Alarm Call

For the human and animal behaviour, see alarm signal.

"Alarm Call"
Single by Björk
from the album Homogenic
Released	November 30, 1998
Format	3 CDs Box set (3 CDs & video) 5 vinyl records (12")
Genre	Electronica, trip-hop, funk
Length	3:38 (radio edit) 4:21 (album version)
Label	One Little Indian
Writer(s)	Björk
Producer	Björk and Mark Bell
Björk singles chronology
"Hunter" (1998) "Alarm Call" (1998) "All Is Full of Love" (1999)

"Alarm Call" is a song by Björk released as the fourth single from her third studio album Homogenic, peaking at #33 in the UK.

Background

The song speaks of re-awakening through music and is rumoured to be about Michael Jackson as it was originally labelled "Jacko" on the Homogenic demo tape. Björk explained "I think that music has the power to change the things, and that's what I wanted to show on Alarm Call". The song breaks with the aesthetic of the album of strings and volcanic beats and gives the song a little more relaxed, poppy and hip-hop tone. It is the only single from Homogenic that was not included on Greatest Hits.

Music video

Björk in the jungle in the Alarm Call music video.

The first music video for "Alarm Call" was directed by Paul White, who also directed the "Hunter" video, and it featured Björk in a similar dressing as the one featured on the Homogenic album cover, with a special dance scene in Los Angeles' Subway.

However, Björk was not convinced with the result and a second video was directed by fashion designer Alexander McQueen and recorded at the Asylum Studios. It features Björk floating on a raft on a river in a jungle and her scenes are intercut with footage of snakes, crocodiles, and other animals. It was rumoured to be a sequel to "Bachelorette", because of the lyrics that make a little allusion to the events occurred in past Isobel adventures ("Human Behaviour", "Isobel" and "Bachelorette"). The video also has some signs that make people think about this fact. "Alarm Call" shows Isobel back to the nature after having disillusions in the big city, so this video is the fourth and last of Isobel's adventures.

The version of the song used on the video is the Radio mix by Mark Bell, which is sped-up, with dance influences and omits the word 'fucking'.

Track listings

EU CD

1. "Alarm Call" (radio mix)
2. "Alarm Call" (French Dub)
3. "Alarm Call" (Potage du Jour)
4. "Alarm Call" (Gangsta)
5. "Alarm Call" (Bjeck Mix)

UK CD1

1. "Alarm Call" (radio mix)
2. "Alarm Call" (Rhythmic Phonetics Mix) (by Matmos)
3. "Alarm Call" (Bjeck Mix)

UK CD2

1. "Alarm Call" (Potage du Jour)
2. "Alarm Call" (French Edit)
3. "Alarm Call" (French Dub)

UK CD3

1. "Alarm Call" (Phunk You)
2. "Alarm Call" (Gangsta)
3. "Alarm Call" (Locked)

12" vinyl record 1

1. "Alarm Call" (Bjeck Mix)
2. "Alarm Call" (Rhythmic Phonetics Mix) (by Matmos)
3. "Alarm Call" (Speech Therapy Mix) (by Matmos)

12" vinyl record 2

1. "Alarm Call" (Enough is Enough Mix)
2. "Alarm Call" (Rise and Shine Mix)
3. "All Is Full of Love" (All is Full of Lies Mix)

12" vinyl record 3

1. "Alarm Call" (Reprosession Mix)
2. "So Broken" (DJ Krust Mix)

12" vinyl record 4

1. "Alarm Call" (Alan Braxe & Ben Diamond Remix)
2. "Alarm Call" (Teasmade Dub)
3. "Alarm Call" (Alan Braxe & Ben Diamond Edit)

12" vinyl record 5

1. "Alarm Call" (radio mix)
2. "Alarm Call" (album version)
3. "Alarm Call" (Snooze Button Mix)
4. "Hunter" (Moodswing Remix)

Remixes

• Matmos remix
• Bjeck mix
• Enough is Enough mix
• French dub/Alan Braxe and Ben Diamond remix
• French edit/Alan Braxe and Ben Diamond edit
• Gangsta
• Locked
• Reprosession mix
• Radio mix
• Rise and Shine mix
• Rhythmic Phonetics mix
• Phunk You
• Potage du Jour
• Snooze Button mix
• Speech Therapy mix
• Teasmade dub

Charts

Chart Peak position UK Singles Chart 33 References