Björk has released Atopos as the lead single from her forthcoming 10th studio album ‘Fossora’.
The song is the first to be lifted from the LP, with the Icelandic singer requesting fans “play it loudly” in a post on social media.
“The lyrics are inspired by what Roland Barthes described as the unclassifiable OTHER ‘our differences are irrelevant our union is stronger than us’,” she added.
“[Atopos is] sonically a heavy bottom-ended bass world. We have six bass clarinets, punchy sub-drilling, nesting and digging us into the ground.”
An accompanying music video sees the star as a“glowing forest sprite,” partying in a fungal-inspired environment as Gabber Modus Operandi star DJ Kasimyn spins tracks and a bass clarinet section perform live.
‘Fossora’ is expected to be a deeply personal set, with the musician previously revealing the LP is heavily centred on the death of her mother Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir in 2018.
“That’s quite early. I think me and my brother were not ready to… we thought she had 10 years left,” she explained of her death at the age of 72.
“So we were like: ‘Come on,’ and getting her to fight and… and it was like she had an inner clock in her and she was just ready to go.”
Two tracks – Sorrowful Soil and Ancestress – are said to directly speak of the loss, while the album also features collaborations with Serpentwithfeet and Indonesian punks Gabber Modus Operandi, along with contributions from her son Sindri and daughter Doa.
‘Fossora’ is out September 30 and available to pre-order now.
