Hyperballad
Original Artist: Bjork
Cover Version by Mocca
Artistically and musically, Bjork is…surreal, or in the most simple and straightforward term, weird; especially when talk about her performances and outfits. (Remember her famous swan-dress at the 2001 Academy Awards?) Despite all the “for” and “against” debacles, it’s undeniable that this Icelandic contemporary diva is a one-of-a-kind singer, songwriter, and artist. Rolling Stones magazine wrote in her bio as “an elfin womanchild with a powerful, keening voice,” while classical composer John Tavener (as citer from Wikipedia.org) regarded Björk as being “more intelligent than most opera singers.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir (Bork’s difficultly-spelled real name) recorded her second studio album, Post, around 1994-1995 and one of the tracks in that album is Hyperballad. It reached Top 10 in UK Singles Charts in its debut as single and it is one of her most welcomed numbers (in the survey for her Greatest Hits album, it received most votes).
Just like what I’ve said before about Bjork, the first impression emerges from this electronica-dance song is surreal, the music as well as the lyrics. Yet, it is a beautiful surreal. Starting out slow with steady humming bass, echoing drum roll, some “softer” sound effects, and her sounds-so-natural vocal, this song is truly a electronica ballad. Then, entering the second chorus, comes the hyper part. Something that will make you wanna move your body, if you’re into dance music. And her voice is simply gorgeous. She doesn’t try to “sound sophisticated”, she goes as she likes and when it hits the higher notes, she’s like semi-screaming. And the string instruments part near the end of the song…It gives me goosebumps.
Mocca, an Indonesian indie band recorded this song as part of their third studio album Colours (released 2007) and I think Mocca does a pretty good job with the song, something that’s not so easy to do remembering the character of the song. As a swing jazz, indie pop band, Mocca effectively makes a different arrangement of Hyperballad, in which they create “room to implement” their own musical style. They offer something that might as well be said as the opposite of Bjork’s version. Mocca’s version is simple without “hyper part” or electronica whatsoever. Yet, it is a less-is-more kind of thing. The simplicity of the song’s arrangement feels amazing and calming, especially when it comes to the trumpet part (a very brilliant decision as replacement to the string instruments in Bjork’s version). The serenity resonated by trumpet sound is beautiful and becomes a fabulous closing for this great cover version.
Björk Guðmundsdóttir (Bork’s difficultly-spelled real name) recorded her second studio album, Post, around 1994-1995 and one of the tracks in that album is Hyperballad. It reached Top 10 in UK Singles Charts in its debut as single and it is one of her most welcomed numbers (in the survey for her Greatest Hits album, it received most votes).Just like what I’ve said before about Bjork, the first impression emerges from this electronica-dance song is surreal, the music as well as the lyrics. Yet, it is a beautiful surreal. Starting out slow with steady humming bass, echoing drum roll, some “softer” sound effects, and her sounds-so-natural vocal, this song is truly a electronica ballad. Then, entering the second chorus, comes the hyper part. Something that will make you wanna move your body, if you’re into dance music. And her voice is simply gorgeous. She doesn’t try to “sound sophisticated”, she goes as she likes and when it hits the higher notes, she’s like semi-screaming. And the string instruments part near the end of the song…It gives me goosebumps.
Bjork
Mocca, an Indonesian indie band recorded this song as part of their third studio album Colours (released 2007) and I think Mocca does a pretty good job with the song, something that’s not so easy to do remembering the character of the song. As a swing jazz, indie pop band, Mocca effectively makes a different arrangement of Hyperballad, in which they create “room to implement” their own musical style. They offer something that might as well be said as the opposite of Bjork’s version. Mocca’s version is simple without “hyper part” or electronica whatsoever. Yet, it is a less-is-more kind of thing. The simplicity of the song’s arrangement feels amazing and calming, especially when it comes to the trumpet part (a very brilliant decision as replacement to the string instruments in Bjork’s version). The serenity resonated by trumpet sound is beautiful and becomes a fabulous closing for this great cover version.Mocca
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