Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	88/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly	B+
The Guardian
Los Angeles Times
NME	8/10
Pitchfork Media	7.2/10
Q
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Village Voice	A−

Vespertine is the fourth solo album by Icelandic musician Björk, released on 27 August 2001, on One Little Indian Records. It was recorded at locations in Spain, Iceland, and the United States in 2000; production began during the filming of Dancer in the Dark, which was characterized by conflict between the singer and director Lars von Trier. Björk, a self-titled coffee table book containing photographs of the singer throughout her career, was released simultaneously with the album. Vespertine's sound reflected Björk's newly found interest in the music of artists such as Opiate and Console, who were also enlisted as producers.

Björk wanted to make an album with an intimate, domestic sound, deviating from the sonority of her previous studio album, Homogenic. With the rising popularity of Napster and music downloads, she decided to use instruments whose sound would not be compromised when downloaded and played on a computer: these include the harp, the celesta, clavichord, strings and custom music boxes. Assisted by the duo Matmos, Björk created "microbeats" from various household sounds, such as that of shuffling cards and ice being cracked. Lyrically, it revolves around sex and love — sometimes explicitly — inspired by the singer's new relationship with Matthew Barney. Other lyrical sources include a poem by E. E. Cummings, the play Crave, and her collaborator Harmony Korine.

Vespertine was widely acclaimed by critics. Praise centred on its erotic, intimate mood and sonic experimentation. The record has been featured in several publications' lists of the best albums of 2001 and the best albums of the decade, and was often considered Björk's best album to date. The album peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 in the US, and at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart. Three singles were released from Vespertine: "Hidden Place", "Pagan Poetry", and "Cocoon". The record was certified Gold in Canada, France and the UK. In 2001, the singer enlisted Zeena Parkins, Matmos, and a choir of Inuit women to embark on the Vespertine World Tour, which took place at theatres and small venues to favor the acoustics for the concerts.

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