Volta

Back in April, I told you that Bjork was hosting a music video contest, where fans could submit their very own visual accompaniments to "Innocence," a song on Bjork's new album, Volta. Now, the videos are now being uploaded for viewing here — currently, there are seven, but the site promises 10 total — and when all the movies are up, fans can vote on their favorites.

Anything but amateurish, every entry interprets the song differently, using all sort of assorted styles of animation. One resembles a Nintendo-like video game, while I'm partial to Number 4, which has more of a high-tech gothic wonderland vibe. Watch them online and tell me which one is your favorite.

Bjork has long been known for her quirkiness (two words: swan dress), and her approach to her newest music video is no exception. She's asking fans who have a way with short videos — the "madwebcarpenters," as she's calling them — to make the video for her new song "Innocence," from the Volta album coming out May 8.

Bjork is providing several of the tools you'd need to make such a video: the song (streaming on her MySpace page), pictures of the sculpture on the album cover, and the song's lyrics, one of which — "let's open up: share!" — seems perfectly appropriate for the contest.

Videos need to be done by early July, so get filming.

I've never been a die-hard Bjork fan, but I always look forward to hearing what she's going to come up with next — and rarely am I disappointed. Now, three years after the elfin singer's last proper album, I'm not the only one eager to hear Volta when it hits May 8.

Bjork is offering a digital download of the first single, "Earth Intruders," which features production work from Timbaland — who mixes up a metallic, industrial beat — and tribal percussion by the African supergroup Konono No 1. According to an interview Bjork did with Pitchfork, the song was inspired by a 2005 trip to post-tsunami Indonesia, and you can definitely hear those influences in the lyrics. To listen, read more