hétéroclites
- dictaphones
- discipline
- Disneyland
- doing her own thing
- doing the same thing
- doing the same things
- doing what you want
- downloading music
- downloading music
- dragqueens
- drinking
- drinking
- drugs
- drugs
- drugs
- dumb Americans
- earthquakes
- earthquakes
- earthquakes
- electricity
- electroclash
- electronic music
- electronic music
- electronics
- elves and faeries
- elves and trolls
- emotions
- emotions
- emotions
- emotions
- emotions in her songs
- england
- England
- England
- England
- enjoying reaching a large audience
- eskimos
- ex-boyfriends
- experimental working
- explaining her work
- Extreme things
- falling in love
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- fame
- family
- family
- family
- fan mail
- fan mail
- fandom
- fandom
- fashion
- fashion
- fashion
- fashion
- fashion
- fashion
- fashion
- favorite drink
- favorite music video director
- favourite film music composer
- feeling sentimental
- feminism
- feminism
- feminism
- feminism
- feminism
- festivals
- festivals
- festivals
- finding her sound
- folk music
- food
- football
- friends
- fulfillment
- gay fans
- getting married in Iceland
- getting pregnant
- getting pregnant
- getting pregnant
- getting signed again
- ghosts
- ghosts
- gibberish
- gibberish
- giving an old lady a heartattack
- giving birth
- giving Isadora icelandic roots
- Gling-Gló
- going solo
- going solo
- going to a speech therapist
- Grammy nomination
- greatest hits
- growing older
- growing up
- growing up
- growing up
- growing up
- growing up
- growing up in Iceland
- growing up, living in a commune
- guitar rock
- guitar rock
- guitars
- guns
- hairy things
- having a baby
- having a comfort zone
- having a press officer
- having a song in the back of her head
- having different relationships
- having kids
- headphones
- heat
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her 1977 album
- her accent
- her accent
- her age
- her best friend
- her best quality
- her biggest fear
- her biggest flaw
- her childhood
- her crash
- her ears
- her eccentric sense of fashion
- her epic songs
- her family
- her fans
- her fascination with swans
- her favorite artists
- her favorite singers
- her favorite sound
- her favorite videos
- her favorite vocal instrument
- her favourite animal
- her favourite books
- her favourite film
- her favourite number
- her favourite painter
- her favourite place
- her favourite remix
- her favourite things
- her favourite venue to play live
- her first memory
- her first record
- her grandmother
- her gravestone
- her height
- her hemispheres
- her Icelandic roots
- her laptop
- her laptop
- her last meal
- her life
- her lucky charm
- her mission
- her mission as an artist
- Her mission in life
- her mothers sacrifice
- her music being personal
- her music being played on the radio
- her music being unique
- her music in movies
- her musical evolution
- her musical evolution
- her musical evolution
- her musical evolution
- her musical style
- her name
- her parents
- her parents
- her parents support
- her passion for paper
- her perfume
- her personality
- her personality
- her previous albums
- her public image
- her relationship to music
- her rights
- her ringtone
- her rolemodels
- her scar on the palm
- her second pregnancy
- her sisters and brothers
- her songs
- her songs
- her sort of music
- her videos with Michel Gondry
- her voice
- her voice
- her voice
- her voice
- her way of writing music
- Hollywood films
- homeopathic medicines
- how Icelanders love to sing
- how photos are an extension of music
- how she got inro music
- how to organize an accident
- how to remain inspired
- hunting
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland
- Iceland being trendy
- Iceland in England
- Iceland VS New York
- Iceland VS New York
- Iceland, being famous there
- Icelandic economy
- Icelandic isolation
- Icelandic music
- Icelandic music
- Icelandic self-sufficiency
- if "Björk" is real
- if love has influenced her
- if she is a vegetarian
- if shell ever move back to Iceland
- imitation
- immigrants
- independence
- independence
- influences
- inspirations
- instruments
- Internet
- internet
- internet
- Internet and music
- internet effect on music
- interpreting music as directions
- interviews
- interviews
- interviews
- interviews
- interviews
- interviews in Icelandic
- interviews in Icelandic
- Ireland
- Japan
- Japan
- Japan
- Japan
- joy of music
- jungle
- knowing Björk
- knowing early what to do with her voice
- KUKL
- L’école de musique
- L’Islande
- L’Islande
- lace
- languages
- learning to sing
- leaving home
- leaving home
- life
- life as a fairie tale
- live music
- London
- London
- London
- London
- London
- London
- losing her voice
- losing her voice
- love
- love
- love
- love
- love
- love
- love - falling in vs staying in
- loyalty
- lyrics
- lyrics in English vs Icelandic
- lyrics in English vs Icelandic
- magic
- making a concert intimate
- making a song
- making hits
- making music
- marriage
- martial arts
- mathematics
- media
- megalomania
- melodies
- metal
- minimalism
- missing London
- money
- money
- money
- moomin trolls
- moving away from her son to NY
- moving to England
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to London
- moving to New York
- moving to New York
- moving to New York
- moving to New York
- moving to Spain
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music
- music being math
- music being real
- music being truthful
- music for headphones
- music for herself
- music school
- music videos
- music videos
- music videos
- music videos
- music videos
- music vs love
- musical taste
- myths about her
- narrowminded people
- Náttúra
- Náttúra Campaign
- natural evolution
- nature
- nature
- nature
- nature and techno
- new years eve in Iceland
- New York
- New York
- New York
- newspapers
- noises
- normality
- not aiming to be famous
- not being a poet
- not being influenced by her boyfriend
- not doing many sad songs
- not having enough time
- not thinking about sales
- Olympics
- optimism vs pessimism
- other Icelandic bands
- other jobs
- other jobs
- other jobs
- pagan
- passion
- people she respects
- performing
- performing live
- phobias
- photo shoots
- picking who she works with
- Pierrot Lunaire
- playing at a grunge festival
- playing in Iceland
- poetry
- politicisation
- politicisation
- politics
- politics
- politics
- politics VS music
- pop music
- pop music
- pop music
- pop music
- pop music
- praise
- pregnancy
- privacy
- Pro Tools
- producing her own music
- psychotherapy
- publicity
- raising a child
- reading
- reading the press about herself
- reality vs fantasy
- recording with her laptop
- recording with people
- relationship with music
- relationships
- releasing a lot of stuff
- releasing her songs
- religion
- religion
- religion
- religion
- religion
- religion
- religion
- remastering her albums
- remixes
- remixes
- remixes
- Ren and Stimpy
- representing her generation
- revealing too much of yourself
- running out of time
- sad songs
- sailing
- sales of her albums
- saxophones
- scandinavia
- secrets
- September 11th
- September 11th
- sex
- sex
- sex
- sex
- sex, death & life
- sexiness
- sexism
- sexism and feminism
- sexism and feminism
- sexuality
- shoplifting
- shopping
- Shotokan Karate
- sibelius
- sight, hearing or voice ?
- Sindri
- Sindri
- singing
- singing in cities
- singles
- singles
- Sirkus (a bar in Iceland)
- smoke machines
- solitude
- Son éducation
- songwriting
- soul in music
- speaking english vs icelandic
- spirituality
- splitting up
- spontaneity
- stalkers
- stalkers
- stereotypical Icelanders
- Story Of The Eye
- Story Of The Eye
- Story Of The Eye
- storytelling
- strings
- studio vs live
- styles
- superstardom
- sustaining herself
- Synchronicity - the Hot Chocolate song
- taking risks
- teaching
- technology
- technology
- technology vs nature
- technology with soul
- technology with soul
- the 1%
- the Army Of Me-xes charity album
- the Army Of Me-xes charity album
- the Bangkok incident
- the Bangkok incident
- the Bangkok incident
- the Bangkok incident
- the Bangkok incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the bomb incident
- the cat who wanted to fly
- the Family Tree
- the good things in life
- the humor in her music
- the importance of music
- the internet
- the LOTR story & Emiliana Torrini
- The Master and Margarita
- the music industry
- the music she listens to
- the paparazzi
- the paparazzi
- the paparazzi
- the problem with airplanes
- the real Björk
- the Scanner lawsuit
- the song order on her albums
- The Sound Of Music
- the Spitting Image sketch
- the swan dress
- the swan dress
- the swan dress
- the swan dress
- the swan dress
- The swan dress
- the swan dress
- the swan dress
- the Tsunami tragedy
- the ultimate live venue
- the war in Iraq
- Tom Ka Kai Soup
- touring
- touring
- touring
- touring
- touring
- touring
- touring VS family
- touring with a child
- touring with a child
- tours evolutions
- travelling
- travelling influences
- trees
- turn-ons
- ugly sides
- unconsious music
- USAs patriotic reaction to 9/11
- using opulent metaphors for music
- using the internet for promotion
- Vie privée
- Vie privée
- violin strings and blood vessels
- visual aspect
- vocal exercises
- vocal rehearsing
- Volta being more accessible
- Volta being political
- walking
- welfare in Iceland
- what happiness is
- what inspires her
- what music she listens to
- what ordinary is
- what she hears inside her head
- what she is like
- what she wears
- what shed do if she werent a musician
- what shes like when shes drunk
- when youre 11
- who she admires
- why she moved to New York
- why she will never wear jeans & a t-shirt
- why shes dated so many musicians
- words
- words
- work
- working at a Coca Cola bottling plant
- working class
- working with American males
- working with gays
- working with previous lovers
- working with the same people
- world music
- writing about now
- writing music intovertly
- yoga and meditation
- 1977 album
Náttúra
Let’s talk about the song itself. How did it come together ?
It came from my frustration after doing the Náttúra concert. I felt, wow, this all went really well, but it was just one more environmental event that wasn’t going to change anything. The aluminum factories were just going to stick their fingers in their ears for five minutes. I was touring, in hotel rooms, dressing rooms around the world, with a lot of spare time.
I had all the files from Volta on my computer. I was really excited by sort of tribal drums, and felt maybe if I had spent another year on Volta I would have gone further into that sort of stuff. I took Brian Chippendale’s drums for "Earth Intruders", which we actually didn’t use ; we used him mostly on "The Dull Flame of Desire". So I started editing that like crazy in the hotel rooms, and not in a 4/4 way, which a lot of beat editing is usually, but rather in clusters. But it didn’t have to fit to a grid or Logic or all these software programs that are all about the Lego. So I took Brian’s drums and made this new song out of his drums. I think the beat from "Náttúra" would be really hard to play live, even for Brian Chippendale. I mean, he does incredible things, I don’t mean it like that. But it sort of was harnessing his energy and taking it in more organic units than grid units.
Once I had that, I sang on top of it. I just sang it in one take. It’s just a celebration of nature and how unpredictable it is and you cannot control it and you just have to kind of like let it fall all over you and go with it.
How did Thom Yorke get involved ?
I’ve always been so against this kind of, like, send to someone and they sing and then they send. I was like, fuck that. Actually, this is the only song out of all of the collaborations I’ve done over all the years. But I was like what should I do ? They are going to build those aluminum factories oh my god and I am stuck in a hotel room in Singapore ! What can I do about this ?
So I emailed Thom Yorke. He was in another hotel somewhere, I think in Germany or something, and he just sang on top of that into his computer and emailed it back to me.
Then I was with Mark Bell, he was with me on tour, and he programmed these little things to support what I edited from Brian’s drums. Just put sort of like Photoshop on the bass drum, because it was all taken it out of context, what I edited. So like the bass drum, where the one is, needed accents, so he did very subtle stuff like that.
I think we all had a go at the bassline. I knew I wanted a huge, rude bassline. I tried a few and they were either too rude or I don’t know what. I wanted it to be the main thing. Then Thom Yorke tried a bassline, Mark Bell tried a bassline, everybody had a go. And then I was in London and I called my friend Matthew Herbert. I said, "I am in a hotel room and I need a bassline now ! They are going to build the aluminum factories ! Come quick !" [laughs] It was hilarious. He’s one of the funniest people I know. He just came with a suitcase of gadgets. He was like, "I feel like the bass doctor ! Emergency ! Save the planet !" Just then and there, with headphones and mini bar biscuits, he did a bassline on it. Then I had the song ready. And Mark "Spike" Stent mixed it for free.
Then I came to Iceland eight weeks ago and I was like OK, let’s put it out. But then I thought, let’s face it, it’s gonna get all this media attention. I can use it as a torch to put that light on the problems. But I can’t do that now. So that’s why I ended up going to this eight weeks of going out there and meeting all the job development centers in the countryside, reading every single suggestion of a seed company there ever has been in Iceland that I know of and meeting all the companies that are doing that anyway. I don’t want to take too much credit, there are a lot of people out there doing that anyway, but maybe what I did was more just bring them all together.
pitchforkmedia 10-22-08