Army of Me Remixes
Björk UNICEF Charity
Army of Me: Remixes and Covers is a charity remix album organized by Björk and released in May 2005 to raise funds for UNICEF’s emergency work with children affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Built around her 1995 single “Army of Me” from the album Post, the project compiles 17–20 (depending on edition) radically different remixes and covers of the song created by artists from around the world, ranging stylistically from ambient and electro to nu metal, lounge, country rock, and experimental electronica. Björk and co-writer Graham Massey selected these versions from around 600 submissions sent in after she issued an open call on her website, explicitly framing the compilation as a benefit project whose profits would be donated to UNICEF.
Conceptually, the album functions as both a tribute to “Army of Me” and an experiment in how a single, structurally distinctive track can be reimagined across genres, languages, and production approaches. While Björk’s own voice appears on only a handful of cuts, the compilation foregrounds the creativity of largely lesser-known producers and bands, emphasizing community and global collaboration over star power. Commercially modest—peaking at number 14 on the UK dance albums chart and 168 in France—the album nonetheless met significant charitable goals, raising around £250,000 for UNICEF by early 2006 and standing as one of Björk’s most overtly activist releases, where her experimental instincts intersect directly with humanitarian fundraising.
Army of Me Remixes
Björk UNICEF Charity
Army of Me: Remixes and Covers is a charity remix album organized by Björk and released in May 2005 to raise funds for UNICEF’s emergency work with children affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Built around her 1995 single “Army of Me” from the album Post, the project compiles 17–20 (depending on edition) radically different remixes and covers of the song created by artists from around the world, ranging stylistically from ambient and electro to nu metal, lounge, country rock, and experimental electronica. Björk and co-writer Graham Massey selected these versions from around 600 submissions sent in after she issued an open call on her website, explicitly framing the compilation as a benefit project whose profits would be donated to UNICEF.
Conceptually, the album functions as both a tribute to “Army of Me” and an experiment in how a single, structurally distinctive track can be reimagined across genres, languages, and production approaches. While Björk’s own voice appears on only a handful of cuts, the compilation foregrounds the creativity of largely lesser-known producers and bands, emphasizing community and global collaboration over star power. Commercially modest—peaking at number 14 on the UK dance albums chart and 168 in France—the album nonetheless met significant charitable goals, raising around £250,000 for UNICEF by early 2006 and standing as one of Björk’s most overtly activist releases, where her experimental instincts intersect directly with humanitarian fundraising.