Björk – Vulnicura
The music gear and equipment used by the artists, producers, engineers, and more involved in the making of the 2015 album Vulnicura.
Music from Vulnicura
Gear Used On Vulnicura
Explore the instruments, equipment, software, and production tools used in the making of Björk – Vulnicura (2015). Click more on each item to see exactly how it was used.
Studio Gear used by Björk on Vulnicura
AMS Neve 1081 Mic Preamp & Equalizer
Avg price: $6,962.36
Much of the writing and recording of Vulnicura took place at Björk’s New York home, where she has the ultimate 21st Century studio. The total music–tech content consists of an Avid Pro Tools HD Native Thunderbolt system, Genelec 1032 monitors (“I like them a lot, they sound very creamy. But they can be deceptive, because everything sounds good in them. So you have to be a little careful.”), an M–Audio controller, a Telefunken ELAM 251 microphone and Neve 1081 mic preamp.
Microphones used by Björk on Vulnicura
Avg price: $13,493.75
Much of the writing and recording of Vulnicura took place at Björk’s New York home, where she has the ultimate 21st Century studio. The total music–tech content consists of an Avid Pro Tools HD Native Thunderbolt system, Genelec 1032 monitors (“I like them a lot, they sound very creamy. But they can be deceptive, because everything sounds good in them. So you have to be a little careful.”), an M–Audio controller, a Telefunken ELAM 251 microphone and Neve 1081 mic preamp.
Nordic Audio Labs - (Martin Kantola) NU-47
Used for Biophilia "[o]n a few songs that needed extra sensitivity and detail," as stated by mix engineer Damian Taylor in this October 13, 2011 SonicScoop interview.
On a few songs that needed extra sensitivity and detail, Björk sang into Martin Kantola designed NU-47, a classic redesign of the Neumann / Telefunken U47 with striking wooden body. Otherwise the chain was simple: The Shure SM58 into a preamp with little or no compression.
“When I’m recording Björk, I try to compress as little as possible. Basically never. I do have a little something there on the chain just as a safety net, but basically I ride her performances the whole way in. Her dynamic range is just insane. Fortunately, I’ve gotten to know her pretty well, so I can start to feel when she’s about to take a breath and ride my output gain knob. This way, we’re not getting a squished sound going in, but we’re still getting consistent levels.”
(...) Originally, Taylor plugged the SM58 into a Neve 1084, with a Urei 1176 as his safety net. “That worked really well for Volta, where the voice had a more rock and roll sound.” But for this record, he realized the voice “would be a more delicate kind of thing”, and he came to prefer Björk’s Focusrite ISA 430 Producer Pack, while largely avoiding its built-in EQ and compression.
Producer Bruce Swedien confirms Björk's use of the NU-47 on this page of the microphone's official website.
Of course, it's a fantastic vocal microphone. There have been very few NU-47's made. One was made for Icelandic singer Björk, who absolutely loves the sound of this incredible new microphone. She told us that, "It captures both the small and the big sounds that I make!"
Studio Monitors used by Björk on Vulnicura
Genelec 1032A Bi-Amplified Monitoring System
Avg price: $5,000.00
Much of the writing and recording of Vulnicura took place at Björk’s New York home, where she has the ultimate 21st Century studio. The total music–tech content consists of an Avid Pro Tools HD Native Thunderbolt system, Genelec 1032 monitors (“I like them a lot, they sound very creamy. But they can be deceptive, because everything sounds good in them. So you have to be a little careful.”), an M–Audio controller, a Telefunken ELAM 251 microphone and Neve 1081 mic preamp.