An enthusiastic review came from "The Wire", which felt that: "In the end, "Vespertine" commits its magic by daring to go places more obvious and more human than one would have ever expected." Calling it "one of the most impressive and cohesive" albums of the year, "Tiny Mix Tapes" found "Vespertine" to be Björk's most effective use of the studio as an instrument. Simon Reynolds, praised it in "Uncut" saying was "Her best yet, it reminds me of the jackfrost wonderland of Cocteau Twins circa "In The Gold Dust Rush", of the bejewelled coldness of Siouxsie and the Banshees circa "A Kiss in the Dreamhouse". The glittering sound fits the album's idea of inner riches, the treasure people keep hidden inside." Katy Widder, writer for "PopMatters", believed the album was a masterpiece, stating that it challenged the predominant theories of rock music and gender, particularly a statement made by Simon Reynolds and Joy Press in the acclaimed book, "The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock 'n' Roll": "Women have seized rock 'n' roll and usurped it for their own expressive purposes, but we've yet to see a radical feminization of rock itself." Chris Smith of "Stylus Magazine" praised the album for its nuance and delicacy, describing its sonic palette as "a breath of fresh air." Noting that "Vespertine" showed a more mature side of her, "musicOMH"'s Michael Hubbard wrote that "It sounds like Björk has grown up [...]; while that would be a pity, it is also fascinating for anyone who loves her music. She is a legend in her time."