It's all around you

Björk - 'All Is Full of Love' (Homogenic - 1997)

More than almost anyone, Björk is responsible for my wife and I getting married where we did. Back in 2011, she took part in a Guardian reader’s question and answer session and The World’s Most Famous Icelander (© me, 2011) suggested Landmannalaugar.

My question…

…and Bjork’s response

We were only in Iceland for a few days, so we didn’t manage to go there, but it did see us exploring that area and a general interest in South Iceland, which saw us getting married at Skogafoss waterfall in 2015. This most personal of connections to Björk's homeland only deepens my appreciation for her music, particularly for songs like ‘Joga’ and ‘All Is Full of Love', and how they resonate with both the natural world and our human experiences.

Skogafoss at Night - Alpár Bakó

'All Is Full of Love' stands out for its ground-breaking video and pivotal role as the closing track of her 1997 album, Homogenic. More than any other on the record, this song encapsulates what Björk, as an artist in 1997, represents: the fusion of cutting-edge, avant-garde electronic music with a deep, resonant emotional core and soul. Not every piece of IDM from that period could be shot through with lyrics that bruised your heart in this way, but songs like ‘Teardrop’, ‘Everything In Its Right Place’, ‘All I Need’ and ‘Roads’ could sound futuristic and hit you right in the feels.

Homogenic, as an album, is a journey through varied landscapes, both emotional and physical, a reflection of Björk's own experiences and her Icelandic heritage. The record melds raw, volcanic energy with serene, glacial tranquillity, creating a fiercely modern sound deeply rooted in nature. 'All Is Full of Love' is the culmination of this journey, a serene resolution to the album’s via the coldly emotional exploration of love, pain, and identity.

From the opening notes, 'All Is Full of Love' starkly contrasts the rest of Homogenic. Where other tracks are intense, often featuring heavy beats and assertive, sometimes aggressive, electronic sounds - especially the preceding track ‘Pluto’ - this song is notably softer, more contemplative. It is a calming bubble bath of a track.

With its minimalist yet intricate arrangement, the track's production underscores a message of love and hope. The gentle, near-whispered vocals of Björk, combined with the subtle harmonies and the understated yet complex electronic background, create an ethereal and profoundly moving soundscape.

Lyrically, 'All Is Full of Love' is a departure from the album's other tracks' introspective and sometimes aggressive nature. The lyrics are simple, expressing a universal message of love and connection that transcends the personal and becomes almost spiritual. This shift in tone is significant; it suggests a resolution, an acceptance of the complexities of love and life, and a readiness to move forward from the chaotic nature of the rest of the album with an open heart.

This is why the placement of 'All Is Full of Love' as the closing track of Homogenic is a masterstroke. It’s a message of hope, not just for Björk herself but for the listener as well. In a world that often feels cold and mechanical, the song reassures us that love is omnipresent, sometimes hidden but always waiting to be rediscovered.

The song’s music video, directed by Chris Cunningham, is a masterpiece in its own right, further elevating the track's impact. Featuring Björk as a robot being assembled in a sterile, futuristic environment, the video is a stunning visual representation of the song’s themes of rebirth and the seamless integration of the organic with the technological. It’s a striking metaphor for Björk’s artistic approach - blending the human with the machine, the emotional with the electronic.

As the song’s final notes fade, we are left with a sense of completion, of a cycle that has come to its natural conclusion. But it’s also a beginning, an opening to new possibilities. Björk, through 'All Is Full of Love, ' invites us to view the world with fresh eyes and see the love that surrounds us in all its forms.