Now that the Björk’s cryptic viral video clips have been put to rest, the promotion of Volta is in full swing. The first single “Earth Intruders” is available in an extended mix (not the crappy radio edit leaked Friday) in the iTunes Music Store. It’s jumped to #1 on France, Japan, and Spain, and into several top genre charts (#30 Pop in the US?!?).

And now, Björk has worked with her close friend Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir to bring us a free video podcast on the making of Volta, via iTunes.

The first episode finds her at the day-glo crochet shaman photoshoot with Inez van Lamsweerde, Vinoodh Matadin, and the effects company ILC. She explains the inspiration of, birth of, and process of recording the album. We also get to see her fiddling with a keyboard that triggers samples of a ship horn. Later she’s in the studio, improvising vocal lines over Toumani Diabate’s kora and swaying to and fro to a brass choir (conducted by composer Nico Muhly).

Much like The Inner or Deep Part of an Animal or Plant Structure, Ragga’s 2004 documentary on the making of Medúlla, the feel of the video is immediate and incisive and captures the gravity and humor of Björk’s personality, and it promises to offer a look at the wide range of elements that go into her work. More episodes are forthcoming (hopefully with Björk blowin’ a charge with Timbaland).

And while I’m on the topic (when am I not, though?), Björk will be the musical guest on the April 21^st Saturday Night Live. The host is Scarlett Johansson, whoever the hell that is.