Mount Wittenberg Orca
Björk and Dirty Projectors
Domino Records
First released in digital format only, Mount Wittenberg Orca was a piece loosely strung together to benefit the National Geographic Society charity dedicated to the preservation of marine space. Anyone familiar with Björk and Dirty Projectors, at first listen, knows Mount Wittenberg Orca strays from both artists’ original formats. Where Björk and Dirty Projectors’ music excel in complexity, this release is far from the instrument laden works fans know. Mount Wittenberg Orca is raw; it’s minimal, and focuses on vocals. The female voices of Dirty Projectors clash and meld naturally with Björk’s creating a harmony that often borderlines on chaotic. In “Beautiful Mother,” vocals shift from Disney-esque tunes to robotic chanting. “On and Ever Onward,” exhibits Björk’s soft voice surrounded by the girls of Dirty Projector’s harshly pitched vocals. In the end, Mount Wittenberg Orca exudes the Dirty Projectors play on kaleidoscopic sounds while maintaining Björk’s airy playfulness—how it relates to Orca’s is a whole other story. (Lynn Lieu)
