Voltaic (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

Voltaic is a live album, though not a typical one. It’s live in the sense that it was meticulously recorded in one take in a studio (only hours prior to taking the stage at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival in England). A snapshot of her two-year (2007-2008) Volta Tour, the album includes songs from Medulla, Homogenic, Post, Vespertine, and Volta. The tunes may not be new but they do sound fresh. “Army of Me” is anchored by a hypnotic industrial pulse, “I Miss You” features powerful horns, and the Afro-beat percussion of “Earth Intruders” is a fine touch. The band includes a 10-piece brass section and choir, and like a great live show the album has a dramatic arc that carries you along. Björk’s song structures and ideas are remarkable and her musical vision is unique and intricate, so hearing old songs in this context is a treat. As usual, her unmistakable voice and idiosyncratic phrasing is a wonder. She can sound like a jazz singer or a punk priestess and even when surrounded by edgy mechanical sounds she retains a rare tenderness and warmth on this fascinating, fabulous burst of creativity.