"Hunter" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer
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 ...
for her 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). The lyrics explore the pressure Björk felt to write music after realising the workforce that depended on her, following the success she found as a solo artist with her previous studio albums. The song was first performed at the 1997
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 ...
and later included with the online promotional release of ''Homogenic''; the track was subsequently released as the third single from the album as three different
CD releases in the United Kingdom in October 1998, having been released in France four months prior. A collaborative effort between Björk and
Mark Bell, "Hunter" features a dark combination of strings and layered synths, a militaristic electronic beat, and enigmatic lyrics about the heading towards a mission.
Most
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
were enticed by "Hunter", which they declared one of the highlights of ''Homogenic''. However, the single charted poorly, peaking at number 44 on the
UK Singles Chart and number 55 in France. "Hunter" was included on Björk's
greatest hits album
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'' (2002), whose tracks were selected by fans through an online survey.
The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for "Hunter" was directed by longtime collaborator Paul White of Me Company and consists of a close-up of a bald Björk as she transforms into a "techno-bear" while singing. Seeking to convey the music's fusion of organic and technological, the polar bear was animated in a non-naturalistic fashion; the bear also embodies the ferocious hunter the lyrics represent. The song's video garnered acclaim from critics. Björk has performed "Hunter" on ''
Later... with Jools Holland'' and on five of her tours, the most recent being the
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 ...
.
Music and lyrics
The opening track of ''
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 ...
'', "Hunter" showcases the hybrid elements of strings and electronic backing beats through the album. It blends the live sound of the Icelandic String Octet —orchestrated 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 ...
—,
Yasuhiro Kobayashi's accordion and "stuttering computer beats and beeps" programmed by
Mark Bell.
Music journalist Evelyn McDonnell wrote "the production showed Björk's steeping in the cutting edge of
electronic dance-music culture, her embrace of
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 ...
futurism, her time spent pulling all-nighters in London clubs. But the emotion was ancient, deeply human".
The song has been described as "dark", "uncompromising" and "icy".
According to ''
Ray Gun
A raygun is a science-fiction directed-energy weapon usually with destructive effect.Jeff Prucher, '' Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction,'' Oxford University Press, 2007, page 162 They have various names: ray gun, de ...
'', "Hunter" evokes an eerie terrain with rolling techno beats and strings penetrating the air like a toxic fog.
Björk's vocals have been much celebrated in the track. They have been described as what "
iesthe whole shebang together together
.. full of reverberating menace and trepidation on the verses, then bursting into full-throated confession, layers of her voice pitching next to each other then cascading together".
''The Wire'' wrote that Björk's voice "oscillates between steely-edged determination and uncontained freedom".
Björk incorporated elements of traditional
Icelandic culture
The culture of Iceland is largely characterized by its literary heritage that began during the 12th century but also traditional arts such as weaving, silversmithing, and wood carving. The Reykjavík area hosts several professional theaters, art ...
. She uses the
interval of the fifth throughout the song, such as in the cellos; fifths were common in
Icelandic folk songs.
Elements of
Maurice Ravel
Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...
's ''
Boléro
''Boléro'' is a 1928 work for large orchestra by French composer Maurice Ravel. It is one of Ravel's most famous compositions. It was also one of his last completed works before illness diminished his ability to write music.
Composition
T ...
'' were also noted. René T. A. Lysloff and Leslie C. Gay, Jr. wrote: "one of the three main sections of the whole song is the Bolero ostinato (0:00-1:36). The sounds Björk uses to cover the rhythmic patterns from ''Bolero'' are tightly interwoven".
The song features "militaristic" electronic percussion programmed by Mark Bell.
Björk recorded the vocals, bassline and chord structure before Bell met her in Spain; after she explained how she wanted the percussion to sound, Bell recorded one take on a
Roland TR-909
The Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 909, is a drum machine introduced by Roland Corporation in 1983, succeeding the TR-808. It was the first Roland drum machine to use samples for some sounds, and the first with MIDI funct ...
drum machine.
Engineer
Markus Dravs
Markus Dravs is a British music producer, songwriter, programmer, engineer and mixer. His credits include Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Wolf Alice, Björk, Brian Eno, Sheep on Drugs, Merz, Mumford & Sons, Hozier, Florence + the Machine, The Maccabe ...
said: "We all had a go on the filtering and played around with the
decay
Decay may refer to:
Science and technology
* Bit decay, in computing
* Decay time (fall time), in electronics
* Distance decay, in geography
* Software decay, in computing
Biology
* Decomposition of organic matter
* Mitochondrial decay, in g ...
of each individual drum."
Björk sings: "If travel is searching / And home has been found / I'm not stopping / I'm going hunting".
Sal Cinquemani of ''
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 ...
'' noted self-mockery towards "her own idyllic disposition" in the lyrics "I thought I could organize freedom / How Scandinavian of me!"
That line was covered in various reviews; it has been described as "hilarious" and "derisively" delivered.
When asked about the meaning of those lines, Björk replied: Some critics interpreted the line as an allusion to a failed relationship.
Björk said: "'Hunter' is based on what my grandma told me at Christmas; about two different types of birds. One bird always had the same nest and partner all their lives. The other was always travelling and taking on different partners. At some point there was a conscious decision made to remain a hunter."
According to Björk, the lyrics express how she felt obliged to produce music because of the people that occupationally depended of her. The lyrics "I'll bring back the goods/But don't know when" refer to her songwriting process; in her own words: "Sometimes I don't do things that people I work with do —like spend time with families and lead a normal life. I have to isolate myself and put myself in a state so I will write a song." After the success Björk encountered as a solo artist with ''
Debut'' (1993) 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 ...
'' (1995) — her most promoted album —, she began to feel more pressured as she noticed how her creative output directly affected the life of those around her.
In an interview with
Dave Hemingway, she stated:
Release
"Hunter" was first made available for
streaming
Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...
prior to the release of ''Homogenic''.
In early 1998, it was announced that "
Alarm Call
"Alarm Call" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer Björk for her third studio album ''Homogenic'' (1997). It was released as the fourth single from the album, peaking at number 33 in the United Kingdom. The sped-up radio edit of the song was us ...
" would be released as the third single off the album, followed by "Hunter". By March, no release dates had been specified, although the production of the music video was announced. In April, plans for "Alarm Call" as the third single were suspended and "Hunter" was chosen instead.
It was first released in France on 3 June.
The release date of "Hunter" was confirmed to be 5 October in September.
There were three different CD releases of "Hunter" in the United Kingdom, which were subsequently released via a
box set
A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists ...
in early 1999.
"Hunter" was also included on Björk's
greatest hits album
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'' (2002), whose track list was determined by fans through an online survey.
Critical reception
"Hunter" garnered acclaim from music critics, who complimented its elaborate production, its haunting melody and cryptic lyrics. Marvin Lin from
Tiny Mix Tapes
''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, ...
called it "painfully beautiful".
Jack Dickey of
Deadspin
''Deadspin'' is a sports blog owned by Lineup Publishing. Founded by Will Leitch in 2005 and originally based in Chicago, it was then sold to Gawker Media, Univision Communications and G/O Media. Lineup Publishing acquired it in March 2024, t ...
considered "Hunter" one of the only two songs in the album where "the instruments win out" and wrote it "is like ''
Peter and the Wolf
''Peter and the Wolf'' ( rus, Петя и волк, Pétya i volk, p=ˈpʲetʲə i volk) Op. 67, a "symphonic tale for children", is a Program music , programmatic musical composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. The narrator tells a ...
'' if, instead of a merciful hunter,
Artemis
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
were chasing the wolf."
In a review for the single release, Keir Langley of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
praised the rhythm and intensity of the track as a showcase of her collaboration with Mark Bell.
''
The Wire
''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...
s Louise Gray thought it was an "extraordinary, mesmeric song."
[ Also available a]
bjork.fr
Evelyn McDonnell wrote "I myself had used the prevalent critical category for Björk uncategorizable amalgalm of styles: 'quirky.' There was nothing quirky about 'Hunter.'" She also praised the song's originality and appeal to various types of listeners.
Phil Freeman included "Hunter" in his list of songs which "say something important about the state of music since 1979—how venerable forms have changed;" inspired by
Greil Marcus
Greil Marcus (né Gerstley; born June 19, 1945) is an American author, music journalist and cultural critic. He is notable for producing scholarly and literary essays that place rock music in a broader framework of culture and politics.
Biogra ...
' attempt to define rock and roll in ''Stranded'' (1978). He wrote "her voice is protean and capable of astonishingly raw, forceful outbursts, but it's when she holds it in, on tracks like this one, that her real power emerges."
Authors
Shirley R. Steinberg and Donaldo Pereira Macedo identified elements of
Donna Haraway
Donna Jeanne Haraway (born September 6, 1944) is an American professor emerita in the history of consciousness and feminist studies departments at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a prominent scholar in the field of science and te ...
's ''
A Cyborg Manifesto
"A Cyborg Manifesto" is an essay written by Donna Haraway and first published in 1985 in the ''Socialist Review (US), Socialist Review'' under the title "A Manifesto for Cyborgs: Science, Technology, and Socialist Feminism in the 1980s." In it, th ...
'' in "Hunter". They state that, by assuming the position of authority in relation to the masculine other, Björk challenges the traditional notions of
femininity
Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and Gender roles, roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as Social construction of gender, socially constructed, and there is also s ...
; and that by "
eavingto be the hunter," she "disrupts the nature/culture binary of which Haraway speaks."
Music video
Development
The music video for "Hunter" was directed by longtime collaborator Paul White from Me Company, the design firm that produced the artwork of ''Homogenic'' and ''Post'', and their respective singles.
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating Film, moving images. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both still images and moving images, while computer animation refers to moving images. Virtu ...
was handled by
Digital Domain
Digital Domain (also known as Digital Domain Media Group or DDMG) is an American visual effects, computer animation and digital production company headquartered in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, California.
Digital Domain has produced visual effects ...
. The live-action portion of the video was shot in London in 12 takes, with Björk performing in front of a
green screen
Chroma key compositing, or chroma keying, is a visual-effects and post-production technique for compositing (layering) two or more images or video streams together based on colour hues ( chroma range). The technique has been used in many fie ...
; she wore makeup to simulate baldness and
tracking markers were applied to her head and face for subsequent computer graphics work.
[ Also available a]
bjork.com
/ref> A second performance was later shot with the singer's face marked up with infrared dots as a reference for animators to create convincing facial contortions, and a paper clay polar bear head was scanned next to Björk's head for modeling guidelines.
Both Alistair Beattie —producer and member of Me Company— and Björk have used the word "techno" to refer to the design of the polar bear. To coincide with the song's fusion of organic and technological, it was deliberately designed in a non-photorealist
Photorealism is a genre of art that encompasses painting, drawing and other graphic media, in which an artist studies a photograph and then attempts to reproduce the image as realistically as possible in another Medium (arts), medium. Although ...
manner. In an interview for '' I.D.'' magazine in November 1997, Beattie said:
Post-production took place in California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, where Digital Domain received all data. Using Autodesk Softimage
Autodesk Softimage is a discontinued 3D computer graphics application, for producing 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling, and computer animation. Now owned by Autodesk and formerly titled Softimage XSI (stylized as Softimage, XSI), the software has ...
and proprietary software, they tracked Björk's movements from the two marker sets and then began key frame
In animation and filmmaking, a key frame (or keyframe) is a drawing or shot that defines the starting and ending points of a smooth transition. These are called ''frames'' because their position in time is measured in frames on a strip of f ...
animation using Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Maya, commonly shortened to just Maya (; ), is a 3D computer graphics application that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, originally developed by Alias and currently owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to create assets for inter ...
, Autodesk Alias
Autodesk Alias (formerly known as Alias StudioTools) is a family of computer-aided industrial design (CAID) software predominantly used in automotive design and industrial design for generating class A surfaces using Bézier surface and non-u ...
and Autodesk Softimage. By combining patch deformation and shape interpolation, the emerging bear head was created, composed of "100 maneuverable platelets that rise up through the skin." Finally, rendering was completed using Pixar
Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
's RenderMan The name RenderMan can cause confusion because it has been used to refer to different things developed by Pixar Animation Studios:
* RenderMan Interface Specification (RISpec), an open API
An application programming interface (API) is a connec ...
, a holographic shader was used to make the bear skin colors change, and all the computer graphics were added to the live-action footage. According to ''The Wire'', post-production work brought the costs of the video up to £250,000.
Synopsis
The video begins with a white screen followed by a fade-in of a close-up
A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, s ...
of a bald Björk. She passionately sings looking into the camera; as she shakes and moves her head, she begins to morph into a polar bear. Towards the end of the video, she completely transforms into the "techno-bear", before returning to her original state and the image once again fading-out to white.
Reception and analysis
The video received critical acclaim. ''Freeze Frame'' deemed the video "primal" and complimented Björk on keeping the attention of the viewer by only showing her head and shoulders, thus comparing it to "Sledgehammer
A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, massive, often metal head, attached to a long wooden or solid handle. The long handle is combined with a heavy head which allows the sledgehammer to pick up momentum during a swing and applying a large ...
" by Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
. ''I.D. Magazine'' praised its special effects, writing they "reach a new level of detail in he music video and compared the singer's transformation to that of the title character in Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...
's ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is an 1886 Gothic horror novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between ...
''. Louise Gray of ''The Wire'' described the music video as "extraordinary" and "deeply affecting". Cultural theorist Dominic Pettman, while analyzing the "becoming-animal" theorized by Deleuze
Gilles Louis René Deleuze (18 January 1925 – 4 November 1995) was a French philosopher who, from the early 1950s until his death in 1995, wrote on philosophy, literature, film, and fine art. His most popular works were the two volumes o ...
and Guattari, found that the video for "Hunter" —along with the character Treadwell in Herzog
(; feminine ; masculine plural ; feminine plural ) is a German hereditary title held by one who rules a territorial duchy, exercises feudal authority over an estate called a duchy, or possesses a right by law or tradition to be referred to ...
's ''Grizzly Man
''Grizzly Man'' is a 2005 American documentary film written and directed by Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of bear enthusiast and conservationist Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard at Katmai National Park, A ...
''— embodied various points these philosophers studied regarding that concept. Shirley R. Steinberg and Donaldo Pereira Macedo wrote that in the music video, Donna Haraway's metaphor of ''A Cyborg Manifesto'' appears in "Björks embodiment of a human-animal-machine hybrid."
Evelyn McDonnell has identified bears and hunters as recurring themes in Björk's videos. The bear was used as a "literal symbol of strength, ferocity, self-determination and the North, a pioneering roaming spirit." Beattie has stated that as the song is about the two different states of the hunter and the gatherer, "the polar bear is the perfect symbol of the hunter state, it polarizes (ahem!) 'sic''the difference between the two into something really extreme and magical." When asked why the video is "so stark", Beattie compared it to kōan
A ( ; ; zh, c=公案, p=gōng'àn ; ; ) is a narrative, story, dialogue, question, or statement from Chan Buddhism, Chinese Chan Buddhist lore, supplemented with commentaries, that is used in Zen Buddhism, Buddhist practice in different way ...
s and haiku
is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 Mora (linguistics), morae (called ''On (Japanese prosody), on'' in Japanese) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern; that include a ''kire ...
s in the sense that "it tries to ask the question in the most interesting manner possible," and added that " heywanted the effects to be done right in front of your eyes" so that "the magic and illusion are all the more powerful." About the concept behind the video, White said:
In an interview with ''The Wire'', Björk said that the video " sabout the argument between hunting experiences and stopping and settling." She has also stated to ''Interview
An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" re ...
'' that she identifies with polar bears because "they're very cuddly and cute and quite calm, but if they meet you they can be very strong." ''Freeze Frame'' wrote:
Recognition
"Hunter" was the runner-up for the Prix PIXEL-INA Vidéoclip at the 1999 Imagina festival. At the 2000 Fantasporto
Fantasporto International Film Festival (Portuguese: Festival Internacional de Cinema do Porto) is an international genre film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal.
Screening and awarding fantasy, sci-fi and horror orient ...
film festival of Porto
Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...
, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
, Björk received the Audience Choice award for the music video.
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 "Bachelorette
''Bachelorette'' (/ˌbætʃələˈrɛt/) is a term used in American English for a Single person, single, unmarried woman. The term is derived from the word ''bachelor'', and is often used by journalists, editors of popular magazines, and some ...
" 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, wearing the same outfit. During the brief Homogenic promotional tour, which took place from 31 August to 10 September 1997, "Hunter" was the opening track of the set. Björk also performed the track with the Icelandic String Octet and Mark Bell on the British TV show '' Later... with Jools Holland'', a performance that was included in the 2003 DVD release of the same name.
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 "Hunter" 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 Paris was released in ''Homogenic Live'', a live album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...
of the tour included in the box set '' Live Box'' (2003). "Hunter" was also performed —usually as the opening track— 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 ...
.
"Hunter" was also 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, 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 ...
, Glastonbury
Glastonbury ( , ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than across the River ...
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. Live performances of "Hunter" during the tour were 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 CD ''Songs from the Volta Tour Performed Live at the Olympic Studios'' and the DVD ''The Volta Tour'' ("Live in Paris"). The track was also part of the set list of Björk's latest tour, 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), whose schedule featured both a residency format and a conventional stage format for the festival dates. "Hunter" was performed mainly at festival dates and outdoor facilities.
Covers
Thirty Seconds to Mars version
In 2005, American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American Rock music, rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Let ...
covered "Hunter" and placed it as a bonus track
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century a ...
on their second studio album, ''A Beautiful Lie
''A Beautiful Lie'' is the second studio album by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, released on August 30, 2005 through Virgin Records. It was produced by Josh Abraham.
''A Beautiful Lie'' differs notably from the band's self-titled ...
''. The song was not originally a part of the album, but was recorded and added to the track listing after the album leaked several months before it was to be released. It changes the word "Scandinavian" for "American" in the line "I thought I could organize freedom/How Scandinavian of me!", and the line "You just didn't know me" was added towards the end of the song. Brian Orloff from the ''Tampa Bay Times
The ''Tampa Bay Times'', called the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It is published by the Times Publishing Company, which is owned by The Poynter Institute ...
'' was impressed with the cover version, writing that Thirty Seconds to Mars erects "riveting tension" in its "almost trip-hop
Trip hop is a musical genre that has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop and electronica with slow tempos and an atmospheric sound. The style emerged as a more experimental music, experimental var ...
" rendition of the song. ''Rock Sound
''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more " underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, ...
'' magazine also responded positively to the track and described it as "an absinthe-soaked 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 ...
rendering." Kaj Roth from ''Melodic
A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of pitch and rhythm, while more figuratively, the term c ...
'' felt that the band "really caught the spirit" of the song; however, Kirsty Krampf of '' DIY'' thought it was "a criminal re-hash."
Terminator: Dark Fate soundtrack version
A version of the song was produced for the 2019 film Terminator: Dark Fate by an artist named Riaya featuring John Mark McMillan on vocals.
Track listings and formats
*Digital single 1 / UK and French CD1
#"Hunter" (Radio Edit) – 3:29
#"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 ...
" (In Love with: Funkstörung
Funkstörung (sometimes stylized as Funkstorung) are an electronic music duo from Rosenheim, Germany, consisting of Michael Fakesch and Chris de Luca.
History
Chris de Luca and Michael Fakesch first met in 1992 at a techno party organised by ...
Remix) – 5:23
#"Hunter" ( μ-Ziq Remix) – 7:00
*Digital single 2 / UK CD2
#"Hunter" (Album Version) – 4:12
#"Hunter" (State of Bengal Mix) – 7:40
#"Hunter" (Skothùs Mix) – 9:11
* *Recorded at Shepherd's Bush Empire
Shepherd's Bush Empire (currently known as O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire for sponsorship reasons, and formerly known as the BBC Television Theatre) is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, West London, run by the Academy Music Group. It was original ...
, 13 November 1997.
*Digital single 3 / UK CD3
#"Hunter" (Mood Swing Remix) – 3:03
#"So Broken" (DJ Krust Mix) – 8:13
#"Hunter" (Live)* – 4:28
*French CD2
#"Hunter" – 4:12
#"Alarm Call
"Alarm Call" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer Björk for her third studio album ''Homogenic'' (1997). It was released as the fourth single from the album, peaking at number 33 in the United Kingdom. The sped-up radio edit of the song was us ...
" ( Bjeck Mix) – 6:30
#"Hunter" (Skothùs Mix) – 9:11
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from ''Homogenic'' liner notes
Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or cassette j-cards.
Origin
Liner notes are descended from the prog ...
.
*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 ...
– vocals, writer, production, keyboards
* Mark Bell - production, keyboards, programming, drum programming
*Markus Dravs
Markus Dravs is a British music producer, songwriter, programmer, engineer and mixer. His credits include Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Wolf Alice, Björk, Brian Eno, Sheep on Drugs, Merz, Mumford & Sons, Hozier, Florence + the Machine, The Maccabe ...
- recording, programming, drum programming
*Mark "Spike" Stent
Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran, ...
- mixing
*Guy Sigsworth
Allan Arthur Guy Sigsworth (born May 1960) is an English record producer and songwriter. He has worked with many artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Imogen Heap, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian ...
- keyboards, programming, clavichord, pipe organ
*Richard Brown - programming
*Marius De Vries
Marius de Vries (born 1961) is an English record producer and composer. He has won a Grammy Award from four nominations, two BAFTA Awards, and an Ivor Novello Award.
Education
Marius de Vries was educated at St Paul's Cathedral School, Bedfor ...
- programming
*Howie B
Howard Simon Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbie Robertson, Elisa, Mukul Deo ...
- programming
*Trevor Morais
Trevor Morais (born 10 October 1944) is an English drummer who has been a member of several notable groups such as Faron's Flamingos, Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, The Peddlers, Quantum Jump and the Elkie Brooks backing band. He is also a s ...
- electronic drumkit
* Yasuhiro "Coba" Kobayashi - accordion
*Alasdair Malloy - glass harmonica
*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 ...
- transcription, orchestration and arrangement
* The Icelandic String Octet - string players
Charts
Release history
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Hunter webpage at bjork.com archive
List of Hunter releases at Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter (Bjork Song)
1998 singles
Björk songs
The X-Files music
Songs written by Björk
Thirty Seconds to Mars songs
Song recordings produced by Björk
One Little Independent Records singles
1997 songs
Baroque pop songs
Drum and bass songs