The Rabbit Hole of Björk’s Unreleased & Lost Media - A Thread
The main purpose of this thread is to shed light on various media that were either kept hidden from the public by Björk or just simply lost
I might not include everything & they’re not in order but if I am missing anything, please DM me so that I can include it
Enjoy!
1. Alarm Call - Alternate MV
The first music video for "Alarm Call" was directed by Paul White and it featured Björk in a similar dress to the one featured on the Homogenic album cover along with a dance scene in the Los Angeles Subway
Björk wasn’t happy with the MV in the end
2. An Oboe Techno song
In a 2005 interview for BBC Radio, Björk revealed that she composed an Oboe techno song for DR9 in NYC in a hurry because studios there are expensive and she eventually didn’t feel like the song is ‘her’. It was the original idea for “Hunter Vessel”
3. 20-minute Version of Body Memory
““Body Memory” was a really strange song for me. I did not know what to do with that song. In the beginning it was 20 minutes long, and I ended up recording a 60-piece choir on it. They all came to my cabin. It’s one of the best choirs ever.”
4. A collaborative album with Meredith Monk
They have recorded together where Monk comments
“Our respective creations sound and manifest differently but there’s something common to their approach…we’ll see where it takes us”
5. Trance (Studio Version)
The song was recorded during the Volta sessions as a potential album closer, but didn't make the final cut on the album. "My Juvenile" was chosen instead.
6. A recording of Björk’s Union Chapel Performance / Live Album
A note posted at the venue notified attendees of “LIVE FILMING – AT THE UNION CHAPEL, ISLINGTON, LONDON”
Also,several news outlets reported that a a live CD release would be released, but both never materialized
7. Alec Empire Archives
In 2000, Björk, Alec Empire and the Brodsky Quartet were to release a 4-track EP - 'April', 'Five Years', 'Sod Off' and 'Yoga' (sic) - which finally did not see the light of day despite its advanced state.
8. The Lake Experience
It is the precursor to Medulla (which was originally titled “The Lake Album”)
Some stems from the unreleased project are found online
9. Timbaland Tracks
Björk recorded a total of 7 tracks with Timbaland and we only saw the release of what we have on Volta
Björk was set to appear on Timbaland's first solo album, Shock Value released in April 2007, but this rumor did not materialize unfortunately
10. Greatest Hits Tour Recordings
Although many performances were broadcast only a live track of "All is Full of Love" can be found on the soundtrack to the Icelandic film Screaming Masterpiece, while the film itself contains partial live performances of both “AiFOL” and "Pluto"
11. Omnibus
A boxset composed of 3 sections
1. Björk’s entire LP discography
2. Scores of 34 songs rearranged by Björk
3. Lyrics of 51 songs chosen by Björk
It was announced but then later canceled back in May 2016
12. Biophilia Act II
In a Q&A for Stereogum, Björk expressed that Biophilia could perhaps be a double album
“I have the feeling that it's not just going to boil down to ten songs. I could make it a double album or simply use this same operation and every three months…”
13. RZA collaborations
Björk confirmed they recorded enough tracks to release an EP
Later in 2011, RZA confirmed they were 8 tracks in total and said he “should dig them out”
14. Wu Tang Clan (WTC) Collaboration
“So, I was in Spain and WTC were supposed to come to Spain…I went to NY. We wrote a couple of songs together. And I just felt…sometimes when you do things and you don’t plan them it’s magic. And I really think what we made was magic.”
15. Vulnicura Strings Live
The only show from “Vulnicura Live” to be filmed, which took place in Iceland on 8 November 2016, but it did not see the light of release to this day
16. Flutopia
A live album of Utopia consisting of mainly flutes
"I want to take a little break and then maybe in spring arrive with an angle of the live album,"
We have some additional flute songs and some different kind of angles."
17. Utopia 0
The original version of Utopia was confirmed by Björk to have zero transitions which were later kept as a last minute decision
18. History of Touches Music Video
Björk’s official preview of Vulnicura VR includes History of Touches which didn’t get a music video release
The big rabbit hole surrounding this is that it is rumored to be directed by Chris Cunningham, the director of All is Full of Love MV.
No one knows the source of this rumor and the music video for History of Touches and it remains a mystery to this day
19. Softly (Studio Version)
A Volta Outtake
This song has only been performed live once and it was at the Zaragoza Expo in Spain along with a famous Malian kora player, Toumani Diabaté on August 10, 2008.
The live recording available was taken from the Volta video podcast.
20. Bitti’s Tenores Collab
“We were contacted last year by the manager of Björk and we enthusiastically agreed to be part of the new album coming out”
They then recorded their piece, a mix of sacred & profane music, in a deconsecrated church, where a clip was filmed.
21. Studio version of Hunter (Haxan Cloak Remix)
During a DJ set at the Boiler Room in 2016, Haxan Cloak who worked on Family and Mouth Mantra, premiered an official unreleased version of his remix of Hunter
22. Studio version of the original Where is the Line?
The song was performed during her Greatest Hits Tour in 2003
A live version was recorded from Berlin right here
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