Vulnicura
| Bjork
Vulnicura
Vulnicura is the eighth studio album by Icelandic musician and singer Bjork. It was produced by Bj rk, Arcaand The Haxan Cloak, and released on 20 January 2015 by One Little Indian Records. Bjork said the album expresses her feelings before and after her breakup with American contemporary artist Matthew Barney and the healing process. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
filled with lush arrangements and some of her most powerful singing.
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Consequence of Sound
Vulnicura is smooth and whole, even as its singer lies shattered.
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The Guardian
Björk laid her heart so bare on her brutal, beautiful ninth album we could hardly listen. But those that persevered found light at the end of a gruelling tunnel.
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The Guardian
You could say there’s something gimlet-eyed about a woman who realises her relationship is collapsing and automatically thinks: still, great material.
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Rolling Stone
The Icelandic art-pop queen charts the breaking of a heart on a devastatingly direct album.
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The Atlantic
Beauty is not hard to find on Vulnicura.
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The Independent
it’s like hearing an android learning how to communicate - which may, I suppose, be the point, but doesn’t make it any more attractive.
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Slant Magazine
this alien object is a reminder we may never understand the inner workings of one of the most truly unique icons in popular music, even if the trajectory of that path continues to be worth mapping.
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Our Vinyl
This is heartbreak in its purest musical form and it’s a wonder to behold.
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SPIN
it possesses a dramatic weight in its own right.
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The Line of Best Fit
she is simply Björk: a rattled human being caught within an emotional vortex, letting off the sort of violent chemical reflexes we are all prone to. Vulnicura is humanity at its most volatilely sublime.
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Resident Advisor
Vulnicura has a momentum and coherence lacking in her recent efforts.
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Paste Magazine
manages not to make her suffering sound self-indulgent on Vulnicura. Offering her stories in honest and often anthropological ways allows her to communicate her pain in the most objective ways.
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Iceland Review
Björk laid her heart so bare on her brutal, beautiful ninth album we could hardly listen.
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Music Feeds
Björk continues to break boundaries with this album in the only way she could – with a human heart.
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PP Corn
Vulnicura is quintessentially earnest, poignant, and a beautiful album in Björk’s timeless volumes of work.
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Telegraph
charts a relationship break-up with emotional honesty and musical daring.
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A.V. Club Music
the whole thing is a little shy on hooks and reasons to take the grueling journey with her often.
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All Music
Vulnicura honors her pain and the necessary path through and away from loss with some of her bravest, most challenging, and most engaging music.
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Pretty Much Amazing
delivers her most devastating and luxuriant record since Homogenic.
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Crack Magazine
Vulnicura is Björk's most pronounced, explicit statement of intimacy yet.
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Under the Radar
it may be time for her to hang up her swan dress.
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Bearded Gentleman Music
Vulnicura is demanding, and confronts a listener with the raw emotions Björk dealt with while writing it.
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The Quietus
Vulnicura is so intimate in its agonies, so clinical in its dissection that your brain.
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Clash Magazine
She continues to fascinate, to wrap the willing listener up in velvet vociferousness.
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Simon Price
It's an album in which to luxuriate and lose yourself in contemplation, not one to whack on in the background and forget about.
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Off the Tracks
It slowly grows. It very softly glows. There’s enough of a glimmer here. You know there’ll be more.
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Vulture
No one is happy that Björk had to suffer personal trauma to make her best record in years — but that’s the rub of all art, I suppose.
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Dummy Mag
If 'Biophilia' explored the relationship between music, nature, and technology, then 'Vulnicura' acknowledges the human role in this all: the result is devastating in its humanity.
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Tiny Mix Tapes
Vulnicura is that rare, humbling album that manages to obliterate all expectation, forcing the listener and the critic to start from scratch, to perceive anew.
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The Current
it is a bracing, necessary account, as wholly original and vital as anything Björk has ever done but also shot through with a greater immediacy than perhaps anything else she has produced.
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DIY Mag
Dense to the extreme, a thick fog of emotions that concedes nothing, this is as uncompromising and potentially definitive as a break-up album could ever be.
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Courtney's Sound World
is an absolute expression of raw emotion, a tear jerking and sometimes gut wrenching one that I have rarely heard on a record.
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Exclaim!
Vulnicura is a well-crafted antithesis musically and thematically, resulting in the most compelling effort she has put forth in years.
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Fact Mag
It may be her way of relating and dealing with a narrative that is hers alone, but the outcome is Björk’s most fully realised, accessible record in years.
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Soundblab
Vulnicura is no doubt exactly what its maker intended it to be: an unflinching document of a very difficult time in her life.
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L.A. Times
On 'Vulnicura,' Bjork is heavy and at her most personal.
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Louder Than War
An album of heartbreak and imagination, of stunning musical boundary breaking and raw emotional power – and an album that appeared out of nowhere and in a rush.
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Exepose
Vulnicura is striking, and one of her most candid.
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The Fire Note
Few and far between artists can compare, Björk again makes her own way.
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Pop Matters
Vulnicura proves to be one of the most approachable collections of songs she has unleashed upon the public since 2001.
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Bust Magazine
puts the listener through the emotional wringer—"Black Lake" in particular is a devastating listen.
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Irish Examiner
This is a break-up album to be filed alongside Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago.
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NPR Music
Vulnicura plays out its tragedy and pushes beyond its boundaries.
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Timeout
Rush-released after an internet leak, the new LP by Iceland’s greatest export is a break-up album like no other.
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The 405
What sets it (and the rest of the album) apart from Björk's previous work is the sparseness of the arrangements.
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News OK
it will assuredly end up being a monumental help for anybody who has to deal with the same tragedy Bjork has felt.
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Fortitude Magazine
Bjork's music has taken on a considerably progressive hue.
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Edmonton Journal
Listening to Bjork’s ninth effort will leave you shell-shocked. Why would anyone want to hurt Bjork? And how is she able to turn such pain into the dizzying beauty that is Vulnicura?
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Vada Magazine
Singing her way out of sorrow is instinctual and much more than a career move – it has helped save her and for that we should be grateful.
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Port of Sound Records
uses this album to chronologically document the entire break-up process.
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Contact Music
'Vulnicura' certainly meets the exceptionally high bar that Björk had set herself and will satisfy the critics, but I can't help but wonder whether the wider audience may have appreciated a tiny amount of whimsy to accompany the genius on show throughout.
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LIST
It’s a fundamentally slippery and elusive work – distant, unknowable, wounded, alien.
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The Sights and Sounds
n Vulnicura Björk documents not a break-up but a fissuring between two people whose worlds are inconceivable without each other.
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Brent Music Reviews
It is nothing short of epic. EPIC!
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Read Buzz
This new ground for the artist has the ability to take your breath away.
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Hotpress
Uneasy Listening from Icelandic Superstar.
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Gay RVA
Bjork's Vulnicura can be a transforming and rewarding listen.
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Your Dead Partner
“Vulnicura” was definitely worth the wait.
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The Comm HQ
Iceland’s own avant-garde soul enchantress is back with one of her most wounded, spirit-breaking projects since she starred in Lars von Trier’s “Dancer in the Dark.”
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Standard
Her sadness has birthed an extraordinary work of art.
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Nordic Music Review
I don't remember ever hearing an album which documents the breakdown of a relationship in quite such an emotional, and quite frankly ‘real’ way, and it's not just achieved through the lyrics, the music itself repeatedly jabs at the heart, tears at your soul.
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Alternative Control
It’s as pretty and grand as it is pointless and wearisome. And the deadlock between pros and cons puts this album right at average level for me.
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Love is Pop
if you don’t mind songs that break the rules then you’re sure to cherish her here if you can commit to fully experiencing this album. In other words, listen with your heart.
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David Smyth
There is great beauty here most of all. Her sadness has birthed another extraordinary work of art.
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Way Too Indie
It sounds very much like this album was therapeutic for her to create; that she found a kindred spirit in Arca to guide her so closely in a time of emotional vulnerability is just as remarkable.
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Electronic Beats
Vulnicura is a surpassingly haunting and remarkably straightforward response to the disintegration of her relationship with Matthew Barney, and the sheer power of her voice.
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Backseat Mafia
It’s a striking album, delving into the personal life of a woman who’s had her heart broken, scooping it out and exposing it to the world.
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The Independent
you will at least come out the other side understanding you have been on a trip. For that alone, Vulnicura holds up alongside her very best work.
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Up North
Björk reinvents herself again on her latest album, Vulnicura.
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Renowned for Sound
The story here is the emotional ebbs and flows of the listener; of you. Although the starting point might have been Bjork’s own journey, she explores pain and the hopeless hope in a way that ultimately connects with us all.
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NOW Magazine
Her intuitive approach to melody, phrasing and rhythm feels more anti-pop than on Biophilia but also more apt given Vulnicura's wild emotionality
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UCSD Guardian
Icelandic singer navigates new territory flawlessly in beautifully-structured album.
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Eropium
Even with the exceptional quality control on Björk's part, her new album, Vulnicura, is surprisingly brilliant.
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Alt Music Box
this is a dark, dense and organic combination of pure human emotion, graciously strung together with beautiful vocals and outstanding composition.
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Des Moines Register
"Vulnicura" is a breakup album, detailing the end of her relationship with artist Matthew Barney, and while it's more relatable, it's nonetheless a sonic adventure.
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Under the Radar Mag
Here we get a glimpse of Björk at her most vulnerable, and what is most surprising is just how lovely she is when she indulges her basic humanity.
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The Early Registration
keeping her production as forward-thinking as usual, mixing classical with futuristic. When people discuss artists who push boundaries and are constantly evolving, Björk better be towards the top of that list.
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College Tribune
this effect offers a sense of honesty to the record. Perhaps its fitting it came out just in time for Valentines Day.
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Vox
You need to listen to Bjork's new album. It's her best in years.
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Paul Dietrich Jazz
It's a great accomplishment in the face of personal torment. Certainly, she continues to cement herself as one of the genuine geniuses of pop music.
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Irish Times
The Icelandic star is the latest to drop an album without warning, and it’s a triumph.
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The Reykjavik Grapevine
‘Vulnicura’ is nothing if not revealing
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Demo Magazine
Vulnicura’s true strength lies in woman who created it. As a deeply intimate yet unabashedly public act of catharsis,
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Speak Into My Good Eye
Björk’s Vulnicura Is A Triumphant Experimentation In The Sounds Of Heartbreak
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God Is In The T.V.
I’ve played this record numerous times whilst reviewing it, and not only do I think it’s going to be an album that will be one of the year’s key releases, but one we will want to play for a long time to come.
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Gigslutz
is in fact a total masterpiece that tells a tale of love in a way that only music can. In a way that only Björk can.
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Gulf News
With lush strings over a haunting electronic backdrop, Vulnicura is, in Bjork’s description, a “complete heartbreak album” in which she documented a “pretty much accurate emotional chronology” of her breakup.
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Spectrum Pulse
there's a ton of passion, raw emotion, and power to this album presented in a beautifully elegant and surprisingly accessible record.
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The Music
This is a slow album, dark, contemplated, and absolutely beautiful.
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The Student Playlist
It’s virtually impossible to merely listen to this album in the background – instead, the elusive time signatures and semi-human, hyper-extended musical constructions demand your full attention.
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NBHAP
A rushed but not a hasty reaction. The surprisingly leaked ninth studio album by the Icelandic goddess is another proof of her talent.
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Philly
is the soul searing directness of its language, and its beating, burning heart. The album is methodical in its approach.
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Muso Muso
proved she can write incredible music about virtually anything she becomes fascinated by, this particular piece of work is moving, heartbreaking, mesmerizing and a triumph amongst her discography.
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The Muse Patrol
it’s a fascinating heap, strewn with all things sparkling and pulsating. Semi-precious gems, discarded living organs and cloth pages ripped and crumpled from a leather-bound diary.
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Financial Times
The album’s attempts to find a redemptive message in celestial string arrangements and lyrics about love’s universalism are just pat
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Recommended Listen
That Vulnicura initially arrived as a broken audio fragment, only to recenter its harrowing self like an outline of remnants from a majestic icecap during the dead of winter adds to this latest addition to being a witness in the Björk creative experience.
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AXS
Vulnicura is a striking album that only becomes richer with each subsequent listen.
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Marcel's Music Journal
What could have been a fantastic collection of personal songs instead is a record that turns into a breezy and forgettable one, not fully recognizing the strengths and sound of Björk’s mystique.
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Nashville Public Library
Some of the best art is inspired by heartbreak. Bjork's new album is no exception.
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MIMO
Björk’s Vulnicura might not possess the multimedia aspects of its predecessor, but with its soul-baring lyrics and rich dramatic production, it’s arguably just as an immersive experience.
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Faces on the Radio
is an almost perfect example of how to grieve and, after everything, begin to feel human again.
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MUU Muse
Björk’s music often feels otherworldly. She is someone who sees, hears and generally experiences the world in an incredibly unique way.
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The Needle Drop
Icelandic singer, songwriter, producer Björk is back with another record, and it's one filled with romantic heartbreak and whimsical instrumentation.
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Marble Music
Vulnicura is Björk‘s best work in the past decade at least, if not since her career-defining Homogenic‘ and acts as even more importance for her career.
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Vancouver Courier
Raw, vulnerable and slightly carnal, she is a warrior of repressed emotion. Vulnicara is Björk is at her best, when she becomes a reflection of all of us.
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PantherNOW
Vulnicura is Bjork's best album in over a decade.
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L.A. Record
It would be impossible to deny that Vulnicura, Björk’s newest offering, and the first since the dissolution of her partnership and family with Barney, is anything short of the most engaging piece of work she’s put her name to in nearly 15 years.
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XS Noize
Vulnicura is a tough, fairly uncompromising listen and the austere lyrics are sometimes almost too much to handle, but it’s a compelling album and one of Bjork’s best.
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LIST
It’s a fundamentally slippery and elusive work
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Brent Music Reviews
It is nothing short of epic. EPIC! Who has the best album of 2015 so far? Her name is Björk. This album will take anybody on a trip.
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Read Buzz
The ambiguity and at the same time familiarity of emotions with this album leaves the listener feeling like they have been inside the mind if Björk during this journey. This new ground for the artist has the ability to take your breath away.
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Rebel Music
It’s wonderful but horrible, and there’s no mistaking it for background music as it physically commands your full attention and emotional involvement.
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WHUS Radio
after you’ve digested her song structure and fall in love with everything she puts out. Trust me, it will happen. Then you will be ready for the wreckage. It’s so worth it.
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88.5 KURE
is a compelling listen that captures the emotional essence of emptiness exceptionally well.
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