All Points East: Björk review - Theatrical and hypnotic

Icelandic icon: Björk headlined the Sunday night of the new festival
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Elizabeth Aubrey29 May 2018

“I wrote this song shortly after reading a book that was recommended to me by Björk,” Father John Misty — aka Josh Tillman — announced mid-set yesterday, on the Sunday closer of the inaugural All Points East festival.

“Not personally recommended, but from an interview,” he deadpanned, before teasing that the Icelandic superstar was about to come on stage for a duet. Tillman was joking: the audience would have to wait another couple of hours before Björk unveiled her Utopia stage show for the first time. Until then, it was left to Tillman and Beck.

Tillman’s new material was bright, infectious and the perfect soundtrack for a glorious summer afternoon. Beck followed with a well-chosen, career-spanning set and his surprise cover of Raspberry Beret delighted. Earlier, Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor and electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso brought much-needed energy to a mid-afternoon lull.

Later, as an electrical storm raged and a full moon lit up the night sky, Björk emerged dressed as a luminous orchid for set opener, Arisen My Senses. Against a dreamy backdrop of a verdant forest wonderland adorned with giant oyster shells, a troupe of pixie flautists and a harpist, Björk quickly took listeners into her surreal, romanticised utopia: a world where we’re kinder to mother nature and to each other.

Bjork - In pictures

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This was theatrical, avant-garde performance-art drenched in opulent, escapist soundscapes. At times, it felt part Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, part Swan Lake as ideas of love and dreams artistically collided: it was about as far away from the content of a typical festival headline slot as you could imagine.

While this proved too self-indulgent for some, the inclusion of classic Isobel and the rarely heard Human Behaviour seemed to appease. Björk’s soaring voice was hypnotic throughout.

Headlining a festival with predominantly new material was a brave move, too, but Björk has always been fearless and unwavering in her vision. It paid off in what was ultimately an enchanting, immersive experience.

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