Øya 2012: Bjork

Norwegian songstress Ane Brun bravely takes on the job of warming up for one of the few artists that will still be remembered in a hundred to come. Most would crumble; but against the odds she masterfully holds her own.

After being insanely lucky with the Norwegian weather, the heavens open as the Icelandic princess of magical wonders, the enigmatic Björk floats onto the stage in a massive orange wig and a dress that could have been designed by surrealist painter H.R Giger. You can say what you want, but Björk will never become a bore.

The queen of eccentrics starts her set with ‘Cosmogony’ from her latest futuristic album, ‘Biophilia’. What rarely fails to impress is how she always manages to stay ahead of everyone else, like she travels back and forth in a time machine, to give us a glimpse of how music will sound like in the future.

The set comprises mostly of new material from the aforementioned full-length, accompanied by the most amazing visuals which on their own make the gig and pouring rain worthwhile. Björk successfully manages to hypnotize the packed fields of Øya; the audience sing along to Pagan poetry and headbang with the pixyish backing singers to the finale fireworks, magic and euphoria. It’s Björk live.