Bon Iver – i,i

Justin Vernon’s latest record, i,i is alternative folk at its finest. With three albums under his belt, the Wisconsin native still manages to expertly navigate new worlds of sound, mixing old styles with new to create unique compositions full of texture and vibrancy. Acoustic instrumentation meshes well with intermittent synthesized sounds that come together in a way that only Vernon could have orchestrated. Tracks like Jelmore have elements reminiscent of electronic artists like Flume and What So Not, with glitchy, jittery production and ambient vocals, while others stay true to Bon Iver’s folk roots. The production remains simpler on tracks like Hey Ma, where a spacey background vocal performance floats around during an emotional track that makes for one of the best songs on the album. The vocal layering on this project stands out more than anything else, in my opinion. On tracks like iMi, U (Man Like), Naeem and many others, angelic choirs, guest features, and, more often than not, multiple layers of Vernon’s own voice form rich, full vocal soundscapes that add to the albums dynamic musical repertoire. After over a decade of recording and releasing music, Bon Iver continues to redefine genres and create truly refreshing music.