The tracks ‘Sorrowful Soil’ and ‘Ancestress’ from the new album will be inspired by the Icelandic artist’s mother
After bringing everyone to their feet with the release of the LP “Utopia” alongside ARCA in 2017, Björk has just announced the release of her new album “Fossora”. The tenth of her career and the first after the Pandemic era. In this new compilation, the artist will expose all her creativity under new points of inspiration, such as her mother. She will also collaborate for the first time with her son Sindri Eldon. Learn all about this new work of art, in this long and fascinating review.
“Every album always starts with a feeling that I try to capture in a sound, this time the feeling was landing on the ground and sticking my feet in the ground. Nesting in our quarantined homes being long enough in one place to put down roots.” – Björk
Also read: Sonic Symbolism: Björk’s intimate new podcast
Behind the inspiration
“Fossora” comes from the feminine version of the Latin word ‘excavator’ and for her, it means “She who digs (in the earth)”. As for the official cover, it shows the Icelandic singer in the middle of a forest where she shines brightly. It merges with the mushrooms that stand out and gives way to a more organic, earthy and warm concept compared to the electronic and pragmatic “Utopia”.
The time of the pandemic on her part was what allowed this new album to arrive so soon. Among all the songs, ‘Sorrowful Soil’ and ‘Ancestress’ are inspired by her mother Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir who passed away in 2018 at the age of 72 after a long and hard illness. It was she who also pushed her to the stage as a child.
Release date
Among the backgrounds of the lyrics of their new singles, we will find a poem by the 18th-century fisherwoman and wanderer, Látra-Björg. Also participating in the LP will be her son, Sindri and her daughter Doa who will narrate about her flight from the nest (metaphor of when a child leaves home). They will be joined by the Indonesian duo Gabber Modus Operandi, Balinese gamelan referents, and the experimental musician Serpentwithfeet.
“Fossora” will land on September 30. To this news is also added the launching of Björk’s podcast entitled Sonic Symbolism where she will narrate the emotional background and the events that happened to her on each album. Now, we invite you to know more about each single of this new and tenth work of art of the artist.
Pre-order Fossora through Bandcamp. Link here.
Behind each single of “Fossora”
1. atopos
The first extracted track, ‘Atopos’, was released on September 6th. On the artist’s own recommendation, the track has a huge importance due to the bass it features. So we recommend you to experience its relevance by listening to it at full volume.
“I am grateful for these incredibly precious 13 years together that have been filled with enormous joy, creativity, deep mature talks, your fertile and generous nature has truly enriched my life and you are such a miraculous friend…and us going through all the possible different job titles in the phone book together is absolutely in the spirit of the mercurial progressive energy we have shared…I am blessed to walk through this life with you.”- Björk
2. ovule
ovule’ is the second single from the album. Released on September 14, the piece features an official video directed by renowned photographer Nick Knight, with whom the artist previously collaborated for the cover of 1997’s Homogenic, and the official video for 2001’s ‘Pagan Poetry’.
“ovule for me is my definition of love is a meditation on us as lovers walking through this world and I imagine 2 spheres or satellites following us one above us representing ideal love one below us, representing the shadows of love and ourselves walking in the third sphere of real love, where everyday Monday morning love lives in the kitchen.” – Björk
3. ancestress
‘ancestress’ is the third track to be released ahead of the album’s official release Released on September 22, the single is the longest single from the LP, and, along with ‘Sorrowful Soil’, is a dedication to her late mother Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir. The track features an official video directed by Andrew Thomas Huang and shows a funeral procession in the same valley where her mother used to gather herbs. Bonus fact: this song features the first collaboration with her son Sindri Eldon.
“I wrote pages and pages and pages and pages, and edited it, just to leave exactly the words I want to be there. If I was a priest, that’s what I would have said at the funeral.” – Björk for Pitchfork
