Moon (Björk song)
Encyclopedia
"Moon" is a song by Icelandic artist Björk
. It is the first track on her album Biophilia
and was released as the fourth single. Each song in the album features a theme related to nature. In "Moon", Björk explores the lunar cycles and the effect they have on Earth.
played by four different harpists: Zeena Parkins
, Shelley Burgon, Sara Cutler, Carol Emanuel. These sequences repeat throughout the song, resembling the lunar cycles. The song has 17/8 time signature
. The lyrics to "Moon" deals with themes such as rebirth
, start over and mythology
, making reference to the Moon
as "adrenalin pearls placed in the gods' mouths". About the song, Björk explained: "With each new moon
we complete a cycle and are offered renewal —to take risks, to connect with other people, to love, to give. The symbolism of the moon as the realm of imagination, melancholy, and regeneration is expressed in the song"
, M/M Paris
, Inez & Vinoodh
and James Merry and recorded spontaneously during the photo sessions for Biophilia. Björk sings the song with the orange crystal
that also features on the Biophilia album and singles cover, in one take. Images from the 'Moon' app
appear superposed throughout the video.
for iPad
and iPhone
was developed by 18-year-old programmer Max Weisel
, and is a musical sequencer which features 17 moons (representing each pulse of a time bar in the song). By changing the position of each moon, one changes the note it produces, thus forming a new melody each time which can be played with Björk's voice. The app also allows one to play the original song.
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
. It is the first track on her album Biophilia
Biophilia (album)
Biophilia is the musical project and eighth full-length studio album by Icelandic singer Björk. The album was released on 10 October 2011, over four years after her previous studio album, Volta ....
and was released as the fourth single. Each song in the album features a theme related to nature. In "Moon", Björk explores the lunar cycles and the effect they have on Earth.
Background
The song "Moon" is based on four different sequencesCycle (music)
A music cycle is when a section of a song/music is repeated.In music a cycle is a section which is repeated or repeatable indefinitely, with the end of a preceding repetition leading to the beginning of a succeeding repetition. Cycles may be melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, or based on some other...
played by four different harpists: Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. Parkins plays standard harps, as well as several custom-made one-of-a kind electric harps; she also plays piano and accordion...
, Shelley Burgon, Sara Cutler, Carol Emanuel. These sequences repeat throughout the song, resembling the lunar cycles. The song has 17/8 time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
. The lyrics to "Moon" deals with themes such as rebirth
Rebirth
-Spiritual:* Reincarnation, the migration of a deceased person's spirit to a newborn body** Rebirth * Baptism, a Christian ritual representing spiritual cleansing* Resurrection of the Dead-Music:* Rebirth Brass Band* Rebirth...
, start over and mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, making reference to the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
as "adrenalin pearls placed in the gods' mouths". About the song, Björk explained: "With each new moon
New moon
In astronomical terminology, the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth...
we complete a cycle and are offered renewal —to take risks, to connect with other people, to love, to give. The symbolism of the moon as the realm of imagination, melancholy, and regeneration is expressed in the song"
Music video
The video for "Moon" was directed by BjörkBjörk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, M/M Paris
M/M Paris
M/M is an art and design partnership consisting of Mathias Augustyniak and Michael Amzalag , established in Paris in 1992....
, Inez & Vinoodh
Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin are a Dutch fashion photographer duo, well known for their work for fashion magazines, advertising campaigns, and for their independent art work.-Biography:Vinoodh Matadin studied fashion design in Amsterdam between 1981 and 1985, and started...
and James Merry and recorded spontaneously during the photo sessions for Biophilia. Björk sings the song with the orange crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
that also features on the Biophilia album and singles cover, in one take. Images from the 'Moon' app
APP
App commonly refers to:* Mobile apps, software made for mobile devices*Application software, also called an App, software for specific purposesApp or APP may also refer to:-Computers:...
appear superposed throughout the video.
App
The 'Moon' appAPP
App commonly refers to:* Mobile apps, software made for mobile devices*Application software, also called an App, software for specific purposesApp or APP may also refer to:-Computers:...
for iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
and iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
was developed by 18-year-old programmer Max Weisel
Max Weisel
Max Weisel is an American software engineer and digital artist. He is one of the few developers to release an iOS app that predates the release of Apple's App Store. He's collaborated with avant garde artist Björk, to produce Biophilia, the first full-length app album...
, and is a musical sequencer which features 17 moons (representing each pulse of a time bar in the song). By changing the position of each moon, one changes the note it produces, thus forming a new melody each time which can be played with Björk's voice. The app also allows one to play the original song.