After leak, Bjork releases new album ‘Vulnicura’ two months early

The Iceland avant-pop singer Bjork has released her new album two months early after the record leaked online earlier this week. “Vulnicura,” her first release since 2011’s album/iPhone app “Biophilia,” was announced a few weeks back when a hand-scribbled note from the artist arrived on her website. The album is to be issued worldwide over the next 24 hours.

The artist accompanied the release with a Facebook post that describes the making of the record and addresses its themes. After a brief introduction, the singer writes:

“i wanted to tell you the tale of making of this album

“i guess i found in my lap one year into writing it a complete heartbreak album . kinda surprised how thoroughly i had documented this in pretty much accurate emotional chronology .... like 3 songs before a break up and three after . so the anthropologist in me sneaked in and i decided to share them as such . first i was worried it would be too self indulgent but then i felt it might make it even more universal . and hopefully the songs could be a help , a crutch to others and prove how biological this process is : the wound and the healing of the wound . psychologically and physically . it has a stubborn clock attached to it .

“there is a way out”

Read the whole note here.

“Vulnicura” is the singer’s ninth studio album, and sees her collaborating with a new group of artists. That shouldn’t be surprising; Bjork thrives in collaboration and has over the years worked with innovative creators including Tricky, Matmos, Matthew Herbert, Marius de Vries, Zeena Parkins, Mark Bell and others. For “Biophilia,” Bjork worked solely with the British dubstep producers 16bit.

In 2015, her collaborators are typically varied: the English ambient producer who makes music as the Haxon Cloak, and the Venezuelan producer Arca, whose work with Kanye West and FKA Twigs has driven his rise. Arca’s 2014 studio album, “Xen,” came out through Mute Records.

Look for a full review of “Vulnicura” in the coming days.

Follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit