Do you remember the summer of 2004 if you’re a Björk fan? For me, and countless others who navigated those early online fan communities, it was a time etched in my memory. The Icelandic pop star’s official online hub, known as the 4um, brought together listeners worldwide to anticipate her latest musical offering, Medúlla (or Medulla). Fans accessed her site’s message board to discuss album news, share creative works, and post music recommendations—all in an era before social media like Facebook and Tik-Tok existed. Streaming services were unimaginable on a dial-up connection, and the most advanced feature of a cell phone was likely a one-megapixel camera. It may sound primitive now, but the shared anticipation among fans for a new album era remains a defining aspect of music-based internet culture today. The social experience was impactful for my 16-year-old self, but at the heart of it all was an album that forever changed the way I listened to music.

As we approach the album’s 20th birthday, I invite you to take a nostalgic cyber trip with me as I attempt to recollect the days of Björkish yore…

The old Björk 4um

I can still remember the usernames of fellow members, including my own. However, a core memory of the Björk 4um was its layout: a threaded message board where discussions and the number of replies were visible by default, displaying a hierarchy of responses. Unlike today’s more streamlined platforms like phpBB, which offer easier navigation, the 4um required endless scrolling through pages to stay updated. Clicking on a poster’s reply would take you to a separate page to view it in detail. As inconvenient as that might sound, the quaint nature of the design makes me long to see an archive of what once was…

…or maybe not. Being a sheltered and naive 16-year-old, my attempts to connect and simply be seen led to some foot-in-mouth moments. That’s just part of growing up online. Like most celebrity fandoms, the Björk community had its cliques, and my insecure self soon learned to play it safe in the hub. There were those who claimed to have met the singer, or so they said, and used it as a flex. Some used innocent banter between excited fans to espouse snobby responses to feign superiority. However, many were kind and welcoming to all opinions. As our Icelandic queen sang, “there’s definitely no logic to human behaviour!” It’s a tale as old as time, and the community served a lesson (or two) on internet etiquette.

Let the Medúlla teasing begin!

The year before the release of Medúlla saw Björk on her Greatest Hits tour, celebrating her career up to that point with a flurry of retrospectives: a best-of compilation of songs voted by the fans (I was one of them), the Family Tree box set, another collection devoted to live performances simply titled Live Box, the documentary Inside Björk, and a DVD anthology of her innovative music videos. Björk was counting her coins and keeping fans happy while we waited for new material. It didn’t take long—she used her tour to premiere songs that would eventually end up on Medúlla: “Desired Constellation,” “Show Me Forgiveness,” “Mouth’s Cradle,” and an early version of “Where is the Line” that remains in a tug-of-war with the studio version over which is better (at least for me):

Keep in mind that audio ‘bootleg’ recordings back then were not crisp and clear unless you were an audiophile that could clean up files. Live MP3s were often muffled, but the lack of clarity only added to the excitement over what Björk’s next record was going to sound like. That’s the thing about today’s technology: constant access has made new album cycles seem less mysterious.

Back on the official website, an unknown source* known as Meester Fly teased site visitors with very short videos of studio equipment and looped vocalizations from Björk. One particular video was called “The Lake Experience.” Hints of other working titles for the new album also made its rounds on the 4um like “The Lake Album” and “Ink.” As the release drew near, a full song of vocal snippets and beatboxing surfaced, drawing comparisons to the production of Björk’s previous collaborators Matmos. I remember the label “Do Do Mix” attached to it, and fans were buzzing about this new vocal direction. Little did we know that this remix was a precursor of what would culminate in Medúlla—an album constructed almost solely of human voices. When the album premiered, it became clear that the song was indeed a remix of the closing track, “Triumph of a Heart.” The official name of that remix remains uncertain: is it Do Do Mix, Pain of a Heart, or Matmos Mix? The world may never know.

Another song that made waves on the 4um during the hype was an unknown song performed on tour with Björk singing gibberish against blaring and unsettling music by Leila Arab. I don’t know if the name originated from a fan or if it was found on a setlist, but we all called it “Nameless,” and we were obsessed. The majority assumed “Nameless” would be on the new album. It wasn’t, but we finally got an official name, “Storm,” and a studio release a year later on the soundtrack Drawing Restraint 9. 

One Breath Away: Björk’s Olympic Performance

After rumors of a possible performance at the Olympics in Greece, Björk’s team soon confirmed that she had put together a song for the opening ceremony, which would also feature on her upcoming record. This was a massive opportunity to gain some major publicity for Medúlla, set to hit shops later that month. The excitement was contagious! I couldn’t wait to see her on network television. After all, I’d first discovered her music after seeing Björk perform at the Academy Awards in 2001. 

The 2004 opening ceremony in Athens was a three-plus-hour spectacle, and I programmed my VCR to tape the whole event. Björk didn’t make her appearance until 10:00 P.M., where she was wrapped in whimsical blue fabrics, redefining the image of a goddess while delivering her new track, “Oceania,” to the masses. In a fun effect, more blue material extended from her post and reached the entire group of Olympic athletes in the center of the stadium. At the performance’s end, an overhead camera revealed the world map projected onto the fabric screen. Years later, I found out that Björk was supposed to be elevated on a special platform to emphasize the effect of the lengthening of her dress, but it malfunctioned before showtime. Watching it again, I still get goosebumps. When the 2024 Olympics arrived over the summer, I was reminded of the opening lines like it was yesterday: “one breath away…”

I was thrilled to see Björk on my little television screen, but I was not a happy camper at the American broadcast decision to let commentators Katie Couric and Bob Costas talk over the whole thing. Hell hath no fury like a Björk fan scorned. I quickly got over it, knowing that I was only 2 weeks away from getting my hands on her new music!

Medúlla arrives, and the fans get creative

I have a distinct memory of walking from the Wal-Mart parking lot and into the store to pick up some last-minute school supplies, and a copy of Medúlla. It was August 31, 2004, my last day of summer vacation before starting a new school year (at a new school no less). Back then, new CDs and DVDs were released on Tuesdays in the U.S., and I couldn’t wait to hear all the songs while bidding farewell to summer! I shared my purchase and initial thoughts on the 4um, noticing a slight division in reactions. Fans who had followed her work in the ’90s seemed the most divided. Many found it wildly different and embraced it, while others deemed it too strange. Medúlla is not recommended for anyone wanting to hear Björk for the first time, as it’s quite abstract and lacks her typical use of electronic beats. On this album, Björk and her various collaborators’ voices are layered and engineered to sound like instruments. Those accompanying her included beatboxers Dokaka and Rahzel (The Roots), throat singer Tanya Tagaq, Robert Wyatt, Mike Patton, and choirs from England and Iceland. To my 16-year-old ears, it was overwhelming, but in the best way possible. 

The album sparked creativity among us 4um-ers. I remember an a cappella song contest headed by a professional singer/fan that offered a prize of Björk’s latest CD singles to whoever could create the best Medúlla-inspired song. I borrowed my brother’s laptop to produce a tri-layered vocal experiment of my own. I’ll be brief here: I didn’t win, I still have the file, and yes, it’s bad. I also made a few low-quality desktop wallpapers, because so many other members were doing their design thing. It’s funny how 20-year-old criticisms can stick in one’s mind, but the spark had already ignited my interest in web design. All the Björk fansites played a big role in nudging me toward learning to make my own webpages.

While Björk chose not to tour to support the album (can you imagine the amount of people on stage with mics?), she wrapped up her album cycle with a making-of documentary and a fresh group of music videos to add to her already impressive video library. Most early digital videos of Björk I collected were found in QuickTime and RealPlayer format; we still had a year before the launch of YouTube, and not everyone had lightning-fast internet. Imagine waiting over an hour to complete a 14 MB music video download. I did that, and no, I wouldn’t have the patience to do it now! The video in question was “Triumph of a Heart,” presented as a tale in which Björk endures a rough relationship patch with her cat boyfriend and goes out for a night of drinking with friends in her native Iceland. It’s the poppiest song on the album, and it even inspired me to cosplay one afternoon.

Björk Fans: The Next Generation

Like most online communities, there is the inevitable revolving door of old members leaving and new ones joining. By the time Björk released her next album, Volta (2007), the 4um got a makeover and a new crop of fans showed up to the party. I myself was in a transitory period in my life and participating in the community less and less. Ever the faithful fan, I continued to buy every new Björk album, a standard I uphold to this day. When Biophilia (2011) launched, Björk’s music evolved in another new direction. The online circles I used to roam became ghost towns. Such is the nature of the World Wide Web.

Today’s fans have an advantage when it comes to accessible media. It still amazes me how someone can pick up their phone and have quick access to Björk’s discography on Spotify. They can watch most, if not all, of her music videos on YouTube, along with concert performances, official and fan remixes, and interviews. And there’s no need to buy magazines just to scan new pictures and articles of the singer to upload and share with fans. Magazine websites now post sharp quality images for the world to see.

Every now and then, I’ll peek into the newer and more active communities of the present. The official 4um still exists, though it doesn’t seem as prominent as before. The Björk Reddit community keeps me in the know, and I’m only an observer. The overall vibe from the new generation strikes me as more laid-back and as equally devoted to the artist as fans of yesteryear. It’s hard to believe that many of the young followers were born after Medúlla, but the enthusiasm they share over her efforts like Vulnicura (2015) and Utopia (2017) mirrors the energy level I used to possess. In the age of memes comes the inside jokes that make fandoms extra special but easily reveal the generational shift. All I can say is us aging fans had a few references of our own. (Two words: sunflower seeds.)

Revisiting Medúlla (yes, it still rocks)

It’s been over 15 years since I listened to Medúlla by Björk from start to finish. Re-listening with older ears and a wiser mind, while writing this essay, reaffirms my love and gratitude for both the singer and her music. For one, it still doesn’t sound weird to me at all. In fact, the album trained my ears to appreciate the intricate layers and sharpened my ability to pick up on the subtle details in songs. Hearing the familiar rhythms and lyrics of Medúlla felt like reuniting with old friends. My favorite track in 2004 was the emotional “Desired Constellation,” where the music loops her voice like a quickened transmission of bells by aliens in space. Today, the song continues to captivate me as does “Mouth’s Cradle.” I dare say the latter reminds me of a classic movie musical number—if the orchestra was replaced by a choir, the main star’s vocals were cut and mashed together like potatoes, crew members slurped and hacked into a mic, and someone got hired to write whimsical lyrics about the wonders of breastfeeding. Clearly, this album was a lot different from what I was hearing on Top 40 radio at the time, but I’m glad I discovered it.

Having little musical training and writing songs as a hobby, Medúlla encouraged me to experiment with my own voice as I wrote, dreaming up vocal melodies that likely no one would ever hear, and normalizing what I used to dismiss as strange noises into compositions. To this day, every time I’m walking solo in nature, observing and letting my mind openly search for inspiration, a mix of sounds and words freely form if I’m feeling musical, and I blame it all on this album. After hearing something like Medúlla, one realizes the vast scope of what our voice can produce, and that anything is possible. My creations may not make sense to others, but they make sense to me.

I suppose my close feelings for this album stems from the fact that it was the first—and really only—time I figuratively counted down the days to a new album era while in the company of like-minded people on the internet. My interest in Björk’s work was an unaccompanied interest where I lived, and it was nice to have those digital connections. If I didn’t, the excitement would have been solitary and I would have missed out on learning so much more about her and the world beyond my semi-rural bubble, and similar performers who also molded my musical tastes.

In a way, Medúlla champions the use of our own voices, whether in song or simply going about our daily life. Since discovering Björk’s music at age 13, her work as a whole makes me want to create and to live more authentically, with Medúlla amplifying this sentiment. Even if you know very little about Björk, you’ll soon find that she’s always marched to the beat of her own drum, and that’s what makes her so legendary. The cyber connections I forged during that period of my life made me feel a little less alone in a time where I felt very much so. And the universe gifted me this special album in my teen years as a gateway to new portals of creative self-expression, helping me become more open to all forms of art. Most of all, Medúlla taught me to appreciate the value of connecting with others who share my passions, like the Björk community, and the process of discovering more about myself.

Happy 20th birthday, Medúlla.

* It’s believed that Meester Fly was Bjork’s good friend and fellow Sugarcube bandmate Einar.

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References

9Gagger. (2022, March 25). Björk with her computer in 1995 [Photo]. 9Gag. https://9gag.com/gag/aqG676R

björkaeiou. (2023, August 30). Björk – Vökuró live at Canal+ [Medúlla 2004] [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8a_E-teUBo

Freepik. (n.d.). Friends having a covid party using technology [Photo]. Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/friends-having-covid-party-using-technology_26538269.htm

Hutson, M. (2004). Bjork backstage at the opening of the 2004 Athens Olympics [Photo]. Yahoo! News. https://nz.news.yahoo.com/olympic-games-theme-songs-191902578.html

Inez + Vinoodh. (2004). Medúlla [Photos]. Bjork.fr. https://www.bjork.fr/Medúlla-Inez-Vinoodh

MrBunnyMunro. (2008, June 30). WHERE IS THE LINE (live in Moscow) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HHhEY7OmQU

MWC of bjork.com/unity. (2004, July 26). Björk.com/unity. Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20040728193930/www.bjork.com

MWC of bjork.com/unity. (2004). Bjork.com /// who is it. Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20050711074816/unit.bjork.com/specials/whoisit/

Olympics. (2017, August 14). Oceania – Bjork @ Athens 2004 Opening Ceremony [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Canm7glYFgg

x x. (2019, April 24). Björk – Triumph of a Heart (Pain of a Heart remix) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7wjhokHFoY

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