Fossora Explained

Fossora
Type:studio
Artist:Björk
Cover:Fossora.png
Alt:The artist in a blue glown, with a large, blue, glowing jellyfish-like object on her head, surrounded by assorted strange purple plant life, over a black background
Recorded:2021–2022[1]
Genre:
Length:54:14
Label:One Little Independent
Producer:Björk
Prev Title:Country Creatures
Prev Year:2019

Fossora is the tenth studio album by Icelandic singer-musician Björk. It was released on 30 September 2022 through One Little Independent Records.[3] [4] [5] [6] The album was recorded mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic and centers around the theme of isolation, loss, and grief, mainly of the death of her mother, Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir, in 2018.[7] The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 11 and the US Billboard 200 at number 100. It received a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, becoming Björk's ninth consecutive nomination in the category.

Background

Fossora was partially inspired by the 2018 death of Björk's mother, Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir; the songs "Sorrowful Soil" and "Ancestress" are about her, as well as how Björk dealt with her grief. In the album's liner notes, the former is subtitled "a eulogy for Hildur Rúna", and the latter is subtitled "an epitaph for Hildur Rúna". The album was conceptualized during the COVID-19 lockdowns after Björk travelled to Iceland to record. Keeping with the album's themes, its title is the ungrammatical feminine version of the Latin word for "digger". The album features contributions from American singer Serpentwithfeet, Björk's two children Sindri and Ísadóra, Indonesian dance duo Gabber Modus Operandi, and clarinet sextet Murmuri.[8] [9] [10] [11] The album was also set to feature contributions from the Venezuelan producer Arca like Björk's previous two albums Vulnicura (2015) and Utopia (2017), but due to the pandemic, Björk was unable to visit her in Barcelona or to welcome her at home.[12]

"Allow" is an outtake from the sessions for Utopia, that was rearranged for Fossora.[13] Per an interview with Pitchforks Jazz Monroe, Björk says the album began as "very conceptual, like: 'This is the clarinet album!' Then halfway through, I was like, 'Fuck that. She described it as an Iceland album': often uninhibited and volatile, but also steeped in the country's choral and folk traditions, with strings Björk programmed at her local coffee shop." Her interest in mushrooms "unified the record's themes of survival, death, and ecological meditation." She frames the album in contrast to her previous Utopia, with that album being "a skybound haven after her traumatic divorce" from longtime partner Matthew Barney and Fossora being her return to Earth. She describes the fungus metaphor as "something that lives underground, but not tree roots. A tree root album would be quite severe and stoic, but mushrooms are psychedelic and they pop up everywhere."[14]

Promotional campaign and release

The lead single, "Atopos", along with its cover art, was announced on 24 August.[15] The release date was later confirmed for 6 September, with the song premiering on BBC Radio 6 Music.[16] The second single, "Ovule", was released without any prior announcement on 14 September, along with a music video directed by Nick Knight, who had also worked on Björk's own "Pagan Poetry" music video in 2001.[17] The third single, "Ancestress", featuring Björk's son, Sindri Eldon, was released on 22 September.[18] The title track was released as the fourth single on 27 September 2022.[19] The music video for "Sorrowful Soil" premiered on 2 December.[20] On 30 March 2023, the music video to the title track was released. Premiering at one of Björk's Cornucopia shows in Lisbon, Portugal, the "Victimhood" music video was not officially released until 5 September 2023, alongside an interview with the music video's director, Gabríela Fridriksdóttir.

Fossora was released as a digisleeve CD, deluxe hardbound book CD, limited clear and silver 'spore' glitter cassette, and double LP; a turquoise variant of the LP exclusive to her official website and record label; a green variant of the LP being exclusive to indie record stores; standard black and 4 other color variants (burgundy, lime, silver, and clear) were also available from other specific retailers.[21] A second cassette edition released with a turquoise tape shell was released in November 2022, in addition to full 2023 represses of several colour vinyl editions with the updated master audio that was finished after the first 2022 pressings had gone in to production. On 7 November 2023, on Björk's website, a Fossora boxset was announced as a pre-order (to ship later, in November 2023). This boxset includes two 10-inch records on crystal clear vinyl, with five "re-imagined" tracks from the Fossora album, a 100% silk oversized scarf, two fine art pigment prints, an "Atopos" score book, an illustrated booklet, a music notebook, a Fossora alphabet poster, and a certificate of authenticity. This boxset was priced at £200.00; roughly US$245.

The Fossora Remixes

On 9 December 2022, Icelandic electronic trio Sideproject unveiled their remix of "Atopos".[22] On 20 January 2023, Irish-Scottish producer Sega Bodega released a remix of "Ovule". The remix features vocals from English rapper and DJ Shygirl, and Sega "exploring chill-bassdrum-gabba".[23] On 22 April 2023, the Record Store Day, Björk released a double A-side 12" of both remixes. The reversible two image sleeve featured Nick Knight and Viðar Logi imagery with black metallic hotfoil lettering designed by M/M Paris and crystal-clear vinyl.[24]

Critical reception

Fossora was met with acclaim from critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 22 reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.

Concluding the review for AllMusic, Heather Phares declared that "On this soul-nourishing tour de force, her one-of-a-kind mix of innovation and emotion is as inspiring as it's ever been over her decades-long career." At Clash, David Weaver claimed that, "there is no doubt that with Fossora, Björk is restating her individuality, thematically examining her place in the world as a 56-year old musician, whilst assuredly pushing sonic boundaries from neo-classical to industrial noise." Paul Bridgewater shared similar sentiments in the review for The Line of Best Fit; "Fossora does indeed bang harder than any of her albums have for a long time and yet it's not an abrasive record at heart."

In a review of the album for NME, Emily MacKay declared it "An album of reinfatuation and reaffirmation, Fossora is invigorating in its drive, if there's little of real surprise here; hard as the mushroom-gabber beats are, if you've heard 'Pluto' or 'Mutual Core', you won't be shocked." Pitchfork reviewer Jill Mapes described Björk's performance as being "grounded back on earth, searching for hope in death, mushrooms, and matriarchy, and finding it in bass clarinet and gabber beats." Will Hermes at Rolling Stone stated that "Fossora zooms in Google Map-style, looking at people on the ground and in the room, measuring distances between them. The sonic landscape is still huge—awesome, as alien as it is familiar, full of otherworldly arrangements, tectonic beats, and craggy melodies that conjure the terrain of her native Iceland. The artist described it as something of her 'mushroom' album, using metaphors about burrowing in the dirt. In short, it's Björk at her absolute Björkiest."

Amongst the few reviewers that were more critical of the album, Slant Magazine writer Sam C. Mac wrote that, "The Icelandic iconoclast's compositional sense is as unbound as ever, her songs amoeba-like organisms transfiguring from one second to the next across the album, in line with a logic that's defiantly hers alone, both for better and worse."[25] Austin Saalman compared the album less favorably to Björk's oeuvre, in the review for Under the Radar; "Fossora is less engaging than Utopia, Vulnicura, and Biophilia, and except for 'Ovule', 'Ancestress', and 'Allow', cannot compete with her 1990s and early 2000s output."[26] At Paste, Max Feedman called it "a dense, challenging experiment that gradually coheres into an immersive and sometimes unsettling experience," but also noted that it wasn't without its, "occasional missteps along the way."[27]

The album's third single, "Ancestress", was named the 18th best song of 2022 by Pitchfork.[28]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Organization! scope="col"
AwardStatus
Grammy AwardsBest Alternative Music Album[29]
Icelandic Music AwardsAlternative Album of the Year[30]
Recording Direction of the Year
Album Cover of the Year
Libera AwardsBest Pop Record[31]

Year-end lists

Publication! scope="col"
AllMusic[32]
Exclaim!28[33]
The Line of Best Fit5[34]
Louder Than War18[35]
Mojo59[36]
Mondo Sonoro25[37]
The New York Times
(Jon Pareles)		8[38]
Paste50[39]
Pitchfork12[40]
Uncut46[41]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Björk, except for "Ovule" additionally produced by el Guincho and Sideproject.

Notes

Personnel

"Atopos"

"Ovule"

"Mycelia"

"Sorrowful Soil"

"Ancestress"

"Fagurt Er í Fjörðum"

"Victimhood"

"Allow"

"Fungal City"

"Trölla-Gabba"

"Freefall"

"Fossora"

"Her Mother's House"

Charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[42] 55
Icelandic Albums (Plötutíðindi)[43] 4
Irish Independent Albums (IRMA)[44] 5
Italian Albums (FIMI)[45] 52
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[46] 54
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[47] 31
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[48] 47
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[49] 37
US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[50] 20

External links

Notes and References

  1. Björk: Fossora (2022). Booklet.
  2. Earth Mutha. Mojo. London. November 2022. Alamy. 82.
  3. Web site: Ravens . Chal . 19 August 2022 . 'I got really grounded and loved it': how grief, going home and gabber built Björk's new album . 19 August 2022 . . 19 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220819051207/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/aug/19/i-got-really-grounded-and-loved-it-how-grief-going-home-and-gabber-built-bjorks-new-album . live .
  4. Web site: Roberts . Randall . Björk's response to the pandemic? 'Dance like a crazy person' . . 26 January 2022 . 26 January 2022 . 26 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220126030527/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-01-25/bjork-cornucopia-tour-pandemic . live .
  5. Web site: Callwood . Brett . Björk Returns Refreshed to Cornucopia Tour . . 26 January 2022 . 20 January 2022 . 25 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220125162736/https://www.laweekly.com/bjork-returns-to-cornucopia-tour-refreshed/ . live .
  6. News: Pearis . Bill . 31 August 2022 . Björk shares Fossora cover art, announces release date . BrooklynVegan . 3 September 2022.
  7. News: Sanchez . Gabrielle . 19 August 2022 . Björk announces new "mushroom album" filled with gabber beats and bass clarinets . . live . 20 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820041707/https://www.avclub.com/bjork-announces-new-album-fossora-1849433279 . 20 August 2022.
  8. News: Breihan . Tom . 31 August 2022 . Björk Reveals Fossora Cover and Release Date . Stereogum . 13 September 2022.
  9. News: Sanchez . Gabrielle . 19 August 2022 . Björk announces new "mushroom album" filled with gabber beats and bass clarinets . . 20 August 2022 . 20 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820041707/https://www.avclub.com/bjork-announces-new-album-fossora-1849433279 . live .
  10. Zemler . Emily . 19 August 2022 . Björk Announces Grief-Inspired New Album Fossora . . 20 August 2022 . 19 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220819121424/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bjork-fossora-album-announcement-1234577952/ . live .
  11. News: Monroe . Jazz . 19 August 2022 . Björk Announces New Album Fossora . . 20 August 2022 . 20 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820114552/https://pitchfork.com/news/bjork-announces-new-album-fossora/ . live .
  12. Web site: Jacquet . Matthieu . 2023-03-13 . Les confidences de Björk : "Je place beaucoup d'espoir dans les champignons !" . 2023-03-14 . Numéro Magazine . fr.
  13. Web site: How to Listen to Björk, According to Björk . The Atlantic . 30 September 2022 . 30 September 2022 . Kornhaber . Spencer.
  14. News: Monroe . Jazz . 20 September 2022 . Björk: Mother, Daughter, Force of Nature . Pitchfork . 20 September 2022.
  15. News: Skinner . Tom . 24 August 2022 . Björk announces new single "Atopos" and shares official Fossora artwork . NME . 24 August 2022 . 24 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220824183254/https://www.nme.com/news/music/bjork-announces-new-single-atopos-and-shares-the-official-fossora-artwork-3296929 . live.
  16. News: Kenneally . Cerys . 5 September 2022 . Björk to unveil Fossora lead single "Atopos" tomorrow . The Line of Best Fit . 5 September 2022.
  17. Web site: Monroe . Jazz . 14 September 2022 . Watch Björk's Majestic Video for New Song "Ovule" . 14 September 2022 . Pitchfork.
  18. Web site: Ancestress (feat. Sindri Eldon) - Single . . 21 September 2022 . 22 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220922030132/https://music.apple.com/nz/album/ancestress-feat-sindri-eldon-single/1645559160 . dead .
  19. News: Pearis . Bill . 27 September 2022 . Bjork shares title track to Fossora (that's out this week) . BrooklynVegan . 27 September 2022.
  20. Web site: Monroe . Jazz . 2 December 2022 . Björk Serenades a Volcano in "Sorrowful Soil" Video: Watch . 3 December 2022 . Pitchfork.
  21. Web site: Bjork- Fossora (Indie Exclusive Green Vinyl) .
  22. Web site: sideproject remix Björk's "Atopos" . . Cerys . Kenneally . 9 December 2022 . 14 December 2023.
  23. Web site: Björk Enlists Shygirl and Sega Bodega for New Remix of "Ovule": Listen . Jazz . Monroe . 20 January 2023 . 14 December 2023 . Pitchfork.
  24. Web site: Björk to Release 'the fossora remixes' Record Store Day 12" Double Single . . 21 April 2023 . 14 December 2023 . Michael . Major.
  25. Web site: Björk 'Fossora' Review: An Evocative Album Uprooted by Its Disparate Ambitions. Mac. Sam C.. Slant Magazine. 1 October 2022. 4 October 2022.
  26. Web site: Fossora Under The Radar Magazine. Saalman. Austin. Under the Radar. 30 September 2022. 7 October 2022.
  27. Web site: Bjork: Fossora Album Review - Paste. Saalman. Austin. Paste. 30 September 2022. 7 October 2022.
  28. Web site: 5 December 2022 . The 100 Best Songs of 2022 . 5 December 2022 . Pitchfork.
  29. News: Horton . Adrian . Lee . Benjamin . February 5, 2023 . Grammy Awards 2023: list of winners . The Guardian . March 22, 2023.
  30. Web site: TIL HAMINGJU MEÐ ÍSLENSKU TÓNLISTARVERÐLAUNIN! . Iston.is . 23 March 2023 . Icelandic.
  31. News: Simon . Perry Michael . June 16, 2023 . A2IM Announces 2023 Libera Awards Winners . . June 16, 2023.
  32. News: AllMusic Best of 2022 . AllMusic . December 5, 2022.
  33. News: Brasil . Sydney . November 30, 2022 . Exclaim!s 50 Best Albums of 2022 . Exclaim! . December 1, 2022.
  34. News: Bridgewater . Paul . December 5, 2022 . The Best Albums of 2022 Ranked . The Line of Best Fit . December 5, 2022.
  35. News: December 2, 2022 . Albums of the Year 2022 – The Top 100 . Louder Than War . December 2, 2022.
  36. News: Pearis . Bill . November 15, 2022 . Mojos Top 75 Albums of 2022 . BrooklynVegan . November 16, 2022.
  37. News: Lagares . Salomé . December 1, 2022 . Los 50 mejores discos internacionales de 2022 . Spanish . Mondo Sonoro . December 2, 2022.
  38. News: Pareles . Jon . December 1, 2022 . The New York Times: Jon Pareles' Best Albums of 2022 . The New York Times . December 1, 2022.
  39. News: Freedman . Max . November 28, 2022 . The 50 Best Albums of 2022 . Paste . November 28, 2022.
  40. News: Hussey . Allison . December 6, 2022 . The 50 Best Albums of 2022 . Pitchfork . December 6, 2022.
  41. News: Sacher . Andrew . November 11, 2022 . Uncuts Top 75 Albums of 2022 . BrooklynVegan . November 11, 2022.
  42. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 10 October 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1701. 6. 10 October 2022.
  43. Web site: Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 40 – 2022. Plötutíðindi. is. The Music – Albums – Week 40 – 2022. 12 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221011181310/http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/. 11 October 2022.
  44. Web site: Top 20 Indie Individual Artist Albums . . 7 October 2022 . 7 October 2022.
  45. Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 40 (dal 30.09.2022 al 06.10.2022). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. 8 October 2022.
  46. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/133963/rank/. ja:ビョークの売上ランキング. Björk Sales Ranking. Oricon. ja. 5 October 2022.
  47. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dia/w/2022-10-10/p/4/. ja:週間 デジタルアルバムランキング 2022年10月10日付 （2022年09月26日～2022年10月02日）. Weekly Digital Album Ranking dated October 10, 2022 (September 26, 2022 – October 2, 2022). Oricon. ja. 5 October 2022.
  48. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2022/10/05 公開. Billboard Japan. ja. 5 October 2022.
  49. Web site: Veckolista Album, vecka 40. Sverigetopplistan. 8 October 2022.
  50. Bjork Chart History (US Top Rock & Alternative Albums). Billboard. 11 October 2022.

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