Pluto (song)
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"Pluto" is a song by Icelandic musician
Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...
. The song was written and produced by Björk and British producer Mark Bell for Björk's third studio album, ''
Homogenic ''Homogenic'' is the third studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 22 September 1997 by One Little Indian Records. Produced by Björk, Mark Bell (British musician), Mark Bell, Guy Sigsworth, Howie B, and Markus Dra ...
'' (1997).


Background and development

The song is a collaborative effort between Björk and LFO's Mark Bell, who was credited for the majority of the album's co-production. Björk desired to have Mark Bell contribute to her albums ''
Debut Debut or début (the first public appearance of a person or thing) may refer to: * Debut (society), the formal introduction of young upper-class women to society * Debut novel, an author's first published novel Film and television * ''The Debu ...
'' and ''
Post Post, POST, or posting may refer to: Postal services * Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal s ...
'', only finding him available for ''Homogenic''. Björk wrote the song on a
Nord Lead The Nord Lead is a series of virtual analog subtractive synthesizers, manufactured by Clavia. Released in 1995, the original Nord Lead popularized the term "virtual analog synthesis". The phrase was coined by Clavia at the release of the Nord L ...
synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
. The final version was a result of Björk and Bell's improvised
jam session A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without ...
s in
Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...
, Spain, where the album was recorded. Björk recalls:
"That was me and Mark having a laugh in Spain. It was a otday like this. We got a little
amp Amp or AMP may refer to: * Ampere, a unit of electric current, often shortened to amp * Amplifier, a device that increases the amplitude of a signal Arts and entertainment Music * After Midnight Project, Los Angeles alternative rock band * A ...
outside and a
keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Mus ...
and I just did all these really
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
things, just really thinking heavy metal. Most of the tracks I wrote before Mark started on them, so they're more like song-songs, and then Mark would work on beats and arrangements with me afterwards."Pytlik, 2003. p.126
The song's title comes from the
astrological Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that propose that information about human affairs and terrestrial events may be discerned by studying the apparent positions of celesti ...
concepts of
Pluto Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of Trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the Su ...
, the sign ruler of Scorpio. Pluto is sometimes called "the Great Renewer": it is the planet of rebirth and transformation that comes from experiences of destruction. A Scorpio herself, Björk has said: "having a lot in the planet Pluto, which I do, means you want to cut the crap, throw all the rubbish away. No extra baggage. It's death and birth."


Composition

Written and produced by Björk and Mark Bell, the
four-on-the-floor Four-on-the-floor (or four-to-the-floor) is a rhythm used primarily in dance genres such as disco and electronic dance music. It is a steady, uniformly accented beat in time in which the bass drum is hit on every beat (1, 2, 3, 4)."The Dance ...
"Pluto" has been described as the "most
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
-sounding composition from the album"Lysloff, 2003. p.194 and "''Homogenics most savage song".Pytlik, 2003. p.126 The track has also been described as " industrial-edged" by ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'', and James Hunter of ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' wrote "only with ..the industrial 'Pluto' does she concentrate on genre."
Dominique Leone Dominique Leone is an American musician and writer based in New York City. Early life and education Leone was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on December 29, 1973, and grew up in the Dallas, Texas area. He received a Bachelor's degree in Music Per ...
of ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' dubbed the song "
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
". The track has also been identified as IDM. Björk sings in "primitive-sounding screams", accentuated by a sampled, digitized beat that creates the perception that her voice is "natural" and "is being manipulated by something completely technological".Lysloff, 2003. p.194 Although her voice and the beats give the song its hard techno sound, their methodical rhythm "also evoke
chant A chant (from French ', from Latin ', "to sing") is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of no ...
like characteristics".Lysloff, 2003. p.194 David Browne of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' wrote she sings along
drum and bass Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated as DnB, D&B, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast Break (music)#Breakbeat (element of music), breakbeats (typically 165–185 Tempo, beats per minute) with heavy Bass (music) ...
rhythms "trying to do with techno what
vocalese Vocalese is a style of jazz singing in which words are added to an instrumental soloist's improvisation. Definition Vocalese uses recognizable lyrics that are sung to pre-existing instrumental solos, as opposed to scat singing, which uses nonsen ...
singers did with
bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...
nearly 50 years ago". Musicologist Sheila Whiteley wrote that "the jagged
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductors * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic c ...
samples and frenetic 140 bpm of 'Pluto' creates an uneasy feel." "Pluto"'s aesthetic is part of the "aggressive, macho" feeling Björk was trying to convey in ''Homogenic''. The track also goes in hand with the album's tribute to her native Iceland; "Pluto" is inspired by Icelandic mythology. In an interview with David Hemingway, Björk said: "you have this saga where the
Gods A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...
get aggressive and the world explodes and everything dies and then the sun comes up and everything starts all over again;" referring to ''
Ragnarök In Norse mythology, (also Ragnarok; or ; ) is a foretold series of impending events, including a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish (including the Æsir, gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, a ...
''. The following and final track, "
All Is Full of Love "All Is Full of Love" is a song by Icelandic musician Björk from her third studio album, ''Homogenic'' (1997). The lyrics were inspired by love in spring and Ragnarök of Norse mythology. Björk's original version is a trip hop ballad with Soul ...
", stands for that new beginning, "like the birds coming out after a thunderstorm", whereas "Pluto" stands for death. The singer has also described "Pluto" as about "being plastered, that need to destroy everything so you can start again". Also available a
bjork.fr
Pytlik, 2003. p.190 Lyrically, it has been described as "sparse". Björk sings: "Excuse me/But I just have to/Explode/Explode this body/Off me/I'll be brand new/Brand new tomorrow/A little bit tired/But brand new." Some critics considered the lyrics to be about the contemplation of
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
. Discussing the track, Sheila Whiteley wrote: "as anyone who has been through personal trauma knows only too well, rejuvenation often involves a nightmare journey."Whiteley, 2013. p.108 Björk's official website also stated that the song is "about the liberation of
hedonism Hedonism is a family of Philosophy, philosophical views that prioritize pleasure. Psychological hedonism is the theory that all human behavior is Motivation, motivated by the desire to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. As a form of Psycholo ...
".


Reception

"Pluto" has been met with acclaim from music critics. Although he gave the album a mixed review, Stephen Thompson of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' considered the song to be a highlight of the album, writing it "is a heart-poundingly wicked, electronics-driven stunner." ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
''s Sal Cinquemani felt that "never has the impetus to suicide been captured more thoughtfully or beautifully, at least in song." Peter Buckley thought the song was a stand-out track and that it " mphasizesher skills as composer, singer and producer."Buckley, 2003. p.97 In the ''Homogenic'' review for ''Pitchfork''s Top 100 Albums of the 1990s, Dominique Leone of wrote that only in "Pluto", Björk " tepsout from her cocoon in a fit of rage, although even then an air of intrigue envelops the track."


Promotion


Live performances

Björk presented the song—and three more songs off the then-unreleased ''Homogenic''—at the
Tibetan Freedom Concert Tibetan Freedom Concert is the name given to a series of socio-political music festivals held in North America, Europe and Asia from 1996 onwards to support the cause of Tibetan independence. The concerts were originally organized by Beastie Boy ...
on 6 June 1997, as a sneak peek of the album. She performed with Mark Bell, who was raised at the rear of the stage surrounded by keyboards and sequencers, and with the Icelandic String Octet conducted by
Eumir Deodato Eumir Deodato de Almeida (; born 22 June 1943) is a Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, primarily in jazz but who has been known for his eclectic melding of genres, such as Pop music, pop, Rock music, rock, disco, rhythm a ...
at one side of the stage. She wore a pink dress designed by
Hussein Chalayan Hussein Chalayan, (; ; born 12 August 1970) is a British-Cypriot fashion designer. He has won the British Designer of the Year twice (in 1999 and 2000), and he was awarded the MBE in 2006. Chalayan is currently teaching at HTW Berlin. Ea ...
, which she would later wear in the video for "
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" and photoshoots. That July, Björk performed the whole album for a press conference and presentation concert regarding ''Homogenic'' at the Old Truman Building, an old beer factory in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, wearing the same outfit. During the brief Homogenic promotional tour, which took place from 31 August to 10 September 1997, "Pluto" was the closing track of the set. The song was part of the set list of the Homogenic tour which Björk embarked with Mark Bell and the Icelandic String Octet from late 1997 to early 1999. A performance of "Pluto" at the
Cambridge Corn Exchange The Corn Exchange is an events and concert venue located on Wheeler Street, Cambridge, Wheeler Street in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. The structure, which was commissioned as a corn exchange, is a Grade II listed building. History The ...
during the tour was included in the video release '' Live in Cambridge'' (2001). Björk's June 1998 performance of the song in
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
was released in '' Homogenic Live'', a live album of the tour included in the box set ''
Live Box ''Live Box'' is a set of 4 live CDs, a live DVD and a 36-page booklet by Icelandic musician Björk, released in August 2003. Each live CD roughly corresponds to one album in her (at the time of release) four album solo discography. The 4 live CDs ...
'' (2003). "Pluto" was also performed during the Greatest Hits tour of 2003, which once again featured the Icelandic String Octet, but with the addition of
Vespertine world tour The Vespertine world tour was a tour by the singer Björk that focused on her album '' Vespertine''. She also performed songs from ''Debut'', ''Post'', ''Homogenic'' and '' Selmasongs''. She performed 35 shows on this tour and 31 different songs. ...
collaborators
Matmos Matmos is an experimental electronic music duo formed in San Francisco and based in Baltimore. M. C. (Martin) Schmidt and Drew Daniel are the core members, but they frequently include other artists on their records and in their performances no ...
and
Zeena Parkins Zeena Parkins (born 1956) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist active in experimental, free improvised, contemporary classical, and avant-jazz music; she is known for having "reinvented the harp". Parkins performs on standard har ...
. The song was performed during the
Volta tour The Volta tour was the sixth concert tour by Icelandic artist Björk. It supported her sixth studio album, '' Volta'' (2007). Preceded by an appearance in a benefit concert in Iceland, the 18-month tour began on April 9, 2007 at the Laugardalshö ...
(2007–08), a tour she undertook with Mark Bell,
Jónas Sen Jónas Sen (born 1962) is an Icelandic pianist, music critic for Fréttablaðið, composer and TV host. He was the keyboard player in Björk’s band, which was on a world tour in 2007 and 2008. In 2011 Björk and Jónas arranged all the '' Biop ...
, Damian Taylor,
Chris Corsano Chris Corsano is an American improviser based in Chicago, Illinois. Early life Corsano picked up the drums after seeing his half-brother Tony playing. Corsano's first drum set had Animal from the Muppets on the bass, and he largely is self-ta ...
and a 10 piece female
brass band A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting primarily of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands (particularl ...
. Several of the concerts were part of festivals, including
Coachella Coachella (officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and sometimes known as Coachella Festival) is an annual music festival, music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valle ...
,
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and
Rock en Seine Rock en Seine () is a multiple-day rock music festival, held at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, the Château de Saint-Cloud's park, west of Paris, inside the garden designed by André Le Nôtre. Name The name is a pun, based on exactly the ...
, among others. A live performance of "Pluto" during the tour was included in the box set ''
Voltaïc ''Voltaïc'' is a 2009 compilation of material related to the 2007 album '' Volta'' by the Icelandic musician Björk. The full version of the release includes a CD of eleven songs performed live at the Olympic Studios, a DVD of Björk's live pe ...
'' (2009), specifically the DVD ''The Volta Tour'' ("Live in Paris"). During the
Biophilia tour The Biophilia tour was the seventh concert tour by Icelandic musician Björk. The tour was centered on her multimedia project and studio album ''Biophilia (album), Biophilia'' (2011). The tour premiered at the Manchester International Festival an ...
(2011–13), Björk performed the song using a singing Tesla coil Björk performed the song acoustically, only backed by strings, as the closing song during her acoustic
Vulnicura tour The Vulnicura tour was the eighth concert tour by Icelandic musician Björk. The tour centered on her critically acclaimed 2015 album ''Vulnicura'' which chronicled the singer's breakup with American contemporary artist Matthew Barney. The first ...
shows in 2016 and 2017, and during her
Björk Orkestral Björk Orkestral was an "unplugged" concert series by Icelandic musician Björk. Originally announced for the summer of 2020, all concert dates were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A four-part concert series was later announced for August 2 ...
performances (2021–2023). The singer defined this version of the song as "strings
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
".


Music video

During the development of her Greatest Hits tour, Björk enlisted
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
-based collective LynnFox, which comprises Christian McKenzie, Patrick Chen, and Bastian Glassner, to create different music videos to be used as backdrops during the performances. The visual for "Pluto", shot on a black backdrop, features a convulsing man, Icelandic actor
Ingvar Sigurðsson Ingvar or Yngvar ( , d. early 7th century) was the son of Östen and reclaimed the Swedish throne for the House of Yngling after the Swedes had rebelled against Sölve. He is reported to have fallen in battle in Estonia and been buried there. A ...
, furiously simulating
masturbation Masturbation is a form of autoeroticism in which a person Sexual stimulation, sexually stimulates their own Sex organ, genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. Stimulation may involve the use of han ...
until his head explodes. For the role, the actor agreed to perform naked and shave his hair.


See also

* *
List of songs recorded by Björk Icelandic singer and songwriter Björk has recorded more than two hundred songs for ten studio albums, two soundtrack albums, a compilation album, six remix albums and three collaboration albums. She is the sole writer and producer of most of the ...


Notes


References

* * * * {{Björk songs Björk songs Songs written by Björk Song recordings produced by Björk 1997 songs Techno songs Industrial songs Pluto Songs written by Mark Bell (British musician)