'Vulnicura' itself is an emotional journey which, at least in parts, attempts to take the listener on a voyage through the bitter end of a long-term relationship. While it's obviously Bjork, in that inimitable way only Björk could ever be, it could never be accused of retreading the well-worn ground that nine albums tends to leave trailing behind a musician.
A genuine enigma and a truly inspirational individual; Björk's live show is even more engrossing and bewildering than her studio output. Existing material becomes a battleground for sonic manipulation and artistic exploration. Nothing about her extensive catalogue ever feels static, as she continues to adjust, destroy and rebuild.
Björk will make two British appearances this summer, with the first coming this weekend at Manchester's Castlefield Bowl and the second in the form of her headline appearance at this summer's Wilderness Festival. Surrounding these performances is a slew of international dates and we can only hope that a British return isn't too far in the future.
July
5th - Castlefield Bowl, Manchester
11th - Pohoda Festival, Trencin
16th - Colours of Ostrava Festival, Ostrava
20th - Les Nuits de Fourviere, Lyon
24th - Poble Espanyol, Barcelona
29th - Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Rome
August
2nd - Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin
7th - Wilderness Festival, Charlbury
October
30th - Pitchfork Music Festival, Paris
November
3rd - Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik
7th - Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik