June 10, 2002 by A.S. Van Dorston

If Björk really is a member of the human race, then there’s hope for the rest of us..

Each song begins, middles and ends, as if from an alien’s point of view, reporting back (just like Robin Williams in “Mork and Mindy”) on the general state of good pop music here on our humble planet. 30 seconds into every song, you’ll be singing along as if you’ve heard it all your life, and yet you know you’ve never heard anything like it in the whole of your life.

“Human Behaviour,” the first single and one of the exceptional tracks on the album, starts the journey. Big, baaad, jazzy bass and drums; funky, nifty shakes; accompanied by a voice that seems to split and soar simultaneously – it would make an excellent James Bond theme! As if to set a precedent for the rest of the album, Björk is like the vision of Darryl Hannah’s character in Bladerunner: the music being the dark, dripping surroundings, her the quirky spark, repeating the line “Human behaviour…” as if those words had never been thought of before. (And that isn’t difficult to believe!). There are several gem-like moments on this LP, as in, for example, “There’s more to life than this” which is, apparently, recorded “Live at the Milk Bar Toilets.” Although the title is engaging in itself, it is forgotten as soon as the song starts. As if Björk was appearing as guest vocalist, the microphone follows her out of the club, into a cubicle where she continues to sing, until she’s finished her business and goes back to join the revelers. I mean, Deee-Lite will have wished that they’d have thought of that one!

And again on “Like someone In Love,” a song which could be used for the next Merchant-Ivory film; swathed with her delicate voice with only a harp and the occasional “rough sea waves” sound effects to accompany it – yeah, corny, I know, but brilliantly done. Elsewhere, you’ll find irresistible dub dance beats next to intoxicated trumpets, smooth steel drums. Pure jungle music. And her lyrics would be fit for the first time you fall in love, when you want your feelings put simply, but eloquently, as the Sugarcubes did on their last stab at perfection, “Hit.” “One day it will happen/one day it will all come true, she insists on “One Day,” just one example where she turns seemingly naive, idealistic lurrve views around and pokes them in the backside ’til they yelp and insist on you believing in them.

This album, wonderful as it exists, serves simply to show this woman’s capabilities. Apart from the obvious moments of genius – few of which I may have pointed out, others I hope you will find yourselves – the rest of the LP is filled with hi-energy versions of the best of this debut. But this makes me yearn even more. Richard James, fucking forget Curve, try this! This is the album that New Order could’ve made, or the kind of LP Jon Marsh of the Beloved would shit his pants in order to make….If the Pet Shop Boys are reading this (fat chance), you know what to do…

How many of you are human?

— Jennifer Brogan