Blogarhythms

Yes, the image adorning this post is that of noted Muppet character The Swedish Chef. And yes, this post’s title is a play on his signature exclamation “Børk! Børk! Børk!” As you might have guessed, the title’s also an allusion to eccentric Icelandic songbird Björk. Before you think I’ve gone bat-shit insane, please note; my rationale for choosing the image and title hinges on the fact that The Swedish Chef didn’t really speak Swedish, but a gibberish language that was kinda like Swedish. And this post isn’t really about Björk, but a couple girls who I think kinda sound like Björk. With all assurances I know what the hell I’m doing out of the way, let’s get on with the Bloggen-Rhythmen!

Out of the two young ladies featured here, France’s Amélie (yep, like the movie) has the most Björkian voice and delivery. And since her backup vocalist Vincent Dupas sounds quite a bit like Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons, who duetted with Björk on Volta, there are times when Amélie’s The Real Nature of the Fantastic Ice Cream Car feels a bit like Volta’s Psychadelic Folk sibling. It’s probably the folky organic approach Amélie and band-mates take, favoring stripped-down arrangements and acoustic instruments with little electronic adornment, that keeps her from seeming like too much of a Björk-a-like. She just happens to have a similar sounding voice and accent. And while Amélie and her collaborators may not be as sonically or technologically experimental as the Icelandic pixie, their music still has an off-kilter, otherworldly feeling thanks to a pall of hallucinogenic psychedelia, and an underlying sense of playfully child-like imagination.

Listen to Amélie’s “Forgotten Christmas Gift”

In the case of Norway’s Susanna Karolina Wallumrød it’s also the voice and accent, more-so than the musical soundscapes or sonic textures, that draws comparison to Icelands’ Björk Guðmundsdóttir. The voice of Susanna and the Magical Orchestra (with keyboardist Morten Qvenild, formerly of Jaga Jazzist, who also provides piano and synth here) delivers a collection of minimal ballads, decorated with piano, acoustic bass, sprinkles of guitar, harp, and very subtle electronics, that foster a smoky, Jazz-influenced cabaret vibe, on her solo debut, Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos. And while Susanna’s Scandinavian lilt reminds me of Björk, the combination of her voice, her songwriting, and the spartan backdrops on which she performs her songs reminds me of Canadian singer/songwriter Jane Siberry, an artist known to change styles in a manner not dissimilar to Björk, as well. I’m tempted to think any likeness between Susanna and Björk owes to their shared Nordic origins more than anything else.

Listen to Susanna’s “People Living”

See, I’m not calling these girls out as sound-a-likes, like “hey look at these chicks who are trying to sound like another more famous singer!” I just happen to hear an undeniable affinity between them and another more famous singer. Perhaps the fact that such a sameness is notable even though they’re making such different types of music will provide an opportunity for a couple people who might not have checked them out to give them a shake because of a tiny shred of familiarity?

-El Keter