Björk, Cosmogony | Wacky Wednesday

In the sixth edition of Wacky Wednesday (2026), we break down the unique “Cosmogony,” performed by Grammy-nominated Icelandic musician, Björk. 

Do you know what day it is? It is Wednesday, folks! Do you know what that means? Why, it is Wacky Wednesday! In the spirited column Wacky Wednesday, we analyze, break down, and explore songs from various musicians of various genres that can be considered unique, unusual, or ‘wacky.’  These songs can be new or old; the only requirement is that they ‘catch the ears’ because of their distinctiveness.  With the background established, in the sixth edition of Wacky Wednesday (2026), we break down the unique “Cosmogony” performed by Björk. Wacky Wednesday vibes commence!

Those lyrics could only be sung by one singer: Björk (Björk Guðmundsdóttir, b. 1965).  The lyrics appear in the fourth and final verse of the spacey masterpiece, “Cosmogony”. “Cosmogony” is the fourth track from the stellar 2011 album by the Icelandic musicians, Biophilia.  If it wasn’t clear from the excerpted lyrics, Björk references the Big Bang Theory. Notably, each of the song’s four verses represents a different creation myth.  She wrote “Cosmogony” with Sjón.  She produced this creation-driven track herself.

“Cosmogony” is easily my favorite from Biophilia.  It is an unusual gem from an unusual but brilliant album.  It commences with celestial, ominous synth pads. Think of the sounds as a tone poem representative of the universe – creation from various perspectives.  Additional breathtaking sounds beyond the programming include brass and a choir, conducted by Jón Stefánsson. With a top-notch instrumental arrangement and production (the orchestration is breathtaking and utterly sublime), Björk impresses with her well-rounded vocal performance. She makes you hang on every word she sings, telling remarkable tales.  In the first verse, she references a Miwok Creation myth where “a silver fox and her cunning mate / Began to sing a song that became the world.” In the second, the myth comes by way of a god hatching from an egg. In the third, “Our ancestors woke up, and before they went back to sleep / They carved it all into the world we know.” Whoa, Australian Aboriginal creation myth! While “Cosmogony” isn’t a traditional ‘pop’ song by any means, it thrives on its catchy chorus.  Surprisingly, the chorus is as tuneful as it is, given the spacey nature of the song and Biophilia as a whole. “Heaven, heaven’s bodies / Whirl around me, make me wonder,” she sings superbly. It’s giving a chef’s kiss! Uniquely, “Cosmogony” concludes with a striking, winding-down effect. Revisiting “Cosmogony” 15 years later, it remains bold, futuristic, and progressive in sound.  Björk sounds amazing.  She’s engaging, innovative, and unpredictable. ‘Tis a shame she has yet to win a Grammy for her cutting-edge and unique music.

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Björk » Biophilia » Wellhart Ltd / One Little Independent Ltd. » 2011

Björk, Cosmogony: Wacky Wednesday No. 6 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Wellhart Ltd / One Little Independent Ltd.; Vitaly Gorbachev from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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