Björk - Electronic Artist and Innovator

             I decided to focus on Björk for someone who helped electronic innovation. As a wild musician known now to create crazy-sounding music, she helped to bring electronic and dance music back in the 90s in a whole new way. This can be seen on her album Post that was released in 1995. It is said that it was one of the first albums to use trip hop. It included deep industrial beats as well. But what Björk did was include classical instrumentation along with it, making it very unique.

             After Post though, she decided to solely go along the route of experimentation and bizarre song structures. This helps open the eyes and ears of growing musicians to know that they don’t have to fit inside a specific genre. She projects her electronic love in twisted ways that make it so beautiful. Even the glorified front man of Radiohead, Thom Yorke has said that one of Björk’s songs (Unravel) is his favorite song of all time. That is one of the biggest compliments you could receive, at least in my opinion. Her latest song “Crystalline” is a fantastic example of pushing the envelope when it comes to mixing electronic music with whatever else she experimentally puts into her songs. A quote from Wikipedia says, The song was composed using complex breakbeats along with only one of several specialized instruments custom built for the project, the "gameleste", a celesta modified with elements of gamelan.” This means she’s not just settling for instruments already out there. She enjoys creating new ground in the music land. She’s not just an inspiration to those who enjoy electronic music only, but anyone with an open mind in art.

            I personally enjoy Björk. Of course I won’t sit down and listen to her albums every day (you almost need to be in a certain mindset or mood), but I love as a listener and future producer that she isn’t afraid to go outside absolutely any boundary when it comes to music. She tries far more new things within her music than most successful musicians. I believe she will continue to influence many people’s process of writing and let them know it’s okay to be different. Her use of electronic instruments is outstandingly interesting and downright good.