Björk’s seventh proper studio album Biophilia is without a doubt one of her best – a beautifully dark pop album that challenges the listener to have, of all things, patience. In the realm of pop music patience is of course not a word that comes to mind, but when it comes to Björk it’s definitely a virtue. If you have it, then like most artwork, it slowly unveils itself to the listener. On first listen, besides a few obvious relatively pop moments (more like the Björk style pop moments we have become accustomed to), it can be a curious almost, disconcerting affair. But then you get wrapped up in that voice again, and it all comes together with what then seems like an album that must have taken shape with remarkable ease, when it fact it was four years in the making. What I have taken away from this album is that it is in it’s simplest form a celebration of life, the universe, and the natural order of things. It feels like she is taking human emotions and expanding them into, and putting them against, the greater context of the universe, those emotions which we feel on a daily basis that keep the great engine moving and pumping along. Birth, death, love, loss – every tiniest element that we all feel and contribute – as miniscule as they may seem in the big picture – is a vitally important nut and bolt to our universe. Musically this album is all over the place – like the universe – diverse and challenging – using newly created instruments such as a harp pendulum, gameleste, and tesla coil which creates bass sounds using lightning. But in the end it’s a fully realized concept album rooted in raw emotion for the mysterious universe we all inhabit and play a part in. It’s emotional core is something we can all relate to, share and experience, and because of that I feel Biophilia will over time become known as one of Björk’s most complete and accessible albums, right up there with Homogenic. More challenging, sure, but more rewarding all the same, including one of the most beautiful tracks Björk has recorded, and possibly ever recorded by anyone – Cosmogony. Like our ever expanding planet and universe, it takes time to reveal itself, but if you let yourself get lost in the idea and it’s melodies, you may feel like I do that it is Björk at the top of her creative game – and more in tune with Human Behaviour than ever before.