Björk - Post (One Little Indian Reissue)

2x 200-gram LPs
Half Speed Direct Metal Mastering (45rpm)
Contains all original packaging


Audio Quality: 4.75/5
Song Quality: 4.5/5
Packaging: 2.5/5


This is the second album from the batch of Björk re-issues done by One Little Indian that I've reviewed, the first being Debut. Last time, I went in depth on this series, regarding their astronomical price tag and how, despite it, I still wound up buying six of them. I've spent a lot of money on these releases because I think they are spectacular and well worth the price, if you can afford it. If not, the Greatest Hits double LP is still available and worth serious consideration. Anyway, I'm saying this because if you feel like this review is lacking in background information, please do go back and read the review of Debut, because I won't be repeating myself here. If you'd like some more information on DMM releases and exactly what that means on the technical side of things, there is a great blog post over at the Analog Apartment.

The sound on this record, like Debut, is pretty spectacular. However, it might not be quite as outstanding as Debut. Some tracks definitely sound better than others, and the ones that really stand out are the tracks that feature horn arrangements, such as "It's Oh So Quiet," "Enjoy," and "I Miss You." When those horn sounds are introduced to the mix, they come in with breathtaking clarity and intensity. Other tracks do sound very nice, with the crystal clear high-end and amazingly articulate low-end presence you can count on from DMM records, especially on "Hyper-Ballad," Possibly Maybe," and "Army of Me." Some people, I'm told, aren't fans of the recent surge of DMM releases, and they argue that the sound is a bit harsh and too defined for vinyl. These records certainly do sound far brighter than most vinyl, and as such they don't have the same sort of warmth that traditionally comes off the turntable. However, I would certainly not call ANY of them harsh. They play back with the sort of clarity and precision that I didn't know was possible on a record, and to my ear, they're some of the most detailed and high-quality recordings I've ever had the privilege of listening to. If analog warmth, fuzz, and a retro tape sound is more your speed, then this might not be your cup of tea. Otherwise, I don't understand what your problem is. Seriously.

The songs on Post are a tremendous step forward for Björk. If we could compare her musical evolution to that of The Beatles (which you can do with a suprising number of truly great bands/artists), this record would be her Rubber Soul. She still hasn't tapped into her full artistic potential, but she's beginning to show people that she is in no way a mere pop starlet. The highlights of this record are still the more pop-oriented, with "Army of Me" and "It's Oh So Quiet" as the two obvious examples. There are also some intriguing moments where she reveals a little more of what she's capable of, specifically within great songs like "Hyper-Ballad" and "Headphones," which also function on a greater level as a looking glass into the sort of music she would go on to produce. Homogenic, her Revolver, would follow this and prove to the world, without question, that she is one of the great singers, songwriters, and innovators of our time.

Packaging again falls short here, especially for the price. Just like Debut, these two LPs are held inside a slipcase package which is a perfect reproduction of the original artwork. This means that the side splits indicated on the back are no longer accurate, as the original vinyl release was on a single LP. They warn you of this on the sticker attached to the front of the record, but I wanted to reiterate it here because it's a bit lame. Also, for this record, the LPs are stored in printed sleeves with lyrics on one side and artwork/thank yous on the other. However, the sleeves the records are held in are IDENTICAL to one another. They took the original LP sleeve, printed two of them, and stuck the records in them. Not only is this gratuitously lazy, but it also makes it impossible to tell which record is which without taking them both out of their sleeves. Pretty annoying.

Overall, this is another great sounding re-release from One Little Indian. Despite the hefty price tag, there was clearly a lot of care put into making these releases sound their best, and I'm more than willing to pay for a quality listening experience. The packaging falls short again, but as I said last time, that does not apply to all these releases, and don't let it discourage you from buying one or more of these. The sound more than makes up for what the packaging lacks. These are limited pressings and some of them (including this one) are apparently close to selling out. So if you're gonna buy, do it soon. I'm sure these will fetch a pretty penny on eBay once they're all gone.

Buy the LP from One Little Indian
Buy the LP at ElusiveDisc.com

Tomorrow: More love for women! Kimya Dawson - Remember That I Love You