"Hidden Place" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer Björk for her fourth studio album Vespertine (2001). Originally intended for the soundtrack album Selmasongs (2000), "Hidden Place" was written and produced by Björk herself, features lyrics centered around a secluded romantic connection, and incorporates an instrumental composition influenced by glitch music.

Released as the lead single from Vespertine on 30 July 2001 by One Little Indian Records, the track was accompanied by a music video directed by art collective M/M (Paris) and photographers Inez and Vinoodh, and portrays a magnified view of liquids streaming through Björk's facial features. "Hidden Place" was critically well-received for its mellowness and usage of a choir, though some found it to be less commercially appealing than her previous work. Topping the single charts in Spain and peaking within the top 20 in Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, and Norway, the song was later featured as the eleventh track on Greatest Hits (2002).

Background

In 2000, while Björk worked on the film Dancer in the Dark, she also began producing her next album, writing new music and teaming with new collaborators; she has said "Selmasongs was the day job and Vespertine was the hobby". Her new relationship with artist Matthew Barney and the tension while filming Dancer in the Dark have been referred to as the two major forces that shaped what would become Vespertine. As the process of filming demanded her to be extroverted, the new music she was creating became hushed and tranquil as a way to escape. Björk's musical taste shifted from the "clang and clatter" and "thumping techno" that characterized Homogenic, as she "was bored with big beats". She also began to use her laptop to write music, and decided to use instruments whose sound would not be compromised when downloaded from sites such as Napster. Björk completed: "I had loads and loads of beats for 'Hidden Place' but it still wasn't up enough. Matthew Herbert came for a visit in the studio and offered to do it. He ran away to his studio and came back after a few hours later with a DAT".

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Composition

"Hidden Place" features choirs of space sirens, and lyrically is about a new love that has a private side. "I'm not sure what to do with it or where to put it/ I'll keep it in a hidden place", Björk sings. According to The Wire magazine, the song "hints at the extent to which her lyrics parallel their fragile musical arrangements: 'I'm so close to tears and so close to simply calling you up/ I'm simply suggesting/ We go to that hidden place'". For Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork, the track opens Vespertine with a "glitchy, almost lo-fi melodic loop, paired with the deep sub-bass attack that has dominated the low-end of Björk's music in recent years". MusicOMHs Michael Hubbard noted that it is reminiscent of Björk's previous single "Hunter" (1997), although he felt the beats were not "so central this time round".

Critical reception

"Hidden Place" received positive reviews from music critics. Greg Kot from Blender magazine commented that album openers "Hidden Place" and "Cocoon" "live up to their billing as sound sanctuaries, with Björk singing a barely-above-a-whisper lullaby enhanced by the plush embrace of a choir". David Fricke of Rolling Stone called it "floating beauty". British magazine NMEs Joe Logic was also positive saying, "'Hidden Place' is a mellow and low-key opener that combines Matmos sneezing-cricket beats with deep warm bass and a distant choir. The chorus is almost mantra-like, drawing you further into this immeasurably gorgeous record". However, Steve Granlee from The Boston Globe commented that "Hidden Place" was "a subtle update" of "Human Behaviour", but "it won't have any radio appeal". Katy Widder of PopMatters shared a similar sentiment, saying the song "is by no means top 40 material".

Music video

The music video for "Hidden Place" was co-directed by designers M/M (Paris) and photographers Inez and Vinoodh. It was shot in four days in February 2001 in London. It was originally planned for a song from Selmasongs, but Björk felt the project was more appropriate for Vespertine.

  1. "Hidden Place" (edit)
  2. "Generous Palmstroke"
  3. "Verandi"

UK and European CD2

  1. "Hidden Place" (acappella)
  2. "Mother Heroic"
  3. "Foot Soldier"

US and UK DVD single

  1. "Hidden Place" (video)
  2. "Generous Palmstroke"
  3. "Verandi"

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Vespertine.

  • Björk&nbsp;– vocals, songwriter, producer, bassline, choir arrangement
  • Jake Davies&nbsp;– programming, engineering
  • Damian Taylor&nbsp;– programming, engineering
  • Guy Sigsworth&nbsp;– programming, choir arrangement
  • Matthew Herbert&nbsp;– programming
  • Matmos&nbsp;– programming
  • Vince Mendoza&nbsp;– choir arrangement
  • Mark "Spike" Stent&nbsp;– mixing

Charts

Weekly charts

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!scope="col"|Chart (2001)

!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position

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!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|16

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!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|35

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!scope="row"|Japan (Oricon)

|63

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Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

! scope="col"| Chart (2001)

! scope="col"| Position

|-

!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

|134

|}

Sales

Release history

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Release dates and formats for "Hidden Place"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|

|-

! scope="row"| United Kingdom

| 30 July 2001

| Contemporary hit radio

| One Little Indian

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! scope="row"| Japan

| 1 August 2001

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| rowspan="3"| Polydor

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! scope="row"| Australia

| rowspan="3"| 6 August 2001

| rowspan="2"| CD

|

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! scope="row"| Germany

|