Björk on how her mother’s death shaped new album ‘Fossora’

Björk has announced details of her new album Fossora, while also explaining how the record was shaped by her mother’s death.

Revealing the record title in a new interview with The Guardian, the singer confirmed that it directly tackles the passing of her mother Hildur Rúna Hauksdóttir, who died in 2018.

Two songs called ‘Sorrowful Soil’ and ‘Ancestress’ are said to be direct tributes to Hauksdóttir – a renowned hippy and homeopath who went to live in a commune when Björk was a baby.

The lyrics, Björk explained, reflect how her last few years in hospital provided a tricky contrast to her strong beliefs in alternative medicine.

“The machine of her breathed all night while she rested / Revealed her resilience / And then it didn’t,” she sings on album track ‘Ancestress’.

Describing her mother’s struggles, Björk added: “She didn’t agree with all that. She was in the hospital a lot and it was really difficult on her. It was quite a struggle.”

Elsewhere, the record also features a collaboration with Indonesian punks Gabber Modus Operandi, after the singer played their music on heavy rotation while bubbling up with friends and hosting parties during covid lockdowns.

The duo – comprised of Ican Harem and DJ Kasimyn – collaborated with her after she told them she was making her “mushroom album. It’s like digging a hole in the ground. This time around, I’m living with moles and really grounding myself.” The duo emailed her beats, which she then edited throughout the record’s time signatures.

While a specific release date is yet to be confirmed, the article states that the record will arrive this Autumn.