A dream of freedom or a nightmare of oppression? A look into Björk's Declare Inderpendence

"Declare Independence" is a masterful video directed by Michel Gondry shot as an MV to to Björk's song of the same title. It captures both the feelings of empowerment and governmental control, hypnotizing the viewer with it's pounding rhythm, all in the industrial environment. This mix of themes creates an unforgettable experience, leaving the viewer consider all the possible meanings of the song and the imagery.

The song itself comes from Björk's 2007 album titled "Volta" and tackles the themes of freedom and control. The general message is in the title itself - "Declare Independence" encourages the listener to break free from their shackles, "raise their own flag" and "start their own currency". It has a rebellious touch to it - each "declare independence" is followed by "don't let them do this to you', not specifying who this mysterious controller is. As hopeful this call for action sounds, the song itself is deeply unnerving. The pounding rhythm interrupted by electrical spasms makes one think of machinery and industrial setting, possibly connecting the song with the ideas of rising of the working class. What is more, the feeling is magnified by quiet whispers in the background, repeating some of the phrases, which attack one's feeling of safety and make them think of how their subconscious may be affected by the 'messages in the background', barely there but still heard. The song itself changes from quiet and reserved in the beginning to overflowing with energy, accompanied by louder and louder voice of the vocalist, whose initial whispers turn into screams by the end of the song.

The visuals of the MV are very simple - everything happens inside one place looking like an industrial factory. Everything has dark, dull colours. There's an interesting mechanism that takes most of the space in the room. In the lower parts and the top part of the mechanism stand people. The ones on the bottom wear helmets which are connected by strings, originating in a megaphone hold up by Björk. The strings then go up to a machinery that colours them different bright hues. There's a man, fiddling with the strings, as if he's playing on them. Everybody is wearing army uniforms with mysterious patches on their sleeves. The scene gives off a feeling of militarism and regime.

The song seems to be empowering, but it is as long, as you only listen. The longer you watch the video, the more uneasiness creeps in. Part of it is the military feeling of the scene. From the first glance we recognize the situation - its the leader and it's subordinates, all in military clothing. It immediately makes one think of recordings of regimes - the speech of a leader, who scream out their ideology to an eager crowd, the people not aware of the things that happen in the background. This image instantly evokes fear and makes the viewer less trustful of the song.

The other element that makes the viewer feel uneasy is the environment - the industrial surrounding, more like an inside of early 20th century manufacture than place of creativity. It gives a feeling of coldness, not being suitable for human life but a place of work, treating people as a work force, rather than individual beings. This feeling is emphasized in the moment, when Björk screams to the gathered people to ' raise their flag'. The line seems like a call to rebellion, and the people obediently jump to rise the flag higher - however the reason for rising the flag seems to be to allow the people on the top of scaffolding to pain on it, leaving the viewer with the feeling, that the workers have been used. The thing that was supposed to be their symbol is being created, filled in, by someone else, somebody that controls them.

The music also adds to the feeling of uneasiness. The continuous pounding, the electrical sounds are an omen of catastrophe, the industrialization that will eat us all and change us into thoughtless machinery as the ones we operate.

'Declare Independence' lefts you feeling unnerved and anxious, the increasing tempo never reaching a resolution with the pounding of the rhythm still in your ears. It is a call for action, but it scares the watcher and shakes them, bringing power but also making them consider their place - are they the people painting on the flag? Are they Björk herself? Or maybe, the most scary option, are they the mob, thoughtlessly jumping to the words of unstoppable leader?

Thanks for sticking around!

Nat