oneweekoneband:

Björk - “Mouth’s Cradle”

Medúlla was written by Björk while she was pregnant and nursing her daughter, Isadora. As such, it overflows with feeling, an explosion of confused emotions about her new family. She worries about how she can sufficiently show her gratitude in “Desired Constellation.” And on “Who Is It” she asks, “Who is it? That never lets you down/Who is it? That gave you back your crown?”

It’s why it is all voice. The voice carries the most necessary acts of communication between the members of a family. But to do an album exclusively of voices, you need to rely on a diverse array of collaborators. On Medúlla, there’s the Inuit throat singer Tagaq. There’s hip-hop beat-boxer Rahzel, and Japanese beat-boxer Dokaka. There’s deep-voiced weirdo Mike Patton and an Icelandic choir. When such a diverse array of voices are joined in harmony, it signals support, happiness, unity. A wider family of community. And the core of most of Björk’s albums is her voice. So when she relinquishes so much space to other, fascinating voices, it feels warm and generous. On “The Pleasure Is All Mine,” she answers her concerns from “Desired Constellation”: “When in doubt, give.”

But it’s on “Mouth’s Cradle” that the main recipient of her love and concern is addressed. “Mouth’s Cradle” is both sad and sacred, hopeful and anxious. In the background, Tagaq sounds like she is preparing for birth. “You can follow these notes I’m singing, up to the mouth’s cradle,” Björk sings to Isadora, guiding her infant to her breast. Matthew Barney is there: “There is yet another one/that follows me wherever I go/and supports me.” And all around her is love and love for Isadora, “Always love, always loves you.”

Many people think Medúlla is too difficult or daunting. But it’s almost too basic. It’s about breathing. It’s about community.  It’s about family. Vespertine is about sexuality. The criminally underrated Medúlla is simply about love.