Synopsis
Björk drifts through an exuberant tropical fantasy, floating on a wooden raft along a jungle river. Surrounded by snakes, crocodiles, fish, and dense vegetation, she appears entirely at ease, touching and playing with the creatures rather than fearing them. The video's vivid, surreal imagery turns the song's message of awakening and transformation into a celebration of instinct, nature, and emotional freedom. Its playful sensuality and strange beauty make the natural world feel like an extension of Björk's imagination.
Factoids & Trivia
- The released video replaced an earlier version directed by Paul White. That first concept reportedly featured Björk in a dress resembling the outfit on the *Homogenic* album cover, with dance sequences filmed in the Los Angeles subway system.
- Björk was dissatisfied with the original video and asked fashion designer Alexander McQueen to create a new interpretation.
- McQueen reportedly prepared a treatment of almost 100 pages for the project, an unusually elaborate foundation for a short promotional film.
- The final video was filmed in London over two days in October 1998, despite its apparent jungle setting.
- The version used in the video is the radio mix by Andy Bradfield and Mark Bell rather than the full album recording.
- "Alarm Call" was released as the fourth single from *Homogenic* on November 30, 1998. It was originally intended to appear earlier in the single sequence, before "Hunter" took that position.
- The song was originally labeled "Jacko" on the *Homogenic* demo tape. Björk described its central idea as the ability of music to reawaken people and change things.
- The video is included on Björk's video compilation *Volumen Plus*.