Bjork Releases New Album Two Months Early After Leak

Icelandic singer-songwriter Bjork has prematurely released her new album, Vulnicura, online, about two months earlier than planned, after the record leaked at the weekend.

As The Guardian reports, tracks from Vulnicura — Bjork's eagerly awaited first full-length in four years — made their way through less-than-legitimate channels only a couple of days after the All Is Full Of Love scribe made its existence known with an announcement on social media.

In response to the leak, Bjork has ensured Vulnicura is now available — or will be in the next day or so — for above-board purchase in the iTunes store, though the physical CD and vinyl releases maintain their original street date in March.

In typically Bjork-ish fashion, in alerting her fans via her Facebook page to the album's availability, the singer dwelled not on the negative but instead offered an impassioned, gracious post offering her thanks to those who are "still interested" in her music, and going into an insightful little spiel about the context behind the album and the talented team of people who helped her bring it to life.

After spending a year writing and finding herself with "a complete heartbreak album", Bjork explains of the album that "first I was worried it would be too self-indulgent but then I felt it might make it even more universal and hopefully the songs could be a help, a crutch to others and prove how biological this process is: the wound and the healing of the wound. Psychologically and physically. It has a stubborn clock attached to it."

Vulnicura is not yet available in the Australian iTunes store, but keep your eyes peeled — it'll be up for purchase soon.